When Bad Things Happen to Good Patterns or "TOKIBAT!"

 

Friends, one of the joys of blogging is that no matter what kind of disasters befall you, you can always turn it into material for your blog.  Barring the type of catastrophe that sends you to the other side -- and I don't mean Europe -- a capable writer can spin any setback into a life-affirming tale of courage-over-despair worthy of a comeback vehicle for Donna Mills.

In fact, when life's troubles get me down, I always say to myself, TOKIBAT!, smile ruefully and go on with my day.  Sometimes I also whistle a happy tune or take a mild sedative.

Sewers with blogs (not you SWOBS, sorry), do you ever find yourself saying TOKIBAT in your lives? Surely, you...

Wait.

When I say TOKIBAT do any of you understand what I'm talking about?

TOKIBAT stands for "That's OK, I'll blog about that!"   It's heard more and more frequently during these challenging times, so full of badly written pattern instructions, cracked cam shafts, and uncooperative sergers.

Let's all say it together: TOKIBAT!

Don't you feel better already?
 
I had a moment of TOKIBAT only hours ago after returning from my dog walk.  I'd been surprised that during a forty minute stroll through Chelsea's steamy streets, Willy hadn't once peed.  It was only when I returned home and was settling down to drink my morning coffee and read my email, that I discovered why:



Readers, I would rather not make this a conversation about paper training, adopting puppy mill puppies, or removing stains from wool carpets.  I can think of a half dozen reasons why Willy did what he did and I'm sure to his walnut-sized brain it made perfect sense.

But why, oh why, gentle people, did he have do it on my Burda pattern?

In the grand scheme of things, this is not a tragedy.  I can spray the carpet with a little "Nature's Miracle" cleanser not that that ever does much but whatever, air out the soiled pattern pieces, trace them onto fresh paper and tape them into place.  I have many, many options.

I don't think Willy meant this as a comment on the pattern itself, which as you know, I think is well drafted if accompanied by instructions that are nearly indecipherable.

Nor do I think it is in any way a signal from the great beyond that my chances of winning this competition are piss-poor.

TOKIBAT!

Meanwhile, as you probably can tell from the photo above, I have finished my muslin -- mostly.  I will practice button loops separately; I simply didn't have the patience the last couple of days.  I'm still sort of "iffy" about the neck binding; I don't think it's necessary but I'll give it a try I guess.

Last night in my dreams an image appeared that was very similar to my cousin Cathy in my Burda muslin...or was it St. Teresa of Ávila?



It was all very dark and my memory is murky, but I see it as a sign that this dress is to be worn with wedge espadrilles, as some of you have suggested.  (Of course, I'm still open to other ideas.)

It also confirmed my belief that a soft cotton A-line tunic dress must be worn above the knee to avoid any similarities to this kind of thing...

Hopefully that Liberty Art print will lend the dress a more sophisticated look, if the fabric ever gets here.

In conclusion, when life seems to be handing you more lemons than lemonade, please remember to TOKIBAT your troubles away.

Any TOKIBAT moments you wish to share, my friends?

I'll be here all day, disinfecting carpets, waiting for the mail delivery person, and having lunch with my mother.

TOKIBAT!