The Unlazy Days of Summer, Volume 2: Hanging a jersey

Back in May, my family celebrated my son’s Bar Mitzvah.  A Bar Mitzvah is a milestone event in the life of a 13-year old Jewish boy where he reads from the Torah for the first time, signifying the beginning of his Jewish adult life.  After the service, we celebrated with a party in his honor where the theme for the day was hockey. Typically, when guests arrive at the party, they sign a guest book or a sign-in board so that the Bar Mitzvah boy will have a token of well wishes from his guests.  But because the theme was hockey, we had our guests sign a hockey jersey instead.  Fun, right?  As one of the items on my Unlazy Days of Summer checklist, I wanted to hang this jersey in my son’s room so that he would be able to enjoy this keepsake.  The sign-in board for my Bat Mitzvah has moved from my mother’s basement in multiple houses to my basement closet.  I thought a jersey would be more practical because we could use it as room decor while he’s still living with us, and when he’s older, it can be folded up and tucked into a drawer or a closet, while not taking up any of his wife’s precious storage space.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention two points.  One, my son did such an excellent job at his Bar Mitzvah service that my eyes well with pride every time I think of that day; with him in his suit chanting the ancient words of our people with such confidence.  And two, his wife will not be the type of woman that doesn’t make room in her closet for my baby’s Bar Mitzvah sign-in jersey or she will have one heck of a mother-in-law to deal with.  Okay.  Deep breath.  Back to the project.

Did you know that crafting is my hobby, but my expertise is as a Registered Dietitian specializing in gut health?

If you want to learn more about gut health and how the low-FODMAP can help, I have a free video training that explains 3 Strategies for Success with the Low-FODMAP Diet. You can click here to get instant access to this training, which can be very helpful to understand more of the why behind this specific diet for people with gut health issues.

The first challenge was to figure out what I was going to use to hang this jersey.  I had seen jersey cases that I could buy for $60, but I had two issues with them:  I did not want to spend that much money, and the cases were built to house short-sleeved jerseys or with the sleeves hanging down.  My jersey needed to hang to show the wingspan in order to view all of the guests’ notes.  My first thought was to buy a dowel and some fishing line and eye hooks and attach it to the ceiling.  I planned to go to the hardware store but didn’t get there before I came up with an even better idea.  I was in Kmart looking for picture hooks, and I passed by the home decor section.  Then it hit me!  I could hang it on a curtain rod!  I needed an adjustable one because the jersey from wrist to wrist is 64″.  No problem!  I found one and for less than $5!

A curtain rod from Kmart for less than $5!

I brought it home and got to work.  First I assembled my tools:  Measuring tape, level, screwdrivers, pencil, chalk (I’ll explain in a minute), and a roll of GlueDots 1″ lines (I’ll explain that too).

My tools

I first found the center mark on the wall that would display the jersey.  Then I wanted to measure 32″ each way from the center to total the 64″ of the jersey wingspan.  I was working alone and I couldn’t hold the measuring tape at one end and mark the spot at the other end (here’s where the chalk comes in).   So I rubbed the chalk on the metal end of the measuring tape and held the tape at the center and tapped the end to the wall.  That left a chalk mark for me to use when I installed the hardware with my screwdrivers.  I used the level to mark where the top of the hardware should line up:

See the chalk mark?

I did the same thing on the other side.  Then I fed the curtain rod through the sleeves of the jersey, but it was slipping and not sitting neatly, so I tacked the wrist hem to the rod with the GlueDots 1″ lines, which I had in my craft supplies.

It took all of about 20 minutes – the bulk of that was spent on measuring while balancing on a step stool.

And there you have it!

The jersey is up!

Not only does the jersey fit in with the sports decor, complete with a bobblehead display and a foam finger collection, but it will remind him of the day he rocked the pulpit and then celebrated like the MVP that he is.

PS  Did you know that I might have DIY skills, but my real expertise is as a Registered Dietitian, subscribing to a non-diet approach to wellness?  Learn a bit more about it by exploring my “diet-free living” posts on my blog.  Want to take a deeper dive?  Download my FREE e-book, “The Inner Girl Power Challenge,” and kick the dieting habit for good!