Persistence Does Pay Off!

Pull your chairs up folks, this is going to be a long one. You see, about 3 years ago I bought a cute baby-blue sewing machine with visions of sewing little outfits for my daughter. Although I had some sewing experience (primarily hand-sewing), after purchasing the machine I realized I was clueless about actually operating one. Overwhelmed into inaction, I simply put it away until I found a 'chance' to use it.

Fortunately, while assisting my sister-in-law in making a slip-cover for my sofa this spring, I had a light-bulb moment that this wasn't brain-surgery! So, I began by observing the little things my sister-in-law would do like threading the bobbin; changing a broken needle; or sewing a zig-zag stitch. After she went home, I would give myself 'homework' and try to pick up where she left off and even referenced the manual occasionally to solve problems. The latter was very excruciating for me. However, ever so slowly my confidence increased as I would do little projects to challenge myself.

So, imagine how proud I felt yesterday when I successfully recovered this canvas tote! The tote is a few years old and looked the worse for wear so I revamped it using leftover fabric from the slipcover project. With a hastily-made pattern of the tote frame and a couple of fittings, this was the result:

Although I had a few hiccups along the way, I followed my Granny's mantra,"learn to leave good enough alone." Wise words I tell you! I fixed what was important and left minor imperfections as-is.

Hopefully my opus will inspire you to face a daunting task head-on. Really, it's not about having great skills, it is about overcoming your fears and breaking things down into manageable chunks that give you a sense of accomplishment - not frustration. Sometimes attaining perfection isn't the endgame but rather the pride in completing a project to the best of your ability.

Have a great weekend!