“Failure is a golden opportunity to start again with more knowledge than we had before.”
Have you ever wanted to try something new but refused to give up on yourself? Did you push through it even though you failed several times? Well, that is exactly how I felt about a few embroidery design projects and mastering applique designs using knit fabric. In preparation for Black History Month, I wanted to make a few embroidery designs and rock a piece of my very own handmade garment. I decided to start early so I purchased 2 different designs on Etsy and went to work.
After a few successful applique samples on cotton fabric, I felt confident to try it on a garment and made my first attempt on a sweatshirt. I cut the front bodice piece, centered the design, and did a stitch out. Little did I know I did everything wrong after watching a few videos on YouTube. The first mistake I made was not ironing the knit stabilizer on the actual garment which is a major issue. Because knit stretches, it must be stabilized in order to add an embroidery design. The stabilizer that is recommended is not the same as woven fabric and it MUST be ironed on. I noticed the bobbin thread at the top and couldn’t figure out why.
The design on the left had to be stopped as the lips shifted while the design on the right earrings shifted and I couldn't finish the afro. I knew I needed to ask an expert so I went to the Husqvarna Vikings dealer located in my local Joann store. A few life lessons from this trip allowed me to do a bit of soul searching and reflection.
Sharing 3 LIFE LESSONS:
1. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure allows you to grow and learn even more. Little did I know I would have discovered quite a few features on the Designer Sapphire 85 sewing machine.
I actually went to the dealer and decided to ask the salesperson a few questions about my knit project to see what I was doing wrong. He was such a joy and quickly shared a few tips and decided to sit down and even show me how to use the software and the great features that it offers. I am definitely going to ensure that each month, I visit a dealer and spend at least 30 minutes and ask questions about the project that I would like to tackle. I will ensure that I do my research first by watching a few videos and reading the manual and then go in with my questions and ask for any tips and guidance before starting a new project.
Life Lesson #2: Try, try and try again! The old Marica would have given up on the 2nd try. I actually cut 2 different front bodices and failed. I did not even care if I had to cut it a third or even a fourth time because I truly wanted to master applique designs on an actual knit garment. After failing, I also noticed that the stitch out had a glitch and was missing another stitch to tack down the applique a third time. This made me feel better because it wasn’t really 100% my fault.
Life Lesson #3: Success will boost your confidence! When I finished my first stitch on the knit, I was extremely proud and knew I wanted to keep trying going so I did some pillow. Even though my excitement made me pick the wrong lip color on the orange sweater, I did not give up. When I did the stitch out for the pillow’s red lips, the thread kept on jamming in the bobbin area. I just stopped it, stared at the machine, touched a button or two, and realize I am able to rewind the stitch out to the beginning. I figured out the REWIND and I removed the bad stitches and started again. I was so proud that I did learn yet another feature on the machine.
My goal in 2022 is to learn, grow and share my talent with others. I have been wanting to offer beginner virtual sewing classes but my confidence level was at an all-time low in 2021 not knowing if I would be successful. I am definitely researching different tools that I can use to offer a seamless virtual session as I get asked at least once a week about teaching sewing. I am still working out a schedule, however, due to my hectic family and tutoring commitments, I may have to wait until early March when things slow down to kick it off.
Thanks for all your support and encouragement over the years. I can’t wait to tackle yet another embroidery feature on my Husqvarna Designer Sapphire sewing machine. I am truly proud of the pillows I made and can't wait to rock a few designs on garments during the month of February in celebration of Black History Month.
One Love and have a great week, Marica