the tail of a hat

[eor]

Last night I threw together a couple of bits of spare cloth, quite literally, and called it a hat. I used the derien test on it. If derien gives something that I make a neutral or favorable response, odds are it'll be at least passable for the rest of the world. She didn't outright say it was too awful to wear, but she made it clear in no uncertain terms that it was too awful to wear.

She began to suggest all kinds of possible designs for a hat. I was, in fact, getting toward the end of a book and very disinclined to be bothered with head wear in any way shape or form. I did concede that at some point in the future (after finishing the book of course), I might be inclined to make a real effort in that direction. Finally, she said she would make me a hat and thereby solve the twin problems of my not having a hat and my not caring.

Thus began a couple hours of running discussion in between paragraphs of reading. She kept pushing for more extravagant designs, I kept pushing toward simple. That was insight (and this is foreshadowing). The concept of a muffin hat was finally agreed upon. This was followed by discussions about dimension and design in between sentences.

Finally, as I was thinking it was time to go to bed derien looked up and said something to the effect of "okay, now you can sew these together because you don't want me anywhere near a fast moving needle."

I went to bed with 30 pages to go.

Today I came home to two pieces of very crumpled fabric. I ironed, I figured out how they really had to go together, I pinned, I sewed, I cursed when I ran out of bobbin thread an inch and a half from the end, I sewed more. Now it's done. The other things that one might do to prepare for a trip are not, but I have a hat to wear to the faire. Well, if it passes the derien test.