Intuition v Instruction: Finding the balance in a creative hobby.

Like many of the new generation of home sewists, my formal education on all things stitchy came from Tilly and the buttons book Love at First Stitch. Previous to this I had…well, winged it really. I knew nothing about grainlines, seam allowances and armscyes…

Despite this lack of formal knowledge, I had managed to cobble together plenty of costumes for my children’s school projects; bunting for my daughters room with appliqué letters; and Christmas stockings.

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The resounding winner of all of my makes has to be this Star Wars Jedi robe I made for my son. (Or Harry Potter, depending on the favourite film of the moment!)

The finish isn’t pretty, but it has more than done the job for years and has now been passed on to his sister. To make it I simply laid my sons dressing gown on the floor and cut the fabric loosely based on that shape!

Once I started to try and do things ‘properly’, I became almost preoccupied by perfectionism. I listened to horror stories of how difficult it is to sew button holes, insert invisible zips and sew with stretch.

Each new technique I was about to try I’d second guess myself or even avoid entire projects. In reality, of course these things are not nearly as scary when you take it one step at a time.

I enjoy the comfort of having a set of instructions and a pattern to follow, as I have always been someone who wants to do things ‘the right way.’ If there is something to research, I will research it. Down to the best needles, pins, thread and techniques for my project. I have been known to take weeks to choose the perfect colander. Yes, you read that correctly. A colander needed research!

The beauty of having sewing as a hobby is there is no one ‘right way’. Ask two experts and you’ll likely come away with subtle (or sometimes dramatic) differences in how they prefer to complete a project. This can be equal parts frustrating and liberating, depending on your personality! Ultimately though, it’s up to you to try new techniques and see what works for you.

Now that I am more experienced, I feel that I am finding more of a balance with the creative process. I have more confidence in myself to hack a pattern that I already own to make something that I have imagined; without the fear that it will look like a hack job! Now that I have tried different techniques, I may may even stray from what is recommended in instructions. (Shock!)

What is your creative approach? Do you throw caution to the wind and commit unspeakable sewing sins?