Sewing Standards

This post has two issues. Both about standards. The first is about industry standards and the second is about our own sewing standards.

I made a mistake yesterday. Not a nuclear mistake. Just an error in administration. I paid dearly for it. I got slammed by two big guns. For an ERROR.

Now, how can it be then, that someone with intention continues to manipulate, intimidate and steal from others and NOTHING HAPPENS?

We let it.

We don’t complain because we are scared.

We don’t ask for our money back because – you know – it’s just $29.00 right?

We don’t take action.

We stay in the groups in case they notice we leave and who wants the sewing mafia on their backs?

 

This is how domination of the masses happens. We are intimidated and cajoled into acceptance. This is how it is.

 

Only if we let it. 

 

I was pondering yesterday as I was ripping out yet another seam about how bloody bad I am at this sewing caper. I keep making mistakes. It’s a straight line for god’s sake can’t you just follow it – you even drew it on the bloody fabric!

 

I had to re-do a whole piece because there were blood stains on the fabric from where I had stabbed myself and the blood had trickled onto the needle and through the fabric.

 

Then I cried because I’m still a little bit sensitive to stupid things, but I felt so hopeless. So stupid. So inept. I’m never going to be a great sewist. How many more years is this going to take?

 

Then I realised that I was putting a puppet together. A puppet. Puppets are harder to make than bags. It was only because of my bag making and quilting skills that I was able to negotiate all the parts that go into making a puppet. It’s hard. You have to make the foam heads and the cutting has to be precise. Then you have to cut out the fleece and make sure it sits on the foam perfectly with no stitches showing – because even though you know it’s a puppet – stitches that show are a dead give away that your character is just sewn together. The illusion is lost.

 

So I may not be a brilliant puppet maker – yet – but all the skills I had learned over the years helped to create, what I hope, will be some fun characters to bring you the videos.

 

It’s time to be stupid and have some fun.

 

It’s time to sew. It’s time to not worry if we have to rip out a million seams. It’s time to not worry about those mistakes that only we can see in our quilts.

 

It’s time for joy.

 

Carry on and let fear drive you forward.