Uncategorized

Sewing Insecurities

What are your sewing insecurities??

Me, I am very insecure about things in general, and I think I always have been. What I say (or not say), how I look, what I do. I never fit in, I always felt awkward. I think as I get older, certain things that I am insecure about bother me less and less. Maybe I am just too tired of caring too much, or maybe I am too busy with other things to bother.

As far as sewing goes, I am insecure about garment sewing, and about quilting, in that order. I feel like I have only dipped my foot in with both, and also that my cutting-corners-to-get-it-finished qualities may not be the best idea sometimes all the time.

I am insecure about having ‘conversations’ with big bloggers…recently I did, with a few that I had pretty much idolized. I told myself, “Hey self, they’re just regular people,” but well, I just feel awkward. Like someone just caught me carrying a handbag that I made myself, but the strap broke (which will be a true story soon, because today I noticed, with a bag that I made last year, that I hadn’t sewn the strap in securely and it was coming halfway out! lol!).

So anyway, I just wanted to share with you, because some days I feel a little less than fearless. But that doesn’t stop me from tackling a sewing project, and it shouldn’t stop you either. Even if you have just started sewing, work on as many projects as you can. Each one will teach you a new thing.

Until tomorrow…I will leave you with a photo of my new bag tutorial that I’ll be posting. I just need to photograph one more set of steps (darn you 2am approaching! I just needed another hour! lol).

19 thoughts on “Sewing Insecurities

  1. I normally make quilts and then decide who they should go to but if someone asks me to make one specifically for them I freeze up – Will they like the colours, will the “scant 1/4″ seam” hold up to toddlers playing with them, will they just generally be disappointed. So I can say hand on heart that custom quilts are the thing that gets me every time!
    I’m planning on changing it this year though!

  2. Ariada says:

    You just described me 🙂 But these days I realized how much all my fears stop me from doing stuff that in the end will help me to overcome them. Just do it 😛

  3. Lynne says:

    Yay for you, Sarah. You don’t come across on your blog as insecure. I think it does get easier as you get older because you just start accepting yourself and the situation. Don’t forget to follow your own advice and don’t let your insecurities stop you in any arena!

  4. You most definitely don’t come across as insecure – but I can certainly relate to that, I definitely have my days where awkward is the best adjective to describe me. I love the positive tone of your post today, encouraging us all to move past the insecurities and go for it. You are an amazing sewist and I know I look up to the attention to detail you give to your projects and tutorials 🙂

  5. Manda says:

    Good for you! You never seem insecure on here. I always doubt everything I make and pick out the mistakes but eventually they tend to fade into the background as I realise that hey I made that myself! I have loads and loads still to learn about sewing as i still see myself as a beginner but that doesn’t worry me I actually kind of like that part! Means I won’t get bored 🙂
    You make beautiful things and have great useful posts! Stay fearless! 🙂

  6. Seriously you are so sweet to admit this! Actually you are one of those big bloggers to me! You are wonderful and have amazing tutorials!! I’m insecure too, most of the time I couldn’t give a **** but occasionally those nerves rear their ugly head. Hoping the strap on your new bag doesn’t break 😉

  7. rachael says:

    awesome, Sara. i totally feel the same way! also, i generally feel socially awkward which is its own strange insecurity 😉 and any time i get any feedback from a bigger blogger (or, as i like to say, one of my crafty crushes) it feels a little like i just talked to a saint or something. it’s worth noting that i just *might* feel a little this way about you. xoxo

  8. Shelly says:

    O.K. well I have started this comment and erased and restarted a few times due to the same syndrome. I’d have never guessed with your super encouraging blog, tutorials and frequent replies back to us, that you were insecure, although you have always been perfectly honest and confessed this before. I along with many, have been so inspired by you and appreciate all that you do, it makes us want to join you and make as many projects as we can, and you are so right, I have learned so much. Thank you for your encouragement, and It’s a pleasure to sew beside you. We are with you 100 percent!!!

  9. I was going to say you just described me but it looks like you’ve described a LOT of us! LOL I think it’s absolutely true that the older we get, the less we care what others think (in a good way). As someone who’s spent her whole life extremely shy, always thinking she had to be as good as, or better, to fit in, and just plain always caring, it’s extremely “free-ing” to not really care anymore! And I love meeting others who are feeling the same way! It’s like we can all be ourselves now!

  10. Lee says:

    Great post, Sara, I know just how you feel! I can’t tell you how often I’ve felt the same way—although, like you, I feel like I’m caring a bit less about these things as I get older. FWIW, you don’t come across as insecure to me AT ALL. But thanks for such an honest post and for helping us all know we’re not alone. : )

  11. i have always felt that way but at 70 yrs i just don’t worry about it any more , it must be the age. love your blog

  12. Kel says:

    I recognise the feeling too. Reading the comments is good to see we are not alone 🙂

  13. Rebecca says:

    One of my sewing insecurities is exactly what Issabella said. Custom orders where someone says, “just make whatever; I love all the colors you pick,” terrify me. What if the next colors I pick they don’t love? I become paralyzed with indecision and insecurity.

    I did learn something valuable at the Sewing & Quilting Expo this year–a speaker (Mary Mulari) said that for people who don’t sew, what we do is amazing. Never apologize, and never point out your mistakes. Just say thank you, and feel great about your abilities. Easier said than done, but since I heard that I have been trying.

    I also share the same social insecurities with other people who have commented. I feel like the blogs I like to read and the people who comment regularly are like the big fun popular group of people at a party, and I’m standing off to the side too nervous about having anything valuable to say to even approach them (or just leave a comment, as the case may be).

  14. I’m pretty insecure about anything I make, basically because I know where all my mistakes are and I think everyone else will see them, too!

  15. Rosa says:

    I can say thank you for sharing your projects !

  16. Katy Cameron says:

    Custom orders for bears that look like another one I’ve done scare the bejaysus out of me, because try as you might, you just can’t get 2 bears to look identical (especially the heads). I have terribly insecurities about my bags, but my mother, the general recipient is either too polite to say about the little mistakes, or doesn’t actually notice, and apparently neither do her friends… but still…

  17. No advice from this shy reader, but I just wanted to send some cyber hugs your way. You don’t seem insecure at all from what I see on your blog, but I know that we always write the good stuff up for public consumption and leave the bad stuff locked away in our hearts. Hope tomorrow is a better day (with that bag tute comin’ up – can’t wait!).

  18. felicity says:

    We ALL have insecurities, I think. It’s how we move past them to accept ourselves as awesome that’s important. It seems like you don’t let it get in your way, and you shouldn’t! You ARE awesome!

  19. Snoozie says:

    no fear, no fun!

Comments make my day and I love to reply!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.