Maintenance and Repair

Earlier this month on a frustratingly cold and icy Sunday, I suspected that something was up with my boyfriend. Evening was approaching, and I had yet to hear from him. At last, he sent me a vague text implying that he was having a bad day. Instinctively, I called him right away. Judging from the tone of his voice, I began to prepare myself for the worst possible news. A car accident? Death in the family? Stabbed by an icicle? I began to panic as he went into the story of his day, telling me that he was attempting to walk out onto his deck through the sliding glass door. I held my breath in anticipation for the news of certain pain and anguish…

“My scarf got caught on the handle,” he admitted. I had a mixed reaction, thinking, “That’s it?” and “Uh-oh…” all at once. My brain immediately projected an image of the beloved Fisherman’s Rib scarf from Christmas reduced to a pile of knotted and frayed yarn before my eyes. I had to remain calm. These things happen. It is one of the hazards of making things and sending them out into the harsh world of winter.

I asked him straight up if it was destroyed. He didn’t think so. One of the wide V’s of the Fisherman’s Rib hooked into the door handle as he was walking out, and he took a few good steps before he realized this. He managed to pull out a loop about 6 inches in length! It was unreal to him how freakishly long the loop became, and the nasty looking hole underneath it was very upsetting to see. I quickly realized that this may not be as bad as it sounded. “Is the yarn cut?” I asked to make sure. He assured me that the piece was intact, but stretched. I asked him to email me some pictures so I could assess the damage. Yes, it looked quite ugly. But it was only a big, “yank.” As long as the yarn remained untangled and intact, it could be worked back into place.

eep. 

Casting a dark shadow over the scarf. 

Just whoa. 

I encouraged him to gently pull and manipulate the fabric directly around the snag to slowly draw the offensive loop back into its proper place. He refused to do this, feeling he had done enough damage. He insisted on professional intervention. I wished I was there with him so I could get it over with and ease his mind. After a few more rounds of reassurance that the scarf was fixable and that I was not mad, I promised to meet up with him for the necessary repairs as soon as possible.

Later, I armed myself with my finest kit of crochet hooks and darning needles and set off to meet him. I was a woman on a mission. I ordered a strong cup of coffee and set to work with laser-like focus. As I worked the fabric in between my fingers, I too had my moment of doubt. The Fisherman’s Rib seemed to have all of these extra loops and bars, and the ribbing was so much looser. How would I ever figure out what goes where? After a few minutes and a few false leads, the answer dawned on me: The row of V’s all around the yank were now so tiny they almost disappeared into the fabric. The sheer force of the pull had shrunk them to almost microscopic proportions. I grabbed one of my hooks and began to pull up the loops of each V across the row. Miraculously, the “yank” began to recede back into the ribbing!

Working it out. 

Ta-da! 

As my boyfriend calmed his nerves by reading a copy of Whurk magazine, I finished the not-so-major operation. “Done!” I announced as I handed the scarf back to him. He put it on and we walked outside, knowing it was good to go for at least another day. To celebrate, I took his picture next to a huge display of ice-melt. In hindsight, maybe we should have bought some while we were at it! By the next afternoon we had almost 4 inches of snow!

Back to normal. 

Way cute! 

Make do and mend. These words represent a concept/lifestyle that I value, but I believe I truly lived the meaning of these words for the first time on that day. The feeling was warm and fuzzy, yet blended with a practical sense of accomplishment.

Snags, holes and tears will come at me all the time. This is for certain. It’s part of the reason why I invest in buttons, pin cushions and sock darning eggs! But now I know for certain that I am prepared to deal with these situations as they come.

Oh yeah, another thing I’ve learned is that it’s a good thing to always leave home with a crochet hook or a yarn needle in my bag! 

A mighty tool!