Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Are you a good brain or a bad brain?

Yesterday, while at work, my left tricep began to itch. I was wearing a thick shirt, so scratching my arm through the shirt wasn't doing the trick. So, I did the only obvious thing: I reached up my sleeve and scratched the itch. In the process, I tore the cuff of the knit shirt at the seam. The tear ran the full length of the cuff, a few inches.

I tried to ignore the loose fabric, but it kept bugging me as I worked at the keyboard. Those who know me are aware that I cannot abide jewelry on my hands; it's too distracting. When I used to wear a watch, I took it off at every opportunity. The flapping cuff of my shirt was making me crazy.

I know less than nothing about clothing repair. The last time I tried to sew a button onto a shirt, I ended up with a fabric ball anchored to a button by so much thread that the button was barely visible; my thinking was that I never wanted the button to come loose again. I threw out the shirt.

I consequently asked Gina what to do. She said a safety pin was the answer. I, of course, do not carry safety pins. She thought she had one but couldn't find it. I was working at high speed and could not afford to give more time to this issue.

I finally persuaded her to solve the problem my way: with great protest, she stapled the cuff shut for me.

I've since heard this was not the appropriate solution, but it worked just fine until the wee morning of the hours, when the staple fell out. I was ready for bed by then anyway, so I consider the solution to have been perfect.

Good brain or bad brain? You decide.

6 comments:

Ticia said...

I don't understand how this is a "good brain" or "bad brain" decision.... Your fix worked. End of story. Problem solving in action.

Ummm.... is the Sewing Brigade going to come gunning for me now?

Mark said...

Possibly. It is all obviously rather unclear to me.

Michelle said...

As a person who sews, you would think that mending it immediately would have been the proper solution, but I have worn more staples in my hem, than a teacher uses on reports. I have also stapled a blouse when the center button fell off and I was flashing perfect strangers. So, yes, a safety pin might have been nice, but it is good to know that a little bit of McGuyver lives and breathes in everyone.

steveburnett said...

I admit that I have stapled clothing as a repair technique when needful.

Mark said...

Thanks for the support, Michelle.

Mark said...

It does work, Steve.

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