A Pocket Square Worth Making
You know how it is, sitting in that little cafe downtown with a steaming cup of coffee, the kind that makes your fingers tingle just holding the mug? It’s a Saturday morning, the sun’s just creeping in, and I’m reminiscing about my foray into pocket square woodworking. Yeah, you heard that right. Pocket squares—those little fabric triangles you see poking out of suit jackets, right? Well, I thought, why not make one from wood? Looks pretty sharp, don’t it?
So, there I was, scrolling through Pinterest one evening. You know how it goes: “Oh, that looks neat! I bet I can do that!” Some woodworkers are crafting these ornate wooden pocket squares. They look slick—like something you’d find in a fancy store downtown. It was like the lights turned on—my brain started whirring with ideas, and before I knew it, I was all in.
Rolling Up My Sleeves
I hit up the local lumber yard, and I swear, every time I step in there, it feels like a kid in a candy store. The smell of fresh pine and oak wafting through the air is intoxicating. I settled on some walnut for that rich, dark finish, thinking it wouldn’t just be functional but also a piece of art. Once I had my wood, I felt completely jazzed. I mean, who wouldn’t want to strut around with something they made, right?
When I got home, I gathered my tools—all laid out like I was gearing up for battle. My beloved jigsaw from back in college, some sandpaper that had seen better days, and a little bit of wood glue. As I started cutting the walnut into blocks, I thought, "This is going to be a breeze!"
Oh man, was I in for a surprise.
The First Cut Is the Deepest
As I got into it, I started to feel that inevitable tinge of doubt creeping in. I still remember the first cut. I can hear the jigsaw whining, and I carved right through the wood, feeling all sorts of optimistic. But then I got overzealous. I was trying to rush, you know how it is—you just want to see the end result. In the midst of it, I didn’t measure twice and cut once. Instead, I just went for it.
Let’s just say that what was supposed to be a sleek square ended up looking like a sad, awkward trapezoid. I almost threw the thing out the garage window in frustration. I sat there, staring at that piece of wood, thinking, “Maybe this woodworking thing just isn’t for me.” I mean, how hard can it be to make a simple pocket square, right?
A Little Patience Goes a Long Way
But I didn’t give in. I took a deep breath and let the coffee work its magic. I remembered my grandfather, who used to say, “If you’re not making mistakes, you ain’t trying hard enough.” So, I decided to embrace the imperfections. I went back to the drawing board, literally, and sketched out a new design.
After a little bit of shuffling through scraps and figuring out how to refine my initial error, I managed to cut a second piece—this time a perfect square. I glued the edges, clamped it down, and then let it sit for a few hours, all the while crossing my fingers.
You know what felt funny? The anticipation. Smelling the wood glue mixed with the earthy smell of the walnut as I waited felt kind of like Christmas morning. I knew I was onto something good.
Smoothing It Out
Next up, the sanding. Oh boy, the sanding! I always manage to forget just how long that takes, but by the end, as the wood became smoother than a jazz record on a Saturday night, I couldn’t help but laugh. It actually looked decent. The finish I chose, a simple Tung oil, made the grain pop beautifully. Running my fingers along it felt like I was touching clouds.
Once it was all set, I gave it a whirl. My first official wooden pocket square, which I lovingly dubbed "The Walnut Wonder,” was ready for its debut.
Unexpected Panache
I remember the first time I wore it. Standing in front of the mirror, I adjusted my collar, slid that little wooden gem into my suit jacket, and man, did it feel good. That little something extra felt like a secret between me and the wood shop. I went out that night, my friends complimenting the square, and I just grinned. Even the barista at the coffee shop gave me a nod; I felt like a million bucks!
Lessons Learned
Looking back, I learned a few things along the way—like measuring twice (or thrice). And patience, oh sweet patience. It’s easy to get excited and messy, but taking a moment to think things through can change everything. Sometimes you’ve got to embrace those little mishaps because they let you find your own style—or in my case, shape your own pocket square.
So, if you’re thinking about diving into something like this—whether it’s woodworking or something else entirely—go for it. Don’t let a rough start get you down. Everyone starts somewhere and remember, a little beautiful chaos is always part of the journey.
And hey, sometimes the best things come out of the most unexpected mistakes, you know? Cheers to hoping your journey is just as rewarding and full of surprising moments!
