Necessity is the mother of invention

This past week one of the spouse’s clubs here on base hosted a luncheon. There was a speaker who came and talked to us about the Japanese folding cloth called a furoshiki. She also guided us on how to wrap a book, an apple and a plate. I had practiced a bit since I was supposed to be helping in a very basic way – I had no experience, just enthusiasm for learning something new.

Fast forward to last night. It was a long day … leaving to meet the track meet bus at 5:45, off to the shrine sale, home to finish decorating a birthday cake and then making cup cakes too (because apparently in our kids mind the birthday cake is a “family cake” to be hoarded and shared only if necessary, or forced, with family members). It was late before I finally pulled out the gifts that needed to be wrapped for today’s birthday celebration. My wrapping paper supplies appeared to be in a sorry state – no tissue paper to be found for the gift bags, not enough wrapping paper for the large gifts. And the very last thing I wanted to do was head out to the store at 8:30 p.m. to purchase something that would be ripped off and thrown away. And then I had a brainstorm – an inspired moment.

I had remembered seeing at the shrine sale that morning large bundles that were wrapped furoshiki style. I also knew that somewhere I had brought two simple plain table cloths – one black, one white – how very yin and yang! So I pulled out my book, tried as best I could to follow the directions and wrapped a helmut like we’d practiced wrapping the apple. I wrapped the skates as we’d practiced wrapping the plate. Brilliant. It worked. I’m totally sold on this concept of wrapping items in fabric. And for our “green birthday girl” (she is very earth conscious and will not hesitate to call you out on something if she thinks it’s not environmentally friendly) it was the perfect way to wrap her gifts. Perhaps I can practice my shibori techniques on fabric and turn them into furoshikis for our family gifts. In any case, I’m inspired.