Alterations

I volunteered to help with alterations at my girls' dance class. I thought I was giving myself an out by telling them I can't do much more than sew a hem or tack up a strap. But inevitably, I was in over my head. Since I was already there at class waiting for kids so many days a week, I thought it would be no big deal to offer to do alterations at that time. I envisioned sewing hems at a leisurely pace while chatting with friends.

Not so. Every Wednesday I've arrived at class to find a line of girls waiting and ready, costumes on inside out. Far too many of the girls have costumes that are too large; I've had to take in several waistbands, and many of the hems have drawstrings that have to be moved and replaced. The first couple of weeks I thought I was going to lose it. I was bringing home piles of costumes to alter at home, when I don't even have time to cook dinner or play with my kids anymore. I felt so stressed about those stupid costumes! That was around the same time that my computer crashed and I lost all my data.

I'm feeling a little more relaxed about it now; the pace has slowed down, and I'm not taking home 5 or 6 costumes each week anymore. I enjoy being able to help, and while I don't agree with many aspects of the studio's operating procedures, I do think that if this is what the girls want to do, it makes sense for me to be involved if there is a need. So, in spite of my stressed state that first few weeks, I'm not sorry I offered to do the alterations. I do, however, wish I didn't always find life so frighteningly busy... and volunteering for once more thing certainly never helps with that.