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Black Friday or Viernes Negro as they say here. Interesting day. Aren’t they all from here on in. I hadn’t planned on going out today. I did my second coat of Kilz II in the bathroom and front door. Then, I got to sewing or at least altering. I managed to get the machine working again and hemmed up one t-shirt. I also got halfway through a nightshirt that I am making into a dress when my thread got hung up in the machine. I tried to fix it myself and only ended up removing a button from the side of the machine which didn’t help. So, I didn’t want to damage the expensive Pfaff and did the best thing which was to take it to Cynthia’s for cleaning and repair. Cynthia was conducting a class, so she was unable to work with me, but another lady named Susan was more than helpful. She showed me several things about the machine and wrote up my ticket for cleaning. She actually got the thread out, and the button turned out to be a thread cutter on which she cut her finger. I casually mentioned that I needed to take a class myself, and on the way out she gave me the information. I also mentioned it to Cynthia who was enthusiastic about me joining. So, now it looks like I am going to take a sewing class which I desperately need. I just don’t know what I tell Cynthia and the other ladies. Why am I learning how to sew? Well, you see I am a transgender person and I want to make ladies’ clothing that will fit my male body. Duh! Not sure how that will fly. First class is on December 8. I’ll think of something.

I'm not sure if sewing is in the cards for me (I'm too much of a perfectionist!) but I'd like to relate an experience that says a lot, at least for me. My father was in AA, and each Friday evening he and my mother would attend an AA meeting along with a visit to a pie shop afterwards for socialization. As an only child I was home alone, which I loved. I cooked my own TV dinner, watched whatever I wished on TV, and yes, explored my mother's dresser. I think I was in 6th grade when I started hand sewing girls clothing for myself out of rags I found in the rag bin. I sewed a camisole, a romper, that sort of thing, and enjoyed wearing them while watching TV. I think I even sewed in crotch snaps into the romper. 🙂 I was like Richard Dreyfus in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, drawn toward this activity much like he was creating his model of Devils Tower in his living room. I guess it all stopped when one morning my mother woke me up for school only to discover that I was wearing the camisole. She was shocked, and walked out of my room saying something like "we'll have to talk with your father about this." We never did. I purged everything and tried to permanently bury that experience...

Thanks, Christy. I've been thinking lately that I need to get out some anyway. Either location is good for me.

Great! I love to sew, too. Rather I would love to learn how to sew😄, too. Was always the "mender" in my house, split pants, buttons, minor alterations, etc. Spent a lot of time researching dress patterns and inexpensive sewing machines before internet shopping really became popular. Go for it!👍

WOW!!!

Great comments all. For me, I am happy being who I am and wouldn't change it, except maybe to be more feminine. That is a good thing. I'm just glad that someone close to me knows. I don't plan on leaving the earth anytime soon, but I would hate to have my sister be shocked to find all my girly stuff after I'm gone. I owe at least that much to her. Being trans and non-conforming does have its challenges for sure.