A PATTERN BUYING STORY AND A BIT OF PATTERN DAJA VU...

...sometimes patterns dance in my head - sort of like visions of sugarplums.

Insert patterns instead candy

 McCall's 6844 was just such pattern.

 

It debuted just as I was preparing to go on vacation a few weeks ago, and I knew right away that it was a MUST HAVE for my ever growing collection.  You know every now and again a pattern hits that you love so much - you are ready to throw caution to the wind and literally fight for it at the pattern counter (been there, almost done that) cause the store only stocks two or three of then.   I know, it's such a simple pattern, but something about it really excited me.  I know now that the something was the print of the lead view on the pattern envelope as well as the cutsie style.  Needless to say, when I went to JoAnn's in New York they didn't have the new patterns - what a bummer and a let down!

As soon as I returned though I was off to my local Hancock's to snatch up that beauty (and a few others on my list) but M6844 was my main objective.  I was on a mission and really should have been wearing a sign that said "Danger, danger!" upon entering the store.  "Look out ladies, don't get between me and that pattern drawer"!!!  Or maybe I could get some of that crime scene investigaton tape and rope the area off.  But thank goodness the coast was clear when I arrived in the pattern area.  Two other ladies saw me frantically pulling and slowly made their way to me.  Although busy with my work I saw them in my peripheral vision. The fact that I may  have been  murmuring "My Precious, My Precious" to myself just a little bit as the patterns flew might have attracted them, I'm not sure.

The best looking picture I could find of Gollum

But they both inched closer to see what the excitement was all about.  They stood there for a minute, pretending looking in other drawers, meandering around, undecided; unlike me, not really knowing what they wanted.  Both of them kept looking my patterns as I pulled my list.  They started picking them up and commenting about about them as I piled them on top of the cabinet.  I think they were trying to confuse me ya'll, because they started asking questions, like:

• which view are you planning to make
• what fabric are you going to use
• what attracted you to this pattern
• oh my, you've got a notebook and already have your patterns listed.  You must go on the internet ahead of time????

Questions, question, questions!  I wanted to say "hey ladies, no questions, I can't pull and answer questions too!" or  "pull for your self ladies, these are all mine"!  But don't worry -  I was friendly!  "Yes, I'm linked to the pattern sites and get notifications when new patterns are released so I can compile my list and not have to spend time looking in the catalog when I get here", or "I have close patternaholic friends like myself who call me with the heads up".  They both commented, "You are so smart"!  "Yeah, yeah, yeah, flattery will get you no where, now let me get back to my work!", (thought to myself but not said - hahaha).

I did find time for a few nice-sa-ties!  What's your name?, Where do you live?  Found out that they were not together but lived in different towns and had to travel to my Hancock's because they don't have resources.  Soooo sad! 


Now, back to McCall's 6844, the No. 1 pattern of hot pursuit. Although I love the pattern I kept getting a daja vu feeling about it.  I just knew I'd seen this pattern before.  Just like the Bible says, "there is nothing new under the sun".  I even consulted Ebony, one of my #1 pattern experts, and she couldn't come up with anything similar.  Fast forward one week ahead where I find myself culling through ALL of my patterns in an effort to downsize and get ready for a SkillsUSA yard sale at school next Saturday and low and behold, look what I found...

MCCALL'S 5529 from circa 2007

I KNEW IT!  It's not exactly the same but it soooo very close.  This view of the line drawings show the differences - vertical darts in the back bodice, and raglan sleeves. 

The Daja vu mystery in my head is solved.  The most amazing thing is that I remembered this pattern from 2007 although I never used it.  It's been marinating in the pattern stash for 6 years.  Moral of my long drawn out story:  May I have many, many more years of pattern pulling interest and sewing capabilities; and may my mind always be this sharp in the name of Jesus, Amen...