I get angry at zippers

Tired. But a frustrating day became a good day, so no complaints. Started the day as usual with breakfast and morning pages, then spent a good bit of time answering emails. I was determined to learn to put in zippers today, so I sat down with some books and tried to figure it out. Then I realized all the zippers I had on hand — estate-sale finds, mostly — were really long (shortest = 16″), so I had to run out to buy some more zippers. After lunch I started experimenting.

Aughhh, this is not the first time my inability to visualize things in 3D has brought me to the brink of tantrums. First, I couldn’t figure out how to get the zipper foot installed on my machine. (Non-seamsters: sewing machines have to use different parts for regular sewing, for making buttonholes, for installing zippers, and other functions. These parts are called feet, and while most machines come with a regular foot and a zipper foot, mine came with a regular foot and a buttonhole foot. So I had to buy the zipper foot separately.) Why, why, WHY couldn’t they put installation instructions on the zipper foot?! Even the zippers themselves ($1.79) came with sewing instructions! The zipper foot packaging didn’t say a word about how to use it, my machine manual didn’t say a word, and the internet was surprisingly unhelpful. It took me several different Googlings to figure out how to attach the foot, and even then it was just a happily angled photo that helped me see how to do it. But by that time I was already irritated. Then, I couldn’t picture from the meager instructions in my various books how to set the zipper in to a pouch. Long story short, I did finally make a pouch, and it looks not-terrible, but it’s far from perfect. The zipper isn’t placed right, the inside seams are messy (and I’ve been doing them that way on my eye pillow travel cases too, and for some reason I never realized until today that there might be a better way — which probably just means I’m getting better, but… augh), I didn’t attach the zipper the right way… but, you know, it’s not horrible. And I love the fabrics, so I will probably use this pouch myself for something or other. But oh, it was a frustrating afternoon.

I was so involved in this zipper work that I almost forgot to go to yoga, but luckily I got thirsty and happened to look at the kitchen clock. I drove up to Tierra Yoga, where I delivered my mat tote to Ilia. I can’t wait to see it hanging up on the studio wall. Ilia will use it as the giveaway in a raffle for yogis who walk or bike to the studio; I hope that shimmering gold fabric will help encourage locals to do this! (It feels a bit hypocritical that I myself don’t, but I do live two towns over.) I received free yoga classes in exchange for the tote, which I consider a perfectly fair trade. 🙂

Jinny texted me randomly today to say she was in town, so after yoga I met up with her and we went thrift-store shopping. I got a bunch of fabrics and a small lazy Susan for our pantry, all for $12. Then we came back here for dinner (for the past couple of days I have been allowing us crusty white bread and garlic butter, and it’s been heavenly!) and chat. Jinny also showed me how to improve my zipper-setting, and we talked crafts and looked over some books. She said she finds me inspiring, and I certainly find her inspiring, so I guess that means we need to hang out more! Luckily we’ve already planned for another thrifting excursion next Thursday. 😉

So, my afternoon’s frustration with crafting dissipated after the evening of sharing my tote at the studio, and shopping and crafting with Jinny. Not such a bad day after all.