Life is a Rose

A bullion rose to be specific.

I love to sew. Sewing has kept me sane all these years I have been a stay at home mom. When I gave up a career and college, I turned to my “new” sewing machine. I made crib bedding, cute baby dresses, maternity clothes, doll dress, dog coats and many other projects. I have therapy sessions with my needle and thread.

Over the years, I have become a stickler for quality. My first dresses looked “home made.” Now if something isn’t of the highest quality, it doesn’t come out of my sewing room. I have a huge dish barrel box full of projects that were not up to my standard. A dress that didn’t hang right, strips or plaids that didn’t match. Something wasn’t quiet right. But I would put aside the failed project and try again.

I have learned so many new things. Lace shaping, smocking, embroidery stitches. I have learned how to look for fine fabrics and had the opportunity to work with some wonderful silk organza. I have a list of new things I want to learn. Pattern drafting, ribbon embroidery and tambour beading. Always more to learn.

One embroidery stitch has always eluded my grasp. Bullion knots. I have tried to learn them many times and always failed. My knots looked like a tangled mess and never a beautiful rose. … Until today. I finally got it right. After years of trying and failing, persistence paid off. I learned how make those stubborn stitches. They aren’t as neat as I would like them yet but I can make them now. That is a huge accomplishment for me.

Life is like that too. There are things in life that seem so out of reach. A goal that is unobtainable. Yet, with tenacity, patience, hard work and persistence, anything is possible. Owning your own home. A stable relationship. That prized job.

Life for me is a tiny embroidered rose. Hard to master but worth every minute of my time.