Mom's 80th

Today would have been my mother's 80th birthday, an event I'd fully expected to celebrate with her and the rest of the family.  None of us, including Mom, expected her to die at 78.  Sure, she was collecting health issues like everyone does in their 70s, but none of them seemed lethal.  So it continues to be a surprise to me that she isn't here anymore.

Since I had the day off from work, I decided to spend it sewing, in honor of Mom, an avid quilter.  I'm not avid about quilting, so instead I made a new shoulder bag to replace my old one that's gotten too grotty to carry anymore.  And I decided to be brave and venture off without a pattern.  It's pretty much just a folded-over rectangle, so it was hard to go too wrong.  I did manage to square off the wrong corners (I was so proud of myself for figuring it out! and then I realized it wasn't the bottom of the bag—oops), necessitating a little design change.  And my buttonholer messed up and made the hole too small, necessitating a change in button.  (But I actually prefer the new button, so that worked out o.k.)  And then my bobbin went nuts…

As I was ripping out yet another seam, I thought of my mother, whose internet password for many sites was "Rripit"!  My mom was with me when I bought the plaid patchwork fabric—it was on clearance at a fabric store in Tucson and I fell in love with it but was afraid it was "too loud" or too bizarre, that James wouldn't like it, that no one in their right mind would like it.  Mom said, "It's great!  You like it, so get it!"  That was Mom's philosophy when it came to fabric and sewing gadgets:  "I like it, so I'm going to get it!"  I'm much better now at trusting my own taste, but I owe that particular bright yellow and purple plaid to my mother.  The lining was part of her stash that I inherited, and the flap with the birds is a new piece that I found in Keene, NH, last year.  So this bag encompasses Mom, me, and Mom-&-me.

Happy Birthday, Mom!  Wish you were here.