There's something I have been meaning to tell you about myself which is both embarrassing and annoying. For reasons that aren't immediately clear, I have a fear of undertaking any project which involves a significant amount of fabric. Has anyone noticed that all the little things I make are just that - little?
It's not like there's any shortage of bigger pieces, in fact my craft cave is bursting with them. In the past two weeks alone I have bought 2m of this and a metre and a half of this for no real reason, they've just been added to the stash.
I think my reluctance to apply a blade to a big, beautiful piece of material is due to a crisis of confidence. I mean, what if I chop in the wrong place or measure wrong or muck up the pattern match? I would be furious with myself, so I think I avoid that possibility by only cutting tiny pieces and therefore avoiding any crimes against craft.
The single biggest things I have ever created using my sewing machine are curtains, but even then it was sometimes under the guidance of my mum the first few times and then slowly and carefully after that.
I have to get over it. I really do. I'd really like
(at some future, undetermined date) to make a patchwork duvet cover using large contrasting squares. I think my sewing skills are up to it - after all I can sew straight and around a corner, but I just need a little confidence before I get to all that cutting and pinning. At least with knitting you can just undo if you make a mistake. Once fabric is cut, it's cut. Even aprons, which are simple, have escaped me so far.
I just need to take a deep breath and do it. Right? Am I the only one who suffers on the confidence front? Who else has avoided starting something for fear of getting it wrong?
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It's very liberating when you do cut into it, and there is always more fabric. The very worst case scenario is that you can't use that fabric for that project and it can only be used for smaller projects.
Try starting on your sisters wedding dress - $200 worth of fabric, and one of the pieces which was the last of the roll in the shop! After than I have no fear :)
I hadn't really thought about it until you mentioned it .. and yes i think i do fear that first cut. [insert lyrics of First Cut is the deepest ..!] But i honestly think i always take a deep breath before i start cutting. This is of course after pinning and re-pinning the pattern to make it all fit!
Remember that too much confidence can also be a bad thing. Hold to the old adage - "measure twice and cut once". Just do it!
Well, I'm a clinical psychologist, and a crafter, so here's my advice.
The fear of making a mistake appears to be holding you back. As a consequence of succuming to this fear you are stopping yourself from activities you want to perform, and the satisfaction that comes from them. The only way to get past this is to simply start doing the thing you fear. Choose a project and cut that material! And keep doing it as each time if will become easier. Even if the predicted feared event does happen, it will happen less frequently then the positive outcome.
Hope that helps.
wow @P actual, professional opinion! that helps, truly. Glad that i'm not the only one to be held back by fears. You're right, I need to face my fear and cut it anyway!
I also know that feeling - not only with fabric. It also comes when facing a white canvas waiting to be painted!!!
I know exactly how you feel but I also didn't feel confident in choosing the fabrics either. Luckily, I stopped in Waimauku at Patchwork Passion where they have funky kits and instructions already to go. They were so helpful and gave me courage to actually make the quilt. Best advice they gave was to practice cutting with other material, to get use to roller cutter and measuring material properly, this has saved me my material as I made lots of mistakes with the practice scraps. Practice then take a deep breathe and start cutting!
Cut Colleen Cut! Worst case scenario - it's wrong. So what? If your project requires THAT particular fabric, go buy some more - if it doesn't - do it again with a different one. Once cut - if it's right; HOORAY! move on... if it's not, add the fabric to the pile of pieces for smaller projects :) win/win ..
If you genuinely aren't sure and you only have a 'one-shot' piece of fabric, then maybe do a trial run with some calico, or even paper, first.
Go for it! Like we tell our kids, It doesn't matter if you get it wrong, it means you learned something today :)
I have the same issue with scrapbooking items. I have pile of paper stock and i am too scared to use them in case i don't like how i have cut the piece and then there is not enough paper left to do it again. I don't know what to do to change this fear either. I would be keen to know if anyone has a solution