Bowtie #4

I was super excited to wear this one! I enjoyed that the raindrops felt like disorganized polka dots and I thought ahead to make them go both up an down (depending on which end I tie forward).

Speaking of intention for the direction of the fabric as I place my template, I had started to use a clear plastic template by this point so I could more easily see which part of the fabric would be visible on my finished tie. There is a bowtie I made years ago that has illustrations of classic airplanes on it, and I love that bowtie, but I didn't pay close enough attention to what I was doing when I made it, and the only way for me to make the airplanes fly upright is to tie the bowtie backwards.

These strawberries suffer from the same issue. I had not indicated on my template which way is "up". I don't mind so much that the strawberries are pointing up, but I did learn my lesson and continue to indicate on my templates and stamps which way is "up".

While we are talking about this, it is surprisingly hard for me to tie a tie backwards. I can tie a bowtie without looking (and get pretty close to something that is presentable), but having to switch which hand make the bend in the forward-facing end really throws me for a mental loop. Even in a mirror, I struggle to de-program myself enough to relearn how to tie it.

All that said, I really love the strawberry print. After this project I may even try to make it again with the "correct" side up. Alternatively, I could just force myself to learn to tie a bowtie in both directions. Maybe I'll even make a post about how to do that.

This is a much longer post than I was anticipating, but I want to make one more point here. I want to learn how to do things with me left hand, and while I raise my son and teach him how to create with his hands, I want to use that opportunity to practice southpaw techniques. Hopefully he sees that I also struggle, and that we are all always able to learn something new. I figure I have a 30-some-odd-years head start on him, and it will be a few dozen years before he otherwise has a sense of the impact time has on skill.

I wore these sides on January 15th and 16th.