Crafty Conversations

I come from a family of crafters. Crafting ideas surge through my blood thudding and pounding every time I drive by Michael’s or JoAnn’s or Hobby Lobby. At this point in my life I mostly crochet or scrapbook but I can and do: paint, cross stitch, make soap and occasionally candles, weave, quilt and sew. Admittedly of the listed crafts, I just learned how to weave and while I can quilt and sew, they are not my favorite of activities – they are too “fussy” for me. Of course, one might argue that scrapbooking is far fussier.

During a recent shopping trip with Ashleigh after she had tried on her bajillionth pair of jeans it came as no surprise when she shouted from the dressing room, “That’s it! We are going to make our own clothes from now on! These don’t fit! And,” she was so indignant, “They are way too expensive! Forty dollars and that's the SALE PRICE?!?!”

I smiled listening to her tirade. In December, unable to find the girls Christmas pajamas that were cute but not cutesy and fit them, I too had myself a little clothes shopping breakdown and decided that I would make them pajamas this year. While they turned out okay in the end, I struggled through the entire process and the easy “sew in an hour” turned out to be a nearly two week long event and I just barely finished them in time for Christmas Eve.

Ashleigh’s blood also carries through her a burning desire to craft. She makes paper projects, dream catchers, yarn creations…her interests are as varied as mine and now, she is determined to learn how to sew.

“Well,” I tell her as she comes out of the changing room, “You heard me complaining about your pajamas, right?”

“Yeah.” She nods placing a stack of jeans on the rack just outside the dressing room.

“And really, cost wise, I only saved maybe five dollars per pajama and that was with the fabric on sale.”

“I don’t need expensive fabric.”

“I’ve never made pants before except for doll clothes.”

“I like skirts. Skirts are just, you know, round.” She said. “And dresses. I bet those are easier.”

“Okay.” I sigh and shake my head. “We’ll make some clothes.” I tell her as we walk out of the store. “You know, I think that I still have some doll patterns and fabric left over from before…how about you start with that? You know, like the Mythbusters.”

She looks at me and frowns.

“Small scale trial run first to see what might explode,” I tell her. “Then the full size experiment.”

You know what else runs in the family?

Eye rolling.