- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Whenever discussions get hot about the technical mark versus the artistic, I think of my great uncle Ole. Uncle Ole was the champion sack sewer of Sac City, Iowa -- indeed, of all of Sac County (this is true). Actually, Uncle Ole lived in Plum Nelly -- plumb out the city and nelly out the county.
In sack sewing competitions (it ought to be an Olympic sport) the contestants must hold 100 pound (50 kilo) burlap bags of peas with one arm and one knee, and, while balancing/hopping on the other foot, sew up the top, to prepare the bag of peas to be shipped to market. This required great strength and dexterity, as you might imagine.
There were two scores. The tech score was just, how many sacks you could sew in the allotted time. Then the quality of your needlework was judged -- you can't have a seam burst on the way to market!
Sometimes Uncle Ole might fall behind in tech. But, like Michelle Kwan (mutatis mutandis), no one could touch him in the neatness of his stiches.
In sack sewing competitions (it ought to be an Olympic sport) the contestants must hold 100 pound (50 kilo) burlap bags of peas with one arm and one knee, and, while balancing/hopping on the other foot, sew up the top, to prepare the bag of peas to be shipped to market. This required great strength and dexterity, as you might imagine.
There were two scores. The tech score was just, how many sacks you could sew in the allotted time. Then the quality of your needlework was judged -- you can't have a seam burst on the way to market!
Sometimes Uncle Ole might fall behind in tech. But, like Michelle Kwan (mutatis mutandis), no one could touch him in the neatness of his stiches.
