It should have been raining

I definitely had The Guilt when I dragged out the sewing machine and three totes of fabric with the full intention of spending the most beautiful day of the year holed up inside working on sewing projects. I don't know why 80+ degree temperatures inspire me to do things like this.

Sure, Rocket could have cared less, since she spends her days languishing half-awake on all the squooshy surfaces in our house anyway, but Jada was definitely looking at me like I'd knocked my melon loose during our morning walk. Sure, that could have been from being half-dragged toward a fleeing squirrel, but she wasn't taking responsibility for my new found sense of Hermititis. Oh no.

Of course, though, I started to feel guilty about keeping the creatures indoors on such a beautiful day, so I let them out into the yard to soak it up while I steadied myself behind the tower of fabric on my dining room table.

This compromise was acceptable to all and Rocket was diligent in her quest to OWN the dog. Which she does, in no uncertain terms.

You'll see here how Rocket has her gaze fixed firmly on Jada. This is common. If Jada moves in any direction that is unpalatable to Her Highness Rocket, she hisses Jada right back into line. We're just glad to have Rocket's bossiness projected on a being other than us. It is tiring to be constantly baring yourself against bloodthirsty Rocket attacks. She is not a nice animal, generally.


As the creatures relaxed happily in the backyard, I rode the sewing machine through five sewing projects until I finally broke another needle - signalling the end of my sewing day. Is it a bad sign that I've broken two needles in as many months? Perhaps now is the time to share with you another one of my nicknames: "The Queen of Forcing It". Yes, Bubba has coined this very flattering nickname and uses it whenever I'm in the throes of making an inanimate object obey my will.

In this case, the object was my sewing machine and my will was "sewing a seam through the base of the zipper pull".

Oops.

Tip: Sewing needles can not penetrate metal zippers. Sew *around* them. Oh. Right.

No worries though. Before this fated incident I managed to complete some long overdue projects:

A fitting dog bed for the pooch from the Amy Butler Floor Cushion pattern

The requested pillowcase from the Surprise Cowboys fabric

A sunglass case from Big Pillow scraps

A fitting prize for the winner of the "What the fuck do I do with all this fabric?!" contest from Amy Butler's Recipe Card Holder pattern

and a soon to be finished Cabo Halter for a certain special friend of mine from the remnant (read: full bolt) of fabric left from my first Cabo Halter endeavour last year.

Yes, it was the invisible zipper on this blessed garment that refused to yield to the force of my sewing machine. Loser. Anyway, I forged ahead to the point of the final hem, but then suddenly lost momentum and decided it would be best if I broke down shop, cleaned up the detritus of the days projects and took the dog for a walk away from the encroaching cat.

Sometimes I do this. Just decide, mid-seam/stitch/brushstroke that I'm done. I don't want to move forward a single moment longer on the project at hand because I know nothing good can come from my continued progress. I will only make a mess/break something/scream bad words/hurt myself or others/ruin something beyond repair.

At moments like these it is best to stop and focus my attentions elsewhere. Like on a G&T, or the dog leash.

After taking Jada for another "We love to chase squirrels by lunging into oncoming traffic and nearly smashing our skulls" walk, I was ready to return to the sewing machine, but decided to wait it out.

I had a G&T waiting, after all.