Why Silvia wanted to sew a dress when she could go to a store and buy one much more easily, even more cheaply, she didn't know. She felt like making something that didn't get eaten, felt like doing something that didn't get undone almost immediately: cooking, dishes, laundry, vacuuming.

The stories in this collection center on motherhood and how it changes a woman's identity. From the first story, Pattern, in which the mother of twins tries to make a dress in time for her wedding anniversary, to Visiting Philly, in which a woman meets up with her best friend from college and they find that their friendship is the same and different. Like most collections, some stories were stronger than others, but the best stories beautifully reflect the realities of parenting young children, of women trying to find their earlier selves in what their lives have become. ( )