I was shopping for a new pair of running shoes at Rogue Running. I was specifically interested in the Mizuno Wave Sayonara. I considered them my future Zentangle shoes.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara

I brought my own socks, but when Chuck, the salesman, saw them he noticed they were cotton. He suggested a true running sock and brought me a pair to use and then went to get the Mizunos.

Rogue Running had the white version of the Mizunos, not the pink, so I started out with them to check the size and fit. The size was good, but I was not having any luck with the fit. I laced them three different ways, but that didn’t help; the shoes slipped on my heels no matter what. I was heartbroken to let go of the idea of pink shoes with black Zentangles.

Reluctantly, I tried on other shoes only to find that the problem continued. I jogged up and down the hall, always returning with the disheartening statement, “No, these are slipping on my heel.”

Chuck and I both thought it was a little odd that all the shoes were slipping on my heel. Being the professional that he is, Chuck suggested that I try a different brand of sock. Ooh. Aah. That made all the difference: the shoes didn’t slip on my heel anymore. Chuck retrieved the white Mizunos for me to retry. Success!

Chuck ordered the pink Mizunos for me and I shopped for socks. I left with four different brands, as they were having a sale: buy three pair and get the fourth pair free. What a deal!

Each day for the next four days, when I got home from work and changed, I wore a different pair of socks. The first three pair were okay, but the fourth pair, they were “just right.” Yippee! Upgraded running socks, worthy of being matched with a good running shoe. All I have to do now is wait for my Mizuno (Zentangle) shoes to arrive.

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That sequence of events seems simple enough as to how I bought new socks, but here’s the back story, in reverse chronology.

I ended up with new socks because I was looking for the Mizuno (Zentangle) shoes. I had called around town, trying to find them locally. When I was on the phone with Rogue Running, I forgot to ask which color they had in stock. I didn’t find out that they only had the white until I showed up at the store, thus the new socks.

I was looking for the Mizuno Wave Sayonara shoes because a recent Zentangle newsletter showcased them (with a photo) as a happy example of Zentangle art.

I subscribed to the Zentangle newsletter because I had seen a Zentangle fiber art piece at a gallery show with work from my Austin Fiber Artists group. That one Zentangle fiber art piece was enough to get me hooked. Before I went home, I stopped at Staples and bought some Sharpie pens to start my own Zentangles.

I joined the Austin Fiber Artists group because I had taken my thread painted Eagle for show and tell for a meeting of the Austin chapter of the American Sewing Guild. After the meeting, Pam Farley came up to me and gave me a card for the Austin Fiber Artists. I went to one meeting as a guest, fell in love with everyone’s work, and joined.

Eagle, thread painted. Based on a photo by Jack Marshall (Austin, Texas)

I came across the Austin chapter of the American Sewing Guild at the Austin Area Quilt Guild show one year. I picked up a membership form and joined. (I’m now also a member of the quilt guild and entered my Eagle quilt in one of their shows.)

I created the Eagle miniature art quilt after taking a Photo to Finish (thread painting) class at my local sewing store, Sew Much More, where I take a lot of classes. I made a few other thread paintings, including a Grizzly Bear for my brother’s birthday present. I showed it to MaryKay at Sew Much More who put me in touch with the photographer Jack Marshall and he gave me permission to use his eagle photograph. Ta-da! The Eagle was my fourth miniature art quilt thread painting.

Grizzly Bear, thread painted

(I can now say that I have art work in a private collection. That’s stretching it a bit, considering that I’m referring to my brother’s living room, but as an artist, I’ve got to start somewhere, right?)

I wandered into Sew Much More when I was shopping for a serger. They invited me to their Serger Club as a guest. I showed up, loved their demonstrations and joined. (I’m starting to see a pattern here.)

I was looking for a serger because a some years earlier I decided to learn how to sew and bought my first sewing machine. Later I discovered that some garment finishing tasks are easier on a serger.

So, long story long, the reason I have new socks in July 2013 is because I bought my very first sewing machine in July 1991 with the intent of making my own clothes. (I’m still working on that.)

I don’t remember where I got the idea to learn to sew, so I will stop the background trail here and consider the sewing machine purchase the beginning of this story. The new socks are not the end of the story, even though I don’t know how it will continue; I just know that it will. I’ll keep you posted.