Tag Em and Bag Em

Here is the beginning of what became a pile of 20 zipper bags.  Not signifigant, except that the little tags attached to them had to be sewn on one at a time, amounting to 40 trips under the sewing machine needle, and a kajillion wee threads to snip.  It's a "little" job I've been blowing off for about 4 months, during which time I told my self quite convincingly that there would be plenty of time for it later.  Later arrived yesterday with a thud.  The dining room quickly became my own private sweatshop.

So why go to this much trouble?  Why does each project in the book have to travel in its own  little zipper bag?  Why does each bag have to sport my label and the project name, which corresponds to a hang-tag on each sample?

I have no idea, except to tell you that I have OCD for real, and I just don't know when to stop.  In my attempts to organize and protect my book samples, I have begun to act like a parent sending the children to summer camp for the first time.  I have tried to anticipate each sweater's every need while it is seperated from me, stopping short only of moth-prevention (though I am still wondering if I need to address that).  Who will take care of them?  Where will they be stored?  Will they get wrinkled/crushed/folded/spindled/mutilated?  What if someone tries to steam them and they get ruined?  I have completely lost perspective.  Does knowing this excuse my overzealous behavior?  Probably not.  So I just plead "Artist" and smile sweetly.  I just want it how I want it.  And the labels do look pretty cool.

I'm not suffering too badly.  Here is "Still Life with Gin, Tonic and Felted Roses", to illustrate that I do know how to celebrate.  This moment marked the completion of all the book knitting, at 2AM on Monday 10-20, to be precise.  I felt like it must be time for a little something.  Then I slept on my face without twitching for 4 hours and woke up in time to make my children pancakes before school.  I wanted them to celebrate, too. 

Now there are just a few more ends to weave in before the sweaters and I take our trip to Interweave Press on Friday.  Wonder what that will be like!