Comfort in Needles

Some handwork that I'm doing

  Not that kind of needle.  Sewing needles. I've never tried the other kind.....well, until recently.  I sliced my thigh open with a very sharp seam ripper about 2 weeks ago.  I don't know what kind of needle was used, but 8 stitches were used to sew me up and some kind of needle was used to make my leg numb.  

But then, that kind of needle did actually give me comfort too.  I just don't want to make a habit of it.  Today was day #3,465 in captivity and I am in no hurry to get out.  In fact the more I stay in, the more I want to stay in.  I've been experiencing mild panic attacks when I drive more than a few miles away from home which, fortunately, I don't have to do very often.

My early birthday gift to me: a wicker sewing basket

There is something about the tools used in hand sewing that just gives me comfort and calms me: thimbles, needles, thread, those little tomato pin cushions... .I love them all.  I'm not sure why it is but it has always been that way.  I remember when I was a little girl, I used to love to look at the crafts section in the Worldbook Encyclopedias that we had.  The section - it may have fallen under folk art - included quilting, dollmaking, patchwork, etc.  It just always fascinated me that something so beautiful could be made with such few and so little tools.  I remember that my grandparents bought me a wicker sewing basket for Christmas or for my birthday and I used to carry that thing around with everything I needed to make clothes for my Barbie dolls.  To this day, if I'm in a fabric store, I always have to check out the sewing baskets.  For a little early birthday gift to myself, I just bought a wicker sewing basket and use this beautiful fabric featuring tuxedo cats, that I've been hoarding for years to make a basket liner.  

When I wake up in the middle of the night panicked, when I've had a rough day at work, when I feel sad, helpless, or alone and when I feel happy and thankful, I pick up a needle and sew.