KEEP TRYING TILL YOU GET IT RIGHT!

I am such a fuss fart when it comes to making things.  If something I make isn't done right, or doesn't look right, I tear it apart and redo it - or I throw it out.  I can't tell you how many things I have chucked over the years because I just plain wasn't happy with it.

I was taught to be fussy, and to do it right, or don't do it at all.  Give it your all, or go home!

Harsh advice?  Not if you intend to sell your items or give them as a gift.  If you are a child, or you have a handicap that prevents you in some way of perfecting something - then fine; but if you are capable of doing better - then do better.

I spend hours on my projects... probably more hours than I should.  In actual fact I am most likely working for pennies an hour - but that's not why I craft.  I craft to make nice things, to use my skills, to make other's happy by sharing or gifting my talents.  Mostly I do it because I love to craft.  I love to create something from not much, I love to use my brain, my eyes and my hands creating something useful, or not useful; something cute, something pretty...

Last week I tried out a new pattern for a little soft-bodied angel.  My first mistake was using a very soft velour-like fabric to make the body, legs and hands.  The material was miserable to sew, it wandered all over as I sewed it, - not fun when one is sewing tiny pieces with curves.   After several hours of choice words and lots of seam ripping, I finally had completed one!  Yeah?

No Yeah!  It wasn't right.  I hated the puckery wings, the face looked stupid... definitely not a Yeah.  I gave up went to bed, and tossed and turned, my mind completely engaged on how to make the angel better.  I heard the clock strike 1, then 2, then 3...

By the time I had figured it out, morning had arrived, and so I headed back upstairs to make the changes.

Perfect... I was so pleased, so I quickly cut the second one and finished it in less than an hour, and it too was perfect.

Here's the before and after of the first angel... see what a night without sleep can do?

BEFORE:
What was wrong?   The wings looked like fingers, and the face and hair didn't seem right.

AFTER:
I threw away the first set of wings and
made a new pair with a different
material entirely.  I added more hair and I moved
her hand down to cover the mouth (like a polite yarn) and not the nose.

Why make one, when you can have two...

I named them Joe and Erna, after my parents!

As you can see, being fussy made all the difference in my angels.

I am satisfied with them now, and can sell them knowing they are the best they can be.

In the end it's very simple.

If you made it and don't like it - chances are no one else will either!