Removing Unwanted Stitches

Uh oh. While using the sewing machine, I sewed in the wrong place on some quilt squares. Even though I don’t like to remove machine stitches, they had to be taken out for the quilt to look right. It takes much longer to get them out than it did to sew them.

If I take the stitches out immediately, I can usually get them out without any damage to the material. Sometimes I have been aggravated about the mistake and just left them for days or weeks. That compounds the mistake. When the stitches are left in the material, the fabric’s fibers get used to being in that position. They take a memory. When the thread is removed, small holes remain in the fabric. Washing or brushing the material is required to get the fibers moved back to their original position without the small holes left by the poking of the needle and the thread.

When I am “poked” by another person with rudeness, pushiness, rejection, abusive words, I need to forgive them immediately. If I allow the “pokes” to settle in and don’t deal with it, I usually harbor bitterness, revenge and unforgiveness. Then I must deal with that, too.

“Pokes” seem to come along often in this life, the same as mistakes in my sewing. It is to my advantage to take the time, go to Jesus, and remove the hurt by forgiveness.

Quick forgiveness is profitable for me.

“A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)

Helen L. Hoover