I was wearing this scarf when I heard the news that our national hero Captain Tom had died. I have worn it every day since, ringing the changes with different earrings, bangles and rings from my equally large collection of decorative baubles. I don't go outside my front door much so nobody sees my efforts, but I dress for my own sanity and self respect. Had I known it would be such an important week, I might have chosen a different scarf, but I like to write truthfully so there it is.
It is a silk scarf with a pattern of hundreds of squares. The colours are the deep green of the forest, terracotta of the earth and the cream and ochre of our beaches, hopefully the things which are constant in our lives. We have to hold on to these constants in fast changing times. No idea where I bought this scarf, it is not by a well known designer and the hems, although rolled and sewn by hand, are not neatly done and I see I have re-sewn parts of it. I notice my thread does not match very well either. Sorry, Captain Tom, I should have done better.
I don't feel like going off on the magic carpet today, so I will stay home and say thank you for inspiring millions of people to believe that indeed tomorrow will be a better day. But, let's not forget today and enjoy the small things in life which are available at this very moment. I was given a large quantity of unwanted brand new silk blouses in a tiny size and it was my intention to make luxury silk face masks which would take a hospital quality insert. Since I have been unable to visit a hairdresser for nearly a year, my usual short bob is now a few inches below my shoulders and I have gone back to a hairstyle from many decades past, a chignon! I thought I would make a hair scrunchie from one of the silk blouses. I then hit on the idea of using this as an adornment to my scarf. How lovely to have a silk scrunchie 'rose' instead of a knot in my necktie. I can't see myself, an octogenarian walking up the high street with the scarf as a bandeau around my head with the new creation adorning it, but it looks pretty good on my sculpture. So there Captain Tom, my tribute to you will be the new invention of a silk Tomshie. Girls, wear it round your hair, adorn your wrist or use it in a novel way to tie your scarf around your neck or waist.
If the vaccine is successful and I finish with writing the blogs or run out of scarves, maybe I will turn my hand at more sewing. Just had a thought, I could make long patchwork scarves from silk squares cut from the blouses, line them with plain silk on the reverse and knot them with a Tomshie. On second thoughts, when this nightmare is over and I take down the Union Jack from my front porch, rather than sew, I will be off on my travels once more. Optimistically, this week on Wednesday 3/2/21, I booked to go on a golfing holiday to Cyprus in November. I shall be 88 and, as my granddaughter pointed out, the three figures of my date of booking when added together make another 8 giving me the lucky number of 888! Yes, it was the right decision. I will have a Tomshie tied as an identification tag on my travel golf bag!
Thank you Captain Sir Tom for keeping me, the nation, the world looking forward.
Busy Bee, Scarf Face!
Series 2, Blog 31.