How to avoid DIY Epic Fail!

Kristina- I hope you don't mind my obsession with your site. Do you? do you? do you??
It feels creepy being a (blog) stalker.
I did buy her book...



 so maybe I am more of an admiring fan/customer? That is not creepy at all. Actually I would prefer to think of myself as her apprentice-- her "little grasshopper".. (okay- it's getting creepy again.)

I'll stop.

I just really like her blog- it's like she is reading my mind!
I worry about Epic Failure... and what do you know?? She has a blog post about how to avoid that!



visit her blog HERE to glean from her great wisdom

I love that she admits ( and even kept count) that 37 garments have died in her experimentation process. So I have to accept: FAILURE WILL HAPPEN.

It will!

 

I am hoping and optimistic that I'll be able to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them a million times... by keeping a project journal.

 

I paid close attention to step #3.

 

THE BASICS  before you start a project, check to see if you have these basic items on hand.

• Fabric--not optional, sorry...through you're welcome to try. That would be very "The Emperor's New Clothes" of you. (This would be my #5 stockpile. My already bursting closet with clothes that don't fit me.)
• Fabric Scissors--unless you have a talent for rending things with your teeth, invest in a good pair of fabric scissors. (check)
• Dressmaker's Pins--If you pin before sewing, your projects will just look better. I promise. (yup)
• Tape Measure--Use it, use it, use it. (Note: Use it.) (Okay.. I get it! I will find mine. lol)
• Fade-away Marker--convenient for making seam or embellishment placement. The ink fades in 48 hours, but test on a scrap of your fabric first. (Need to get- this sounds wonderful- instead of the sharpie I always seem to find laying around.)
• Black, white and navy thread--Gotta have 'em. These colors will work for most sewing projects. (Good to note which colors to buy.)
• Seam ripper--it's your new best friend. A nifty little tool to help you tear out mistakes (which you're gonna need no matter how awesome you are). (I already have two or three.)

OKAY! and seriously I have to check out the tutorial on adding details to a plain dress. (Click HERE!) It's not rocket science- I know.. by why am I always amazed at her creations?

I was thinking- I wish I had access to HER closet. Everything is so cute! (But age appropriate Cute- not kindergarten cute.) And then I quickly remembered... by the end of the year... MY closet will hold just as adorable clothes. (that's the goal anyway...)

If anything- it will hold A-LOT LESS clothes... because not everything will turn out runway ready.