Chinese Whispers

After reading all the comments left on the four posts in which I tried to share the contents of a television documentary, I began to see that Blogland has almost been playing a game of Chinese Whispers with me. I don't know how many of my readers are familiar with this party game? I'd better try explaining, just in case. Participants stand, or sit, in a circle. One person chooses a short sentence and whispers it into the ear of his/her neighbour, who in turn whispers what they thought they heard to the next person. When the whispers have passed around the circle, then the original sentence is compared to the final version - usually widely differing and often hilarious because of it.

I'd like to assure everyone, the painted bodies were thoroughly washed and restored to glowing pinky-brown before the assembly gathered for that final meal, so they were not asked to venture forth looking like a tribe of multicoloured aliens. Nor were they topped up with alcohol to overcome inhibitions. I think the whole experiment proved, as Suldog so wisely deduced, that humans have been conditioned to regard nudity as abnormal.

Personally, the most fascinating thing for me, was how scientists had been able to come up with a theory which explained why humans are no longer born with their own, luxurious fur coat, not to mention the fact that they've been dressing themselves up (though maybe not to the nines) for the past five or six thousand years. Gives High Street Fashion a whole new meaning...

This lets me glide almost seamlessly (!) into the wonderful topic of needlework. Making clothes was a way of life, for me, from a very early age. I used to beg to be allowed to turn the handle on Gran's old Singer Sewing machine when any of the family were sewing up a garment, and could be trusted to 'Stop!' or 'Go!' on command of the one whose fingers, at the business end of the process, would have been in danger if I hadn't!

Dressmaking

Tape measure: scissors: material: pins:
chalk and pattern; now to begin.
Lay out the pieces. Try not to waste
precious inches. Don't cut in haste.
Shuffle the pattern till order appears
from chaos, using knowledge acquired with years
of how and when to cut and snip
for perfect fit from bust to hip.
Allow for turnings, hems and seams
and bring to life the stuff of dreams
as slowly you watch the garment grow
beneath fingers that pin and tack and sew,
machine and trim and turn and press.
So much work for one new dress.