Any tips for the crafty but untalented?

[Jill]

I want to do a lot of decorating-type projects for my house for the absolute minimum dollars so for me that means crafts! I know how to do a lot of sewing, paper mache, small stuff like that, and also some limited furniture repair and refinishing. Problem is I don't seem to have the talent to make stuff look really nice. No matter how hard I try to be careful, be neat, follow instructions, get inspiration from pictures, etc., my stuff ends up looking like a third-grader made it. It may be perfectly functional, but it's so ugly it's embarrassing. Like the stuff you always see on the "wooden junk" section of the thrift store shelves. I can't understand why. For those who have a knack for this stuff, how did you get that way? Do you just "know" how to produce something that will look great? Is it experience? Do you have any tips you can share for making crafts to be proud of?

[razz]

Not going to offer much beyond the thought that I had to make a lot of flops in sewing before I started being satisfied with the results. Same in my painting and photography which I learned to frame and enjoy.

Are you demanding too much too soon of yourself?

[Miss Cellane]

Not everyone has the same talents. I can't draw worth beans, or decorate cookies, or do pretty much anything that requires a steady hand. I can't even wrap presents neatly.

On the other hand, I can sew nicely, and crochet. (Once, back in the 1980s, I made a dress from a Laura Ashley pattern. At a party, a very confused woman came up to me. She worked in a Laura Ashley store and recognized the dress pattern, but couldn't place the fabric at all. She was wondering if I'd gotten ahold of the upcoming season's stock early somehow. That's when I knew I was a pretty good sewer.) But I can't knit, no matter how much I practice. I can hang pictures, but I can't saw a straight line. I can assemble flat-pack furniture, but I don't have the tools or experience to make furniture myself.

So I think you need to find your strengths and go with them.

If what you need or want is a window treatment, say, then you look at what you *can* do. If you can hang a curtain rod so that it is level, that's an important skill. But if you can't hem curtains evenly, then you have to get creative and figure out a no-sew frugal way to make curtains. Some people use a sheet. Some people hang rows of beads. One friend of mine has a beach house and her windows are decorated with real fish nets.

The other thing to do is to take some classes. There are some things you can't learn from books. If you really want to refinish furniture, it's worth it to take a class, or at least watch some videos on YouTube. I sometimes watch cooking shows on TV. I've never made a recipe from any of them, but I've learned some good techniques. My SIL is a fantastic cook and I've learned tons of things just watching her in the kitchen. I had to take sewing in 8th grade and I learned a tremendous amount from dear Mrs. Voss, enough to get me started on sewing for myself. But I can't tailor. If I ever get the nerve to sew a suit or a coat, I'm taking a tailoring class first.

[awakenedsoul]

Great post, Miss Cellane. I agree with tapping into your talents. If people are complimenting you, that's a good sign. I've been knitting dishcloths since May. I wanted to really get to the point where I had a solid foundation of technique before trying to knit any clothes. Now I'm in a terrific class, and the teacher has paused a couple of times, gazed at my project and said, "These are beautiful stitches!" She seems surprised. It's a real rush for me, since I would rather learn more slowly and do things correctly than race to the finish line. Everyone has artistic talent in some form. Often it's something that just comes easily or naturally to you. Exposing yourself to great art helps. Listening to classical music, going to museums, the ballet, and shows, spending time in beautiful gardens, etc...
In school I struggled through art class. I always got poor grades and was embarrassed with my work. I just don't have much talent for it. Whatever your craft it takes a lot of practice, patience, and persistence.

[Jill]

Thank you for these great posts. A reality check I needed! I definitely am expecting a lot and trying to get everything done now now now. I will try to slow down and focus on a few priority things. As far as working with strengths, I know I'm ok at sewing clothes so I guess I need to take that skill and try to relate it to some home projects. I'm not sure what I'm good at, so I guess I'll start with the stuff I really enjoy doing, like making over old furniture. And I need to stop looking at those craft magazines. Everything in them is so perfect, with 1-2-3 instructions that make it sound so easy. They're like the fashion magazines that make perfectly healthy, attractive people feel fat and ugly!

[citrine]

Jill....I cannot sow anything! However, I can look at a piece of old furniture and refinish it or know exactly how it will fit in a certain area. I am sure if I practiced hard enough I could sow....but I get frustrated too easily!
On the other hand, painting is awesome....if you don't like the color, you can paint it something else....sanding is a great way to get a distressed look, and you can even Modge Podge fabric/paper to furniture if you cannot paint it. Look at Pinterest....great inspiration and tutorials on redoing furniture and making crafts.

[Float On]

You might find some friends who are crafty and can do the things you want and you could trade services for them. I've done that before (been the one to make the item they couldn't).

[JaneV2.0]

I love the concept part of arty endeavors, but generally not the process. Clearly, I need my own sweatshop. Needless to say, I have lots of ideas but few finished products. The only time I really enjoyed piecing was when I made a quilt to avoid working on a complicated tax return. I need to figure out how to recreate that experience. I agree that expertise comes with repeated flopitude, so perseverance is key.

[redfox]

Yes! Steal other great ideas. I spray painted an ugly, GW, 80's brass chandelier a glossy aqua, following instructions I found at the Apartment Therapy website (my own color choice), and it's wonderful, very playful, & hangs in our bedroom. Cost me under $20. to do, and I would not have thought of that on my own... I steal ideas like this all the time.

[JaneV2.0]

Everybody steals/modifies/incorporates other people's ideas. Artists/makers complain all the time about others ripping off their designs at the same time they're selling knockoffs of someone else's--sometimes they're ancient artists lost to time, but not always. Obviously, doing a line for line copy of someone's work and selling it in competition is arguably unethical, but clothiers do something very much the same every season. I'd be embarrassed to sell something I didn't believe was my own creation, but doing a knockoff--especially from a diy article--and displaying it at home is perfectly OK. IMO, anyway.

[Gardenarian]

Have you tried any of the projects on Instructables (http://www.instructables.com/)? Lots of great ideas with very detailed instructions. I love the comments that tell you other people's experiences with the project.

[Tussiemussies]

I agree look at inspirational things you like and copy them. I do this to a degree and so does my husband who is a stylist and commercial artist... Hope you have some fun with this. Think it is great you can sew your own clothes. And I agree with the poster who said the sewing craft books make the project so easy and they really aren't!

[Jill]

Gardenarian, that looks like a good place to start. I could definitely use tips from people who've done it before. I prefer to learn from other peoples mistakes. Baby steps!

[peggy]

Try stenciling. It will look absolutely fabulous even if you don't have an ounce of skill. And paper is cheap, so you can practice all you want. Instant gratification. And it's something you can put on furniture, fabric, paper, whatever.
A good project to start with is place mats.

[HumboldtGurl]

What great ideas here!

I think that most of us are too hard on ourselves when we critique our own handmade things. Who really has the talents of a Martha Stewart? Who has time? Sheesh! Go with what you enjoying doing or you won't finish anything, and when you're done, be proud of yourself, you've done more than a lot of people would. They'd rather just go buy it somewhere, which I find completely blech! Remember, character counts above all else.