Here is my sewing account of my latest encounter with the trickster.  

During this Mercury retrograde I was making the effort to get things decluttered, and create a new more efficient way to pursue my sewing passions.  Typically my space is taken over with fabrics, threads, tools of the trade, from one end of my apartment to another. 

I made great progress getting shelves better organized with altered patterns placed in much larger envelopes with a clear window (called a booklet envelope - who knew!)  and placed all the envelopes in boxes that look like books.  Projects went into baskets - for easy access.   I really felt supported with this process of getting things sorted out and organzed. 

Alignment Challenge .... Then I moved onto the goal of starting a habit or process  of sewing efficiently.   I am admittedly a messy sewer! 

Okay... it was sort of a no, no Mercury Retrograde new project. I had finished making a lace wrap with a corduroy band (finishing things are alway aligned) but then decided to make a matching bag out of the left over corduroy. (New launches not so great)   

...AND of course, the trickster was lurking about!   

The goal was to get everything cut out (10 pieces) and all parts organized so that I could spend 2 hours each evening on the project.  I started with the magnetic closures - 2 small pieces on opposite sides inside the bag.  It should only take 20 minutes or sew to complete. 

Starting with the first piece, I  carefully followed  instruction for attaching the magnetic clasp to fabric. It has bendable metal arms that fold behind the clasp and its best to hammer it flat into place - which I did with the first piece then  set it aside within eyeshot.  Then the second piece.   That worked out even better! Nice and flat.    Working efficiently,  I immediately put the hammer away instead of my old habit of leaving it around for the duration of the project and beyond. 

However when I went to fit both pieces together.. the first clasp had COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Instead of completing my other sewing targets for the evening, I spent the next 2 hours searching high and low for the 1" round magnetic closure attached to a 2" fabric tab.   Where could it have gone?  I had not left my desk, it was not on the floor or in the garbage. I looked everywhere 3 times over including the ceiling ... not to be found. You could almost hear the trickster laughing uncontrollably.    Finally , for a 3rd time  I opened the drawer where I placed the hammer but this time I picked the hammer up.    ...Hmmm my magnetic piece was hugging the underside of my (multipurpose tool +hammer) .  No doubt it was swept up there when i efficiently made the gesture to put the hammer away ... as it swept over the first piece and it got attached! 

The Mercury Retrograde Lesson - I figure the incident is the price paid for launching something new during Mercury retrograde.   Letting the trickster have his laugh,  and not letting it discourage me is the aligned part.  I am happy to say the bag is now finished! 

Scrap fabric still remains... Maybe I will make a matching cosmetic bag to go inside! 

What encounters did you have with the Mercury retrograde trickster?