Notions

“This spring, you’re going to make aprons,”

says Mrs. Olson in home ec.

“And next fall, you’ll wear them when you cook.”

“Why don’t we just buy an apron?” someone asks.

I had the same question,

because Mama has plenty of aprons that I can wear

and I’d rather make a skirt.

“Because you’re learning how to sew,” Mrs. Olson says,

passing out a paper with Notions printed at the top

and a picture of the apron—

a rectangle with a pocket and a long strip for the tie.

It looks simple and plain.

If Mama designed this apron, it would be a lot fancier.

“What are notions?” someone asks.

“They’re your thread and your needles and pins.

You can get everything in town.”

I have a notion that Mama and I

will go downtown this Saturday.

I have a notion that she’ll buy one fabric

with flowers for the bottom part

and another fabric with stripes

for the tie and pocket.

Then she will buy extra fabric for a ruffle

and rickrack for a trim.

And I have notion

that if I sew this apron very fast,

I’ll have time to make a skirt.