I Blame Pac-Man

Remember when Pac-Man was the height of video-game sophistication?

I do. But I really, really sucked at playing it. Those little pixelated ghosts really annoyed me, the way they'd always run down and slaughter my little yellow pac-man before he even had half a chance to eat the little dots. The game was not dear to my heart.

So how did I get stuck in Grade 8 Home Economics class making an enormous fuzzy Pac-Man cushion? The material was thick yellow plush and wreaked havoc with the needle of my sewing machine. The red corduroy inset for his mouth was complicated. It was an awful first sewing project! Whatever happened to making a tea-towel or an apron?

The only part of the whole project that did not make my thirteen-year-old self weep or curse in despair was gluing the googly eyes to its head. That I could do.

The whole Pac-Man project turned me off sewing. It was not fun, and I was not talented at it. And I make a point of avoiding things which make me feel untalented.

I don't have that cushion anymore, although now I wish I'd kept it. To prove to folks that, under duress, I once operated a sewing machine.

Since then, I've painted and embroidered and decoupaged and sculpted and tried my hand at all sorts of creative endeavours...but will I sew, actually choose material and approach a sewing machine? The prospect makes me break out in a cold sweat.

That's why I'm grateful to friends like Sandra---friends who will hold my hand and guide me through the sewing process with detailed instructions: measure here, cut this length, iron on this interface, pound this grommet, rip this seam....

I was over at her house this evening working on the belt that's part of our dance troupe costume. It's a simple project really, and I was a little embarrassed at my lack of basic sewing knowledge. Again, I blame Pac-Man.

But all the actual sewing is over with now, except for hand-stitching some tassles and feathers on, which is do-able.

I spent a few hours this past week ripping old material scraps into long strips and braiding them into wild rag-tag pieces that will hang down from the velvet belt-panels which are laced together with criss-crossing cord.

We're going for a crazy, colourful, funky tribal look. Our troupe decided that our costume had to be as inexpensive as possible and so we're relying on creativity for this one rather than cash.

Everybody's costume will look a little different. Sandra showed me the black feathers from a boa she is adding to the top of her own. She is also hanging colourful scarves, little bells, and even a little wind-chime from her belt.

It's a work in progress still but I like the way it's looking so far. I wasn't so sure at first when I first heard Sandra's vision of the braids. But yes, I like them.

In fact I'm almost thinking the sewing-gods were looking more kindly upon me tonight. Mind you, the seam-ripper demanded a sacrifice and I wounded myself a little. But I'm in a much better mood than I was in Grade 8 sewing class.