Good technique is overrated - discuss

I think about this a lot. It bugs me because I think that the idea of needing to have "good technique" is such a discouraging one, especially when you are learning. I've been talking about it a bit too - around the traps - and I always come up against the "aaaahhhh but if you don't have good technique then things look terrible" and I beg to strongly disagree *. Let me explain. 

I was at a craft night recently where a lovely woman, lets call her "Trevor", said to me "I'm not very good at knitting" as she sat there knitting. She told me she was trying again and was super discouraged because she felt like she wouldn't ever get the hang of it. She was doing that classic learner knitting thing (that I did for about four or five years!) where she was holding the left needle with one hand and wrapping the wool around it by doing a huge arc with her right hand. She was watching me knit and feeling discouraged. I had a look at what she was knitting - a lovely little scarf for her small person - and pointed out to her that she was knitting a scarf and that that scarf had perfectly even tension and looked beautiful. Who cares that she was a bit slow and awkward. She was making. Something that would give her (and her small) joy every time she saw it worn.

Beginner knitting by me about seven years ago. Admire the uneven tension and dodgy wool. BUT I made a hat - for my small person - with love!!

The reason I feel so annoyed by "need to have good technique" is that I think that people often feel like they aren't getting the hang of it because of their technique. Beginners and not-so-beginnners feel like good technique is out of reach and give up making. The suggestion is often that people who have good technique are "so talented", when really it is just a matter of practice. A matter of hours on the road so to speak. 

Noone (except the odd freak of nature) has good technique when they begin, and many times they don't have good technique after a few years. Most people are slow and awkward. Most people throw stuff in the bin in disgust. Most people have to unpick and unravel. But if you persist in the somewhat-average-slow-and-awkward technique for a while,  then you will make something you like. Maybe not love but like. So who cares that you don't have "it". You are making and by making your technique will get better. Little by little.

It is not talent that gives you good technique but practice! 

I don't have a knitting gene that means I have good technique. I have however, knitted for over ten years in a borderline obsessive manner. And I am still learning!  The quilt I made in the last blog post was only my third hand quilting project and at the moment my technique is still kinda dodgy. I have seen youtube clips of people hand quilting and I don't yet resemble the masters by any stretch of the imagination. In fact at the moment I appear to have made up my own funky little way of doing it. It gets OK results, with little pain and isn't too slow. Win win win. Because I have been in this place with other crafts before this, I know that it won't be long before a rhythm will appear and I won't know how not to do it. Like riding a bike. And the most important thing is that I made something I love - with dodgy technique - that is beautiful!!

Another photo of my first hand quilted quilt. Super simple, whole cloth with minimal stitching. I didn't even try to do a straight line as I thought that would add to the level of difficulty. I just stitched a freehand line.

I thought I would make some suggestions for how to make things you love, while having less than good technique. 

1. Do simple projects 

I mean projects that only use simple techniques. Master one and then up the ante just a little for your next project. Simple techniques can achieve the most beautiful results. I doesn't have to be complicated to be gorgeous. Many times simple is best. 

The Purl Bee are the absolute masters of this. Most of their projects are simple and straightforward and make use of super simple techniques. And they are stunning and mainly free. Go have a look if you are in search of inspiration. Their back catalog is amazing. The key to their gorgeous projects is point 2....

2. Use beautiful materials. 

A simple project using simple techniques with beautiful materials normally equals a beautiful result. Don't get sucked in to thinking that because you are a beginner or not-very-good that you should buy cheap materials. Dodgy materials are the path to demoralisation and grief. Buy the best you can afford.

Beautiful materials mean that people are so focused on the materials they often overlook the dodgy making. Don't be tempted to tell them about all the mistakes either. When they say - "how gorgeous!", you say "thanks!". I have had to practice this bit.

3. Make something you really want

If you really want it you will keep going. Even if it is slow and you have to unpick over and over again. My first knitting project was ripped back to the start four times, because I had no idea how to fix mistakes. But I really wanted it to exist. And it did. Mistakes and all. 

4. Try to change one thing about your technique each time you start a new project.  

Don't work on everything that is wrong with your technique at once. Make a small change each time you start a new project - this means you can still make something and don't get demoralised. Use youtube. It is wonderful!

When I began hand quilting I did it in stages. Project 1 - I just wanted to finish. Project 2 - I tried to make my stitches more even on the back. Project 3 - I tried to work on my speed a little. Progress.

5. Take your time and rip out when you need to. 

When you are making something more complicated, and your technique isn't great, take your time. And always rip out when you need to. Even if it is a whole heap of work down the drain. My rule is "Is this going to annoy the s*&t out of me every time I see it?" If the answer is yes the I take a deep breath and rip it out there and then. Don' t leave it till later or you may find it sits there for many months. Human beings are tricky things aren't they? 

The first knitting project I ever made that I was truly happy with - and at the time my technique was awkward and slow. I was still knitting by taking my hand completely off the right hand needle to wrap the wool.

So tell your crazy brain to be quiet - good technique is unnecessary to fully experience the joy of craft. You can make beautiful things with dodgy-average-slow technique. Practice will get you there in the end, and your journey will be visible in the things you have made along the way. And that is a beautiful thing.... 

What do you think? Do you agree?  

Felicia x

* Just to be a complete contradiction - I completely agree that good technique is normally essential when doing something complicated! But that would be stating the obvious which I am obviously not into.

Perfection in imperfection

So I finished a single bed quilt - it's the sample for the Anatomy of a Quilt class we are running - and after that will live out it's life on my spare bed. It's not perfect. Nor is it what I hoped or thought it would be when I started. But I really really love it!

Which has lead to a very photo heavy post!! Apologies. 

I had this idea when I started it. I had some gorgeous linen from Tessuti* - over two metres of it in fact. It is such a simple beautiful pattern that I didn't want to cut it up - it would have gone against the laws of nature I reckon.

*If you are ever looking for gorgeous linen then check out Tessuti - just stunning!! 

Beautiful linen from Tessuti. 

Back and front together

So a whole cloth quilt was the only way forward. I wanted super simple but without too much quilting as I still wanted the linen to be able to move and wrinkle. Nothing better than wrinkled linen. The spare room it was made for is a simple space so i wanted something that would fit. 

I had been practicing my hand quilting by making a few baby quilts for my smallest girl child and so I really wanted to try something bigger. That said I didn't have time (and maybe not the courage yet?)  to handquilt the whole thing. So what to do. I haven't come across many quilts that use handquilting and machine quilting in the one quilt but I thought I would give it a try. My idea was some feature quilting in the middle and then machine quilting in off white around it, so you would see the impression of the quilting lines but would be played down. I used organic cotton batting which meant I could leave the quilting lines to about 5/6inches apart - which meant I got to keep my favourite linen characteristic - wrinkles!!

This photo shows the faint lines of machine quilting outside the main hand quilted circle.

There are so many issues with this quilt - which is going to make it a great teaching piece. So many issues....

But I really want to focus on the love. The fact that it doesn't need to be perfect to be perfect. The fact that I learnt so many many things while making it. Things that I actually already knew in theory but I now have tangible proof of. Gotta love some in your face mistakes to help you really learn. It was also a good reminder that even though your initial idea might not work - this looks nothing like what I planned - it can turn out even better. 

The back detail

Have you had mistakes that turn out better than the original idea?? 

Felicia

An ode to sewing with knits

I just finished a big project in the last few days, which has lead to my mind wandering around thinking of what to start next. Often at the end of a big slow project I like a quick win as a little pick-me-up to get the engines firing. And I think I am heading to some knit sewing. So I thought I'd share with you why I think sewing with knit fabric is so awesome.  

I have been involved in crafty circles for a long time and am often talking about sewing/knitting/quilting. And what I hear is that many other crafters say knit fabric makes them nervous as it looks kinda tricky or that they don't have the right equipment (eg. overlocker) to do it properly. To that I say piffle - one of the main things I love about it is it's simplicity. I agree there is a little bit of an art to making it look great rather than super homemade (which is where Sophie's Sewing with Knits class comes in) but I guess I want to show you just what you can do if you take the time (or class) to learn a few basics. 

Nani Iro knit leggings for my small boy before he got big and decided leggings weren't that cool....

Nani Iro knit fabric

In the interests of full disclosure I should say upfront that I have never owned a working overlocker nor do I have a coverstitch machine. And also that my mum was a Knitwit sewing teacher when I was little which is why I don't have the "sewing with knits" fear. It's not because I am naturally fearless.

So again with the lists....

Why I love sewing with knits

1. It is so easy and quick

Knit sewing means that you don't have to finish your seams as the fabric doesn't fray.  It means that you don't have to hem if you don't want to. I generally also don't bother to pin unless I am working with a curve. All this saves so much time! 

Based on some of the photo's I have posted on this blog you might be thinking I am a careful seamstress. Knit sewing is where I let it all go. Slapdash is a word that could often be applied to my knit sewing - however the great thing about it is that it is really hard to tell. 

2. Knit sewing is great for kid clothes

Kids like to be comfortable. Leggings, tshirts, shorts, pyjamas - all of these can be made incredibly quickly using knit fabric. A kid's tee takes about an hour's sewing time....

Kid's winter dress which is super comfy and sparkles. 

What more could you ask for?

3. Knit sewing is flexible and forgiving - fudge away people!

To state the obvious - because the fabric is stretch then there is more flexibility in the fit. I made my small boy shorts that have fitted him from when he was 3 till now - he is 7. I got four years out of 20 minutes work. The last tee I made for me - when I realised it was a bit big I just took in the sides until I was happy and cut off the excess. Not something you can easily do with woven fabrics.

A great example of how forgiving stretch sewing can be would be the last pair of knit kids shorts I made for my little fella to wear to school. I generally make these out of my partners old tshirts and they involve four seams in total - FOUR seams!! One for each leg, one joining the two legs and then the fourth seam is to make the casing for the elastic. I don't even bother to hem them which means that they take 30minutes total to make. And while I can hear you saying "what a laaazy crafter", I would shoot back a "they only last a couple of months before he has put another hole in them therefore hemming seems like overkill".....y'know?

Anyway back to my story. Last pair of shorts I accidentally sewed the two legs pieces together in totally the wrong way. Because it was stretch fabric, and it only had a 1cm seam, rather than unpicking I just cut off the seam. And it made no difference at all.

These were made when I had my last baby almost 3yrs ago from a free internet pattern. I made up a size 4, used their size 2 and a newborn size. Small people were super chuffed with these....bless. 

4. You can make things that fit you in fabrics you really like.

I often find that tshirts and tops I buy from the shops stretch out of shape as the quality of the fabric isn't that great, even from good stores. With stores like Tessuti and the Fabric Store in our capital cities, some great local fabric stores, and online shops like Kelani**, all stocking stunning knit fabrics, you can make something you will love in beautiful good quality fabric.  And you can make it to fit. In the time it takes to go to the shops to look for the perfect striped tshirt you need, you can have whipped one up.  

**Elissa has got the most gorgeous organic knit fabric in at the moment!!

Sophie's amazing leggings.

Top pattern by Megan Nielsen. Sewn by Sophie.

5. Once you have the basics there is nothing to it. 

It is simple sewing at it's best. The kind for when you need a quick win or you only have an hour or your girl child desperately needs a new skirt by tomorrow in red for her special day at school. 

I thought I would finish up with some resources and an idea.... 

Some Resources

There are great patterns for women. These are just a small sample.

• Darling Ranges Briar
• Tessuti's new Boat Neck tee*** plus their old school freestyle tee
• Tessuti's Anita Ponti Pant  
• Grainline's Hemlock tee
• Sewaholic's Renfrew top
• Kitschy Coo's Lady Skater Dress
• Skirt As A Top's Scoop Neck Tee 

And for kids have a look at these. 

• Banyan tee - what will be covered in Sophie's class
• Flashback skinny tee
• Go to Leggings 

***while you are there have a look at their other patterns. I love their new Suzy Pant - such a great shape.  

An Idea for Monday

I really want you to get how easy this type of sewing is. So I've come up with an idea - as I have a science degree I thought we could do a little experiment. I have an hour or two on Monday so I thought I would make the Grainline Hemlock tee in a piece of gorgeous Tessuti stretch cotton and give you "live" photo updates on instagram and facebook as I did it. Just so you could see how quick it is to whip up your own knit garments.  

I've already mentioned it in the post but just in case you didn't hear the shameless plug I thought I would let you know that there is still some space in Sophie's Sewing with Knits class. If you fancy coming to a weekend crafting retreat that is. At the end of the class you would be able to tackle ANY of the patterns I mention above with confidence and come out with a great looking garment. Yeah Sophie!

Any other suggestions for patterns or fabric resources?  

Felicia x

Do you make your kid's clothes?

Just a short one today. I've been crafting tonight and preparing for Father's Day. Luckily I don't think my partner reads this regularly but just in case LOOK AWAY SIMON!  

So for Father's Day I am going old school simple. I got them to pose for a photo one night when we had the perfect northern hilly Melbourne suburb's light. And pose they did. I didn't manage to get a single photo with them all with their eyes open and their tongues in, but no matter because I got the photo above.  

I was asked by one of my oldest friends a while back "Why do you make their clothes?" "Why do you bother? You can just buy stuff, from the shops, y'know?". Obviously he isn't a crafter. But this photo really sums it up for me.  

I make them clothes because I love the fact that they are often snuggled up in clothes/handknits that they know I made - for them. And they love that. They will tell anyone who asks (or anyone who doesn't) that their mama made their jumper/dress/shorts etc. because they are chuffed. Often the pride stems from the fact that they chose the yarn or the fabric or the buttons or the pattern. They feel like they are part of something. It is something we do together.

Due to the fact that they have such input the clothes are getting a little bit crazier and brighter than I would normally go for and occasionally I knit or sew through gritted teeth. But the fact that they then LOVE it, makes it so worthwhile. 

For their birthdays I make something special. This was my middle girly's birthday dress from last year.

I make them clothes because I can make things I can't buy from the shops. I can make styles that I like, in gorgeous fabrics,  and make stuff that is of a quality I can't buy (unless I want to spend a huuuge amount of cash). 

I make them clothes because they put holes in everything all the time (whatisthatabout???) and I can use Simon's old t-shirts to make a pair of shorts in 30min.  Because I am lazy. And don't hem kickaround clothes.

Happiness in handknits

I make them because I love the process of making something purposeful. 

But the super sappy reason I do it is because I make them things with love, that I think they will love. And they get to walk around all day kinda covered in that intention and the love. And that makes them happy. And me happy. As usual - it's all about the love. 

Do you make for your kids? Clothes, toys, something else? Why do you do it?

Felicia x

Stuck in the middle

I'm the kind of person that has theories - about most things. Some of them are awesome. Some of them are totally crazy. Often though that isn't apparent which is which. So I have this theory about the middle of a project. I'll let you decide which camp it falls in.

For me the half-way of the project is the part I struggle with. I often get completely stuck. It is the bit where the thing you are making isn't formed enough for you to see whether it has worked, and yet you have already put in so much work in, that the idea that it might not have worked can be demoralising. And make you not want to keep doing it. Or maybe just throw it pins and all into the bin (which I am happy to admit I have done).

So how to move on. I thought I would write a list (who doesn't love a list!) of things to do when you are stuck in the middle. 

 1. Get a friend to push you in either direction. 
Mine do this admirably! The quilt top below has been relegated and it is all thanks to them. I knew it was a bit wrong but just couldn't get my head around the fact I was really bad without their loving help. They mocked me quite a bit. By the way, it is a lot worse than the picture suggests. 

This is the perfect example of when a friend (or 3) can help. Every single one of my mates who saw this went "aahhh yeah. I'm really not sure....". It now resides - perhaps permanently - in a drawer.

2. Put it in a drawer and walk away for .... X months. 

At the moment I'm not sure I will ever pick the grey jumper up again. I might. I might not. The colourwork cardy at the top of the post however only needed a 2 week stay for me to regain my enthusiasm.  

A jumper knitted in 5ply up to the underarms. I have also knitted both sleeves. It has sat in the drawer now for a year.

3. Take a deep breath and keep going. Trust. 

Yikes - so I have realised half way through writing this post that it is all about trust. Who knew!!! This blog is like therapy....

Trust - so you need to trust in the original idea. You need to trust your skills and ability. You need to trust that even if the outcome totally bombs then you will have learned enough lessons that the wasted time and materials add up to something useful. Trust that the finished thing - even though it may not be perfect is good enough! Beautiful in it's own right. Embrace the wabi-sabi?

Here I am choosing to trust. I am not getting stuck on every little decision even though I sooo want it to be perfect. 

My lovely friend Anna has this friend Gina who says* that sometimes the piece you are working on is the piece you need to make, so that you can make the piece you really want to make. Or sometimes you need to make bad art to make good art.

I've been feeling that way a lot over the last year or so, as I have been learning a newish craft to me - quilting. Knitting I already know. When I have an idea - I can pick up my needles and knit it. This is not happening in quilting. In quilting the ideas that are in my head are not what is coming out of my sewing machine. I guess this post is a good reminder to me not to give up. There is meaning in the things I am making. They are taking me to a place where I can make the things I want to make. Mastering the craft so to speak.

Does anyone else ever have this issue? What do you do to get past the middle? Is trust the way forward?

Felicia x

* Completely paraphrasing her second hand advice!

Big hi! to the lovely instagrammers who weighed in on this one. Their suggestions were also to give it to someone else who may love it and also to add "more colour".