I'm currently trying to finish up a bag, so I can move on to the next one. The bag is not turning out well. It is definitely not "sale" material; however, I am still determined to finish it up. Why? Why finish a product that will not be going on my virtual shelf? I admit that, as I was fighting with the bag over the weekend, I was asking myself that very same question. Here are a couple of thoughts:
-As I work on this bag, I am learning. I am learning to sew challenging materials. I am learning to compensate for oddities in the fabric, such as ruffles and hidden seams. I am learning my own limits as a needle pusher and seeing where I need improvement. Most importantly, I am learning what I don't want to do regarding my future sewing projects.
-The bag is functional. There is nothing wrong with the bag, in terms of its usefulness. The seams are strong. The bag is large and durable. It will be perfect as a grocery/shopping/tote bag.
-The bag is good-looking. The fabric is what inspired me to make the bag in the first place. I love the texture of the fabric, and I love the colors. I also happen to think I picked the lining material very well and that I've done reasonably well in putting it together. It just won't be pretty enough to sell.
The way I see things is that, unless an item is just completely "borked" and unusable and just wrong, there is nothing wrong with finishing up a "failure." It's good practice, and I feel that muscling through will encourage me to continue to be persistent. (I sometimes have issues with follow-through.)
I just can't wait to finish it, so that I can work on the next bag, which will be awesome!
5 comments:
Nice job, regards
That is an awesome mindset, enlightening and useful. Thanks for that. I have a lot of projects that end up in my "island of misfit toys". Now I don't feel as bad about them.
Thanks for commenting, Bryce. I was very frustrated for a while when I realized it is just not going to work out, but I'm a heavy duty recycler. We will use the bag, once I get it finished.
Cheers!
I, too, found your blog to be extremely useful in reminding myself that even if something isn't perfect, it's still rightfully useful. Even mistakes are educational.
Thanks for stopping by!
They are educational, but oh-so-frustrating! LOL!
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