I, Sarah Trover, am not afraid of much but the one thing that brings me to my crafting knees is threading up the bobbin in a sewing machine. Yes, I know I can stumble through it, but the idea that I'll get something stuck or have to redo it, it makes me nervous and suddenly I'm standing in the aisle with the fusible webbing and tape. After reading up on the latest adventures with Daniel over at Manhattan Nest, my thinking might have to change as he's calling out all your crafting fears and charging the wussies of the internet (like myself) to buck up, put up, and shut up — telling us that you can do anything.
Daniel Kanter is no stranger to Apartment Therapy as we've featured his mad diy and crafting skills several times in the past. He does things the way normal people do, one step at a time and figuring things out as you go along and he's always been very open to sharing such experiences with his readers.
Today however he shares a tale of sucking up the fear of sewing and looking up instructions online and making his own pillows (pictured above). With his new found confidence he mentioned he'd be happy to sew a cushion cover for a friend's Mid Century sofa and so his courage carried on. His story is triumphant and he is making a call today to the people of the interwebs to face your fears and just do it.
It seems like an appropriate motto for this time of year as we're looking at so many handmade projects. It's easy to feel that they're over your skill level or you don't have time to figure things out, but he's reassuring in the fact that you can. Check out the link below to read about Daniel's adventures.
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Loved that post.
Yay, Daniel! :)
<3 Daniel, He's tots the bomb!
Sewing is a big one. I had my sewing machine for two years before I mustered the courage to turn it on. The first "projects" weren't pretty but I've made some (slightly imperfect) pillows and curtains. Sewing definitely plays hard to get but the key is to take things slow. Start with a pillow and practice, practice, practice from then on.
Anytime I have my sewing machine out, my computer is right next to it so I can Google all the problems I encounter (the answer always seems to be 'adjust the tension')
I wait with great anticipation for a new Daniel post. They always make me happy. LOL happy. So easy to relate to and written with such flair. Thumbs up for posting this on AT.
You can do anything (but line up a pattern).
Wow, @YoNella, was that intended for Daniel, or just a charmingly self-deprecating hit at your own skills?
Because if the former, just... wow. Maybe try some vitamin D?
If the latter...Rock on, sister. I'm right there with ya.
I now own three large saws and I am not always terrified of getting a finger chopped off ;) now if ONLY I could cut in a straight line....
well-written. loved the post. ty.
Only intimidated by dangerous equipment (new table saw, assembled by rookies, not vetted by an expert) or by expensive mistakes (metal clay jewelry -- that stuff is costly!)
Otherwise, no fears... not much TIME, but no fears!
"I want to sew a quilt but it probably wouldn't come out right..." -the big excuse I kept using until someone pretty much said -"it's not gonna come out at all until you turn your sewing machine on!"
Confidence is the key to doing anything. (And accepting that imperfection IS perfectly fine.)