Day 45: Everybody said to tell you hi

Every March I attend the Sewing Expo here in Cleveland. I look forward to it all year long, because it’s my annual opportunity to spend time with one of my heroes, Cynthia Guffey. Cynthia is wise, funny, no-nonsense, and she’s got a fabulous southern accent. Along with her sewing genius, which is legendary, she doles out excellent recipes for things like Crock Pot Fudge and Cream of Brie and Broccoli Soup. I thinks she’s awesome.

Three summers ago, I went down to Baton Rouge to take a 4-day intensive workshop with Cynthia. I had an airline coupon that was going to expire, so I figured what the heck and booked the trip. Even though I’m such a rookie seamstress and would probably be out of my depth, I knew I’d learn something.

I learned plenty. I got 4 patterns altered and fit and started on a fifth. Cynthia was kind enough to point out to me that I’d gotten as much done as anyone else in the class, even though they all had much more sewing experience. And Baton Rouge itself was a delight. We ate wonderfully, and I rented a room from Cynthia’s friend Peggy, who also hosted our class. Peggy and her husband were marvelous hosts, and we also got to meet Cynthia’s lovely assistant who brought yummy baked treats to class.

One of the patterns I fit was pants. I have been needing pants that fit well since, oh, 2003. A long time. So you’d think I’d run right home and sew a mess of pants. Um, no. That I didn’t and why is a story for another time. What I want to tell you about is the next time I saw Cynthia after the Baton Rouge workshop.

It was at her day-long class at the Expo, and the class was called Pants: From Start to Fitted. The course description clearly stated that students’ experience level should be advanced. We had work to do before class, making a pants mock-up, and detailed instructions were supposed to be sent with our registration packets. An administrative mix-up meant I never got those detailed instructions, but because of my anxiety about taking a class that was too advanced for me, I didn’t speak up and ask. I assumed that the non-detailed instructions I had gotten were it.

Despite my anxiety, I cranked out a pair of pants, barely finishing them the morning of class, causing me to leave too late to get there on time. I still had to tack down the inside of the waistband at class, and being 10 minutes late on top of it felt lousy. Being late feels disrespectful to the teacher and the other students, and I especially didn’t want to disrespect my hero.

In my panic, I had created this elaborate scenario in which Cynthia was going to shame me in front of the entire class by asking why I hadn’t made pants since I attended the Baton Rouge workshop. Not that Cynthia is mean, but just by being honest and still nice, she could out me as the rookie beginner I was and everyone could point and laugh at me and tell me I didn’t belong in class with them. I got myself good and worked up.

So I’ve got shoddy unfinished pants, I’m late, class has already started, and I’ve been saying all sorts of mean things to myself about how I should have gotten real pants sewn, how I had no business even attending the class that was above my skill level, how embarrassed I’d be when everyone found out the truth about me and my failure to have already made pants.

I’m sitting there marinating in a cloud of dread and panic, when Cynthia catches my eye. She’s already been talking, but when she sees me, she interrupts herself to address me directly. I brace myself, here it comes. She says, Everybody said to tell you hi. Everybody being her assistant and her friend Peggy and Peggy’s husband. Everybody said to tell you hi.

Not quite the nightmare scenario I’d created in my head. It was a big moment for me. I realized Wow, maybe expecting the worst isn’t a great use of my time and energy. Sometimes people will surprise you in a good way. Who knew?

I’m offering up this story as a little prayer that a situation I need to address today goes easily and smoothly, that I’ll get some version of Everybody said to tell you hi. I’ll post more details and an update tomorrow, because there are enough interesting layers to the story that I can’t do it justice here. Meanwhile, if anyone wants to send a good thought my way, I am ready to receive it.