Faux Farm Girl Goes to New York
I had to make a quick emergency fabric run into New York city on Tuesday for a client.
I woke up to rain, sleet and hail and thought to myself ” Gee whiz this is going to be a great day to be walking around in the big city, I can hardly wait to get there. NOT. This photo shows me going into the Lincoln Tunnel
This is in the tunnel where no one likes to see water of any kind. I always get just a tiny panicy when I think to myself ” what if there is a leak?” Am I the only one that thinks like that?
Yes, I was driving while I took the photo. Anyway, I had to find a very specific white beaded and embroidered white lace fabric. My client needed 22 tablecloths made for a Saturday wedding. Yes, this Saturday. Fifteen phone calls later I swore to her that I would find the lace. “And what if you don’t” she asked. “I will find the lace” I replied. “Yeah , but what if you don’t” she asked again, and without hesitation I replied ” I will sew all my lace thongs together just for you”. “Really , I didn’t think your ass was that big” she said. Always good to have a sense of humor in a crisis.
So I arrived, parked and started to walk the streets for a lace vendor holding my little swatch of lace fabric in my hand and asking “can you match this?” It was a little pathetic. Actually it was alot pathetic. Especialy with the rain dripping off my head and my umbrella turned inside out. But if sympathy would get me the lace – then I was certainly sympathetic looking.
I needed 150 yards in my hands ready to leave New York with me. I went to a couple of vendors I knew and while they phoned around trying to find the yardage I walked around the wet cold city.
I loved this window. I went into the store but I was overwhelmed by all the cool trimmings and palamenterie ( fancy word for trimming) and the buttons. I wanted to make things, I wanted to make everything and anything covered with all this cool stuff but I am just not that creative. The possibilities just overwhelmed me. I settled on this photo which to me is creatively delicious.
Think is the largest needle and button in the world.
Just thought you’d like to see it.
Speaking of delicious! By 1pm I had a lead on the fabric but nothing in my hands – go get lunch and come in 20 minutes they told me. Ok, I’m going for some good old New York pizza- I took the first cheesy gooey bite and OUCH – that was hot. Breathe in, breathe out as fast as I can to get the air flowing to cool that mass of molten cheese off the roof of my mouth! OUch Ouch that hurts. My mouth actually sizzled when I drank the cold soda, like when you put a hot pan under cold water. This minor set back of the burned taste buds however did not deter me from going down the street an hour later and consuming a napoleon pastry and an eclair. I think it was my nerves, as I still didn’t have the fabric and it was 2pm and furthermore, I really don’t have any lace thongs. Thank God, a Starbucks across the street. One venti ice tea and the miracle healing powers go to work. The roof of my mouth feels better and I go back to the pastry shop for a black and white cookie. It’s definetly the nerves! If they don’t find this fabric soon I won’t fit through the freakin tunnel nor will I ever be able to comfortably wear any thong, lace or otherwise.
AHHH success! I have the fabric and this is me leaving New York. Yes, I am still driving while taking photos. They have a law about talking on the phone while driving but no law about taking photos while driving, that I know of. Perhaps they assume that common sense would prevail and no one would think to do it. No one but a faux farm girl living large in the big city that is.
Last photo, me in Jersy looking back on the rainy city. Hey New York, thanks for the lace, pizza and pastry. I had a good time!
Annie
Faux Farm Girl in the Big Apple