Darn It

Did you think I forgot Sewing Accountability 2013? I didn't. On the evening of February 28th, I sat down with a few items I bought with Christmas money a couple of years ago. A couple of years, you ask? Yes, as in Christmas 2010. I needed to learn how to use them before I am going to crack open the book from Christmas 2011.

In case you don't have these items laying around your house, they are a darning egg, yarn, some special needles whose name escapes me at the moment, and a pair of Little Man's socks with a hole in the toe.

I slipped the sock over the egg and found a tutorial online on how to darn. It was not hard, and looked good, but I feel like it does not meet the basic requirements of mending via darning. There were knots involved, and I could certainly feel the seam I had made. The whole point is to mend the sock in a way that will leave it comfortable in the shoes, and prevent rubbing and blistering on feet. Unfortunately, Little Man cannot wear these socks anymore, so I can't test it out. I did see a pair of B's socks in the wash yesterday with a hole in each heel. I may be pulling out my supplies in the next night or two to test out a new tutorial.

I did like the technique enough to use it on one of my favorite sweater's sleeve. It's going to take a lot more than a little hole in the arm to force me to get rid of this unisex J Crew relic. That's right, Mom. Get excited. This baby will be back next Christmas!

Last - but definitely not least - I mended these pj pants of B's. He said he didn't care how my experiment turned out (i.e., how the pants looked after I took to them with needle and thread), he was NOT cutting them into dust rags.

So, there you have it. Month Two of Sewing Accountability 2013. I am pretty sure my sister is not even in the game, but she is free to answer the challenge.

Everybody's First Splinter

That's about as much of a smile as we could get out of this little guy after the operation - and I do mean operation. And, yes, he looks completely worn out from the crying and drooling. Poor little guy.

I had put off this day as long as I possibly could. Let those suckers work their own way out, I say. Just check every day and make sure they are not getting red.

But when he showed me this one, my mommy conscience just would not let me leave it inside his body. I wish I had thought to take a "before" pic. Truly huge and gross.

To make matters worse, the tip broke off the first time I unearthed it, so we had to wait until after bath time and start again. With a very unwilling participant. He was very brave and held fairly still, but it broke my heart to hear him keep crying and saying, "I don't want to, Mommy. Please don't do it!"

But Bryan held him still, and I just keep sticking the needle in further and further to pull out the wood. We were trying to pump him up as it got close to sticking out - we were so excited, because we knew it was almost out! Needless to say, we could NOT get him on board with the excitement, so we just finished the job.

A little ointment, a band-aid, a few hugs and kisses, and the healing could begin.

We have told him many times not to play with the mulch at the park, but I think he is going to remember a little better next time.

An incredible glimpse into my Father's heart - why He tells me to avoid something, what He must be thinking when he sees the result of my deciding not to avoid it, how He holds me even as He is digging out the wood, how it hurts to hear my protesting cries, the excitement He feels as He gets close to uprooting my sin, and - finally - the hugs and kisses as He sends me on my way to healing.

Now, for the next lesson...