How to Finish What You Start Every Time || For Sewing projects, Embroidery projects, Craft projects

I think I speak for many of us when I say that we have no problem getting excited about a potential new project. We see a movie, or a picture on social media, and we know just what we want to make.

We get over that hurdle and begin... but then at some point the excitement drains away.

That project that seemed like such a good idea at the time becomes heavy. We get bored, or intimidated, and work grinds to a halt... and we start beating ourselves up about that heap of lost hope sitting in the corner!

What to do? That's what I've addressed in this week's video - and I'll show you another project I've been working on myself for ever to prove that it's not just you!

The braces/suspenders I'm wearing are from @papilionaceouspuresilk

* Berlin Work, Samplers & Embroidery of the Nineteenth Century
* Embroideries and Patterns of Nineteenth Century Vienna from the Nowotny Collection

Original suspenders are all from the Metropolitan Museum, New York
[1] European, 19th century, Accession Number: 36.90.1214a, b
[2] European, 19th century, Accession Number: 36.90.1209
[3] French, 1850, Accession Number: C.I.53.23.1a, b
[4] European, 19th century, Accession Number: 36.90.1208
[5] European, 1840-59, Accession Number: C.I.51.21a–d
[6] Probably Spanish, 19th century, Accession Number: 36.90.1211

Edited by Sophie Black at @triskellepictures

Music (all from Epidemic Sound):

'Garden (Instrumental Version)' by Garden Friend
'Impressions of You' by Gavin Luke
'The Road Less Travelled' by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
'Little Kid' by Johannes Bornlof

Stock Photos (All from Unsplash):

Letter image by Annie Spratt
Kilimanjaro hikers image by Ben Spoelhof
Kilimanjaro image by Yoad Shejtman
Kilimanjaro image by Sergey Pesterev

You can also follow me and see my own sewing and embroidery on Instagram:

Your letters and cards are welcome at Mr Worth's old place.
7 Rue de la Paix
Paris 75002
France

If you're in the UK, I also have an address here:
1 Northumberland Avenue
Trafalgar Square
London
WC2N 5BW
United Kingdom

Please don't send parcels - the fees to have them imported/forwarded to me are expensive! Contact me first if it's something special or important.

Thank you, thank you, to everyone who has sent something to me. It is deeply valuable to read your words in your own handwriting and hold them in my hands. It helps me to connect to who you really are, and what you really need from me. I read, enjoy and treasure every one. Thank you.

[antoniahein]

Cathy: pick a small thing to finish.
Me: oh nice, i’m working on sewing a handkerchief right now!
Cathy: finish two projects you’ve been procrastinating on.
Me: oh shit, that means i’ve got to finish my bachelor’s thesis...

[argheimrobb]

In quilting we often say "it's better finished than perfect" 😊

[robinhahnsopran]

Is it weird that the advice of letting yourself whinge about it is to me an absolute LIGHTBULB moment? I feel like people (but particularly women) are so often told not to whinge, and that it's such a profound character flaw to be whingey that we should avoid it at all times, even when alone with just ourselves and our thoughts. Giving ourself permission to do it is not only incredibly emotionally freeing, but it's also a way to discover what's blocking us from meeting our goals. Thank you!

[elfieblue]

The 20-year journey: a quilt top I started in 2002. I needed this video today. I'm going to log off, now.

[DancethedrizzleBlogspot]

Ooh, that little chat between the maker and the owner... that's a clever perspective!

[PoisonTheOgres]

Cathy, almost every video of yours has some little bit of gentle wisdom that I can immediately apply to my own life. Thank you for making such thoughtful videos!

[florabernstein]

Dont let the"perfect" be the killer of the "good enough". When you are a beginner, treat "perfect" as a swear word.

[lenabjork]

I've recently switched focus from wanting the thing I'm doing to be finished asap (skipping steps, cutting corners and then being disappointed with the result), instead realizing: I do this because it's fun, it's my hobby, let it take time.

[lucaortolani]

Excuse me
How dare you come out in this world, in front of my plaid home outfit, in front of God, wearing such a beautiful tight suspenders outfit?
I'm stunned 💕

[unrulycrow]

It's what's currently happening to me with a writing project: I realised I made a mistake with the timeline - a mistake I can actually correct fairly easily, but it upset me and now I can't get back to writing, and it makes me even more frustrated! Anyway, I'm definitely sharing this video on my Writing Discord server, it may be useful to everybody to understand and accept their situation when they're feeling stuck or having trouble getting it on with their project!

[bdgies]

Someone once said to me, “but you’re so talented.” To which I replied that I wasn’t special; I just show up every day and do my stuff... Every. Bloody. Day. My blocks come from uncertainty, when I’ve taken on a project that pushes my skill set and I come to that point where I don’t know what to do next. I’ve finally learned to ask for help instead of stuffing it out of sight. 😉

[VBirchwood]

"This is our journey, isn't it, as makers" really hits home. Nothing teaches you to work through frustration and find solutions like making things, especially hand sewing historical garments in my case. But the beauty is, once you get over the bump, you develop an incredible ability to tackle that challenge the next time around, I think the key is just being patient and kind to yourself as much as possible throughout the process.

[mammadingo]

Whenever I'm making something for someone else, I remind myself (frequently) that either 1. They don't know enough about the craft to notice that I flubbed some little thing or 2. They know enough to be grateful I put so much effort into it, perfect or not. With big projects, I like to walk away from them and do something small and thus faster just to get that sweet, sweet feeling of accomplishment to propel me further along the big projects. It does mean the big projects take longer, but hey! Eventually, you'll have something big to brag about! ;)

[ceciliar.l.]

Your videos feel like a pre-COVID hug.

[GoGoGoLilQueenie]

I'm creating my daughter's wedding dress for her wedding in October. I consider myself an intermediate sewer and this is slightly beyond my abilities. So, to keep the project from overwhelming me, I have broken up this project into sections. With each step I have chosen to learn a new technique or use a new fabric [etc]. I refuse to let it fuel my anxiety or shut me down. I have joined FR and I also watch your videos here to keep me on track. Thank you for all you do. Whether you realize it or not, you are my inspiration.

[altarofannihilation]

The beauty of putting a project down, is the opportunity to rediscover what made you start in the first place. If your worried about perfection, just remember that it’s not always about finishing the peace you started, living with your work will make you better at making.

[sunshineseamstress]

I had been procrastinating on my skirt for over 3 weeks because of how much money I had spent on the materials and how much time and effort I had already poured into it. I finally started working on it again yesterday and I am so glad! I remembered just how excited I was about it. Thank you for all the encouragement 😊

[jimhooper]

This is THE MOST VALUABLE video I have ever watched on these sewing channels THE BEST !....you guessed it I watch the sewing channels instead of finishing my projects !!!! “ thanks thanks and ever thanks “ as Shakespeare wrote ...

[goldstarsforall]

I need to send this to my mum.
She started a cross stitch for me when she was expecting.
I'm 19

[NorthernHedgeWitch]

One of my hesitations for finishing things, as weird as this may sound, is that once I finish it - it is done.
I just finished knitting a pair of socks but still have the tails of yarn to weave in. I don’t want to do it because I enjoyed knitting the socks and once those tails are weaved in then it’s done. I won’t ever work on creating those socks ever again.
But then I remind myself that I can now use those socks and allow myself to start something new that I have the potential to enjoy even more than the last project.