Friday, March 6, 2009

Baby Steps


I finally finished my apron. I've seen these pretty frilly things for sale and figured I could make one if I just had a pattern. I found this cute pattern at www.mariemadelinestudio.com/chicsisters and it was pretty simple. There were a few tricky parts but I finally got through them and am very pleased with it. I'm thinking I'll have to make myself a few more before I'm done.

I've been reading some books set maybe 50 years ago on various farms. One of the characters mentions putting on her apron to do some work at about the same time I had finished my apron. I'm quite sure her apron was not a frilly thing. It called to mind again how blessed I feel to have not only the necessities of life, but some luxuries as well. I felt like making a pretty apron, so I bought the pattern, found some fun fabric and I made it. I wasn't struggling to make a living, I didn't have to save up for months to buy the fabric, and I didn't have to work from sunrise to sundown harvesting anything. By all accounts, I live a very easy life. If anything, I spend too much time dealing with excesses--I make trips to DI to empty our house of clutter, I exercise because I've eaten too much . . .

I hope that the next time I feel that I need something new or I that I need a little break from my spoiled life, that I will take a minute to think about those who have less. That I will appreciate the bounty of my rich life and express gratitude. That I will look beyond myself and my selfish desires. I often hesitate to help because I don't feel capable of solving world hunger, or of righting a great wrong. And while I may not be able to help someone on the other side of the world, I do know of a friend who is ill. Surely I can offer something small--something that will show that I am thinking of someone other than myself. Something that maybe only I can give--or maybe it's something that anyone can give and I will be the one lucky enough to actually do it.

And maybe I will wear my apron while I do it. I can't become too selfless all at once or no one will recognize me.

8 comments:

Jennifer said...

Beautifully said. And now I will return the cute frilly apron I bought you for your birthday. I should have known you could make one better. Any other gift ideas for me?

Ivy said...

The apron looks great! I used a similar pattern for some Christmas gifts I made last year (with the same frill at the bottom, but without the band across the waist).

It's so odd to think of what we think are challenges of living today, compared to what people went through not even 80 years ago. A lot of what people view as "necessity" now exceeds what was would have been a luxury. Personal cars and paved roads, E-mail, cell phones...

Treble Clef ♪ said...

Lovely apron. Coryn and I have been on the same wavelength and have also been making aprons. She made some cute waisted aprons for her friends' birthdays this year. I'm still working on one for myself, though not as fancy as yours:)

Live From Mommyville... said...

Cute apron! A woman of many, many talents. And I ought to know...

Anonymous said...

You should have a column in the newspaper! Very thought-provoking... thank you! (Is it this year's b-day that is causing you to reflect?) :-)

The Thomas Family said...

Wow, that is a great apron! I bought one of the frilly ones... I wish I could sew well enough to make one! Maybe I will in the future when I have a bit more time to kill.
But- that is all so true. It often just takes me a moment to shut up when I am complaining when I think of what others are going through. But you're so right that the little things can make a world of difference.

Coryn said...

That's a well good apron! I love it.

Likely said...

great thoughts. Aprons to me are so symbolic. Sounds cheesy, but I think they symbolize a time when women worked hard in a different way than most of them work today. A get your hands dirty, laboring, get in the middle of it kind of work. And I love it. I scour the thrift stores for aprons. I find when I wear them I use it for so many things! They most definitely are very practical as well as adorable. Great job on yours by the way!