Or rather, how skilled do you think you are?
A post on Jacq’s blog today got me thinking about this, not least because I’m mentioned in it. (By the way, pop over and wish Jacq a Happy Birthday!)
Is there a difference between how we view our own skills and how others view them? I’m not talking about how those that don’t sew, knit, crochet, etc… see us (my decidedly non-crafty sister thinks sewing on a button is amazingly clever!), but how others practicing the same crafts as us view our skills.
As you will see from Jacq’s post, we both started our blogs at around the same time. I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting Jacq once (she’s as lovely as she sounds on her blog), talking to her on the phone and emailing in addition to us commenting on each others blogs.
When I discovered it was her birthday today, I wanted to send her a little gift. I decided to make one of my machine applique pictures, as she had admired the ones I’d posted here and after a bit of deliberation I decided it should be a sewing machine.
In her post today, Jacq comments that I am more skilled than she is. That’s the bit that got me thinking, because I don’t think I am very skilled. Yes, I’ve been sewing a long time (30+ years) and I knit and crochet as well. (I’d also really like to make jewellery, but I think my husband would throw me out if I bought even more craft items into the house!)
When I look at the things I’ve made, they have definitely improved, even in the last year or so, but they’re not the best or most well made items by any stretch of the imagination. I suppose we are all more critical of ourselves and our achievements than other people are, and we probably see the flaws and mistakes that others don’t.
When I look at the coat I made, I tend to skip over the bound button holes (which are actually pretty good for a first attempt) and focus on the fact that the neckline doesn’t sit right because I used rubbish interfacing that bubbled and wrinkled and had to be cut out after the coat was completed.
What do you think? Do you view your own skills more critically than you should? I wonder if it’s a case of that we all know just how much we don’t know, or how much more we can learn!
I think Jacq certainly sells herself short - she made this gorgeous cape, and she has started a crochet club at work, and is teaching her colleagues to crochet in their lunchbreaks. She has far more patience than I do!
I think we all see the faults in our own work, and are way to critical of our skills. Love your appliqué work - it is so original and creative - a lovely birthday gift for Jacq ... J
ReplyDeleteYou're right Judith, we know if we haven't done something the "proper" way, whereas no one else would ever notice!
DeleteI love doing the applique, what's so nice about that is there is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it as long as it looks good.
Morning Sam, I think you've hit the nail on the head, we're probably hard on ourselves, I hear myself encouraging my crochet club at work and I don't extend myself the same courtesy! For me I guess the biggest issue is I've not been taught, I'm making this stuff up as I go along so I don't know f I'm doing it right. Your coat looked beautiful to me :)
ReplyDeleteI've never been taught either, except years and years ago when I was very first taught to knit and sew. I think that's why I sometimes don't feel confident in my skills, because I don't know if I'm actually doing things the way they should be done.
DeleteI also think we take our skills for granted. Because we CAN do something quite easily, we don't appreciate how clever we actually are!
Hi Sam, I am Judy, I found your blog from Judith.. [So proud, have enjoyed looking around]
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your appliqued sewing machine .. SO cute.. Did you do it on an embroidery machine? Or by hand? I have an embroidery machine and love it. .I don't have
the sewing machine applique.. But, will be looking for one.ha
Such a good blog post. I too find so many faults in my own sewing world.. For me, I have never been taught the correct way.. And when I learned to sew [nearly 40 yrs ago..ooops I am telling you, I am an old woman. lol], there was no internet, no you tube
videos.. I got the basic how to's in Home Ec in school and that was it. I loved sewing, and as newly weds, my hubby bought me a sewing machine and I didn't know what to do with it. But the following year, along came my baby girl.. I learned to sew by making her little dresses. So, all these yrs I sewed for her and now my 4 granddaughters. and rarely for me [adults are harder to sew for ,to fit]..But just the past 2-3 years , have I sewed for me.
Since discovering the sewing blogs and internet, I have met so many talented sewers.. So, I definitely feel inadequate. So, I am very negative about my skills.. All this said, I think we are all hard on our selves.
Hi Judy, lovely to "meet" you. Thank you for your kind comments about the applique. I do it on a standard sewing machine, using a darning or embroidery foot. There's a bit more about it in this post: http://alittleofwhatyou.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-new-love.html I keep meaning to do a little tutorial on the process.
DeleteI think you are right, we are definitely too hard on ourselves and our skills. And we need to remember that we (usually) only see the successful projects from fellow bloggers, I'm sure however talented they are, they make mistakes too!
This is really interesting to me, as it's something I think a lot about! I agree - we do tend to downgrade our own skills. I think about a related topic a lot too: People will often say to me, "You're so creative!" because I make so many things. The thing is - I don't really think I'm very creative, because the things I make are not my own original ideas. I'm just good at following along with a pattern! So I prefer to tell people that I'm skilled! So, going back to your original question, yes, I think I'm quite skilled!
ReplyDeleteEven though you don't think you are creative, I think matching a pattern to a fabric, choosing finishing details etc are creative elements of the sewing/knitting/crafting process. The whole process is a mix of creativity and skill!
DeleteI'm pleased you think you're skilled - I would say you definitely are! It's important that we acknowledge and celebrate our skills.
I received my gift exchange and I have to say that you sew exceptionally well! I'm sooooo happy with my gift! I thank you all the time you took to make something as beautiful as this! My gift to you will be in the mail tomorrow and I hope that you receive it in a few days .... I hope it like you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rosy! I'm really pleased to hear it arrived safely, and even happier that you like it! It was my pleasure to make it for you. I can't wait to recieve mine now, I'm sure I'll love it.
DeleteYou are exceptionally skilled; and artistic, that little sewing machine picture is adorable! So sweet of you to send a special handmade birthday gift :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Carolyn. There's a limit on how many of these embroidered pictures my husband likes around the house, so I make them as gifts instead!
DeleteInteresting post.
ReplyDeleteI am so critical of my skills. In fact, I'm feeling like a complete novice in so many areas this year as I set about trying to learn new things and realise just how much I don't know. Crazy really - most people wouldn't notice the little things I get worked up over!
But I do think that doing more helps get better. I can definitely see that in my knitting. I've learnt more and improved more in the last three years of knitting than in all the decades before that.
Oh my goodness, from all gorgeous things you make I would not say you were a novice at all!
DeleteDefinitely doing more helps you get better (practice makes perfect as they say!) and the internet is a wonderful resource for assistance with any difficulties you might be having.