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This is called impostor syndrome! It has a official name and everything and is extremely common. I've also been sewing for years and for me personally the most helpful things are: 1) You're always allowed to walk away from an unfinished project. Don't cut it up, just put it in a box somewhere and leave it! Stopping, taking a break and walking away from a project even if it is for months is perfectly fine. I have so many half-finished projects and i refuse to allow myself to feel guilty about not finishing them. Because sewing is a hobby! And a hobby means just for FUN! and when it's not fun, I don't do it! So if I find myself getting frustrated and annoyed and angry (and rushing things!), I ask myself: "Is this fun?". If it isn't, STOP! I stop until i feel like it again, even if that's 5 years from now. 2) Stick to the cold hard facts. The facts are that your (and my!) wordrobe are full of handmade things. And how did we get those things? From hours and hours of sewing. When we sew we make neural pathways for sewing in our brains, and it's like riding a bike, you can get rusty but if you've been sewing for years it's LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE for you to forget how to sew. Because your brain has made those paths so well travelled that there's no going back now. Another interesting thing is that our brains do need a break for maintenance! Your sewing roads in your brain need to be maintained and reinforced and that means you need to step away from the sewing for a while, to think about something else so you have have a break from the same old roads! So there actually is a neurological reason for needing a break. This frustration, the difficulty you're having, it's purely because your brain needs a chance to process what you've already done and maintain those roads for next time! So don't feel bad, think about how you are going to come back EVEN BETTER next time! (I see this same thing in my two year old daughter, she's learning to talk and learning new words every day and she needs the extra sleep because her brain is so active so she needs extra down time and sleeps more when she's developing neurologically. And then she wakes up the next day and I'm always so amazed how fast her speech is improving! ) 3) Also, burnout is real! Get enough sleep, get outside into nature, eat healthy and look after yourself! Those things can make a world of difference too :)
Came here to say the same thing about impostor syndrome. Seems to affect us women disproportionately (likely because of the rest of our lives having men that feel much more comfortable bragging about themselves) but when it hits, it hits on all roles we have - personally, professionally, etc. Just have to take a deep breath and remind myself that I'M the hardest on myself and apparently I'm so good at "faking" whatever it is, I'm actually good at it.
Agreed. And I do believe it's more common in things that are inherently uncertain. When you're doing scientific research for example, or crafting something new, the outcome is ALWAYS uncertain. But in science as well as in crafting, we only show eachother the successes. We need to remind ourselves of that. That genius professor has had a ton of failures behind the scenes, as has that sewing youtuber, it's what happens when you try something new.
I’ve been trying to unlearn a few bad habits I picked up during the years my kids grew so fast I couldn’t sew fast enough to keep up, changing a bad sewing habit is HARD! I’ve had to start from square one and dedicate myself to relearning good sewing practice! So even an experienced seamstress can have problems over time, it helps to reset and start again.
@@dollhalla4164 I also have this problem! My daughter is 2 and oh my word my sewing is so rushed these days!! I have started preferring hand sewing (for hobby projects) because I don't have to be at the machine and I am forced to be slow and careful with it! But sometimes if something needs to be made than it needs to be made, and rushed it is! But eventually things will calm down and I will have time again :)
I recently made up a “time out box” that lives on the corner my sewing table for THOSE projects. It is extremely therapeutic to aggressively throw things in there and scold them for not behaving.
Sweet Annika!!! You are a talented badass sewist who is very creative! I know it is so so so tired and repeated but comparison really is the root of ickiness and self-hate. In the world of fashion and sewing there are tens of ways to complete any given technique because SEWING is such a universal necessary craft that has been taught around the world every way imaginable. Going to a fashion school doesn’t make anyone better than anyone else. Home sewers are valid. Learn as you go! Experiment! Try new things! To make sewing this “exclusive” thing by shaming people that don’t have formal sewing education is gross and anyone doing that is Very Unfashionable 😤
One of the hardest things I had to learn as a hobby sewer. Learn to walk away. When it's 2 AM and you are on your 3rd wind and you totally could start that complicated bodice. Walk away. When you have sewn yourself in a corner and everything is ruined. Walk away. Walk away, have a cup of tea, don't look at the project again for a few hours/a few days. And then come back to it. I still fail to do it, but I am getting better at it.
Me, the professional archaeology tech who’s been doing this for nearly a decade, lost my freakin’ glasses this week in the middle of the woods. I can find a piece of glass the size of your thumbnail on the forest floor or sort through a pile of rocks and pick out every flake but I lost my glasses. In the woods. I say this to prove we all have those days, weeks, months, years where we just go “welp, guess I’m no good at this! I should just give it up!” But failure isn’t the end, it’s part of the journey.
Sanith K Nambiar are you in the US? Every country is really different, and I’m in the US. But generally it’s a small field so a well-respected university and lots of networking goes a really long way. Your specialty can also be very important. Finding one with a bit of a niche can make you a necessary expert to many people. If you’re in the US and want to work in the US, I can be more specific, but every country is really different.
I mean, but when you find that flake or shard of glass, I'm guessing you have your glasses. I can't find my own glasses on my nightstand without my glasses sometimes. I can't see my glasses without my glasses. Basically I'm blind. 😂
Alex Reith that was kind of the predicament I found myself in in the woods. Not only that, but my old glasses had clear frames and I was in heavy brush with only about 1.5m visibility in any direction.
Okay but did you ever find them? Also I use my phone's camera to find my glasses because I can see up close and the camera brings everything close enough to see but yikes losing clear frames guess that's a reason as to why I should avoid those
“All my seams are trash and all my clothes are just fabric glue sticked to my body.” But no. I have a talent and I’ve made some wonderful pieces and so have all of you.
LMAO!!!!! OMG....fabric glue....all too many of my projects also have been solely made with fabric glue.....but, sometimes I DON'T feel like hand sewing or I just DON'T feel like clearing the jam in my sewing machine.
I think you have really hit the nail on the head for most creative people. This is how it’s been for me my whole life. You just need to remember to go easy on yourself, remind yourself about the things you do love with your job, and don’t be afraid to try new things or new projects. You’ve got this, and you won’t feel like this forever. I think you’re amazing, and I have sewn for 20+ years and still feel beginner 🤣
I feel the exact same way every time I start one of my acrylic paintings. It always starts with meaningless color blobs and I'm left thinking "well I don't know what I'm doing, I can't paint!" Usually I have to walk away I get so frustrated. And then after my break and several hours of painting it starts to look like something and I go "oh ... maybe." My paintings usually turn out well, but I only see my old paintings in their finished state which makes me forget that they also started as meaningless color blobs. You articulated something that's so deeply linked with the creative process. Thanks so much for sharing so that we all feel a little less alone :)
Dear Annika, A few years ago, just when you started your channel, I stumbled on your how to make a dress (the one with the teapot print on it) and it inspired me to learn how to sew :). Shortly after discovering that video, I dropped out of high school and had no idea what to do with my life anymore. I then got an opportunity to do a small internship in a studio and from there I landed onto my current apprenticeship as a tailor! I also struggle allot with sewing and I often had days, where I was stuck on the SAME seam because it was just so hard but in the end, I'm amazed by the craft, and I learn something new every single day and get a little better every time I sew something. You are an inspiration and I love your content just sooo much, thank you for sharing.
Yesss. Yess. Yes. I've been sewing for years. I went to college to learn sewing, design, art. Spent two years there. I'm skilled. Like really skilled. But I have months like this! I feel like lockdown definitly added to this. I've been designing a collection but have put off doing the final illustrations for months because I've convinced myself that I don't know how to draw anymore! I've actually had to start an online drawing course to get my confidence back. But yesterday I just said why not try who cares if I mess it up, I don't need to show anyone. And I did it. Its not the highest quality but guess what. It wasn't impossible!! Its so easy to get yourself in that mindset and so difficult to get out of it!!
ive recently bought an overlocker n a upgrade for my sewing machine and while I'm waiting for that to deliver I've convinced myself I'm actually rubbish at sewing and should not invest in it. But I am good! And I am good mainly because of you and your videos as i genuinely would not know how to sew without you! So thank you, and thank you for putting something so honest out here :)
This is so important. As a beginner casual sewer, this happens to me frequently. I've only completed a handful of projects and it is soooo easy to think it's all a fluke. Thank you Annika!
Thank your for posting this. I haven't machine sewed in months and I'm feeling nervous to start proper projects again. To practice and get back into the swing of things I've been making little hammocks for my rats. It doesn't matter if they're good or not because they'll get destroyer anyway. It's very motivating.
If you're feeling like this, I would highly recommend listening to or reading the books "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" or "The Imposter Cure" both books cover feelings of being a fraud, or not being good enough, and help you reassess your priorities. They're normal feelings that everyone experiences, and you just need to shift your perspective
This video is so important. I feel like that so many times and it's not only on social media where you don't usually see this but also in real life. Everything we say to people is always filtered. We filter our own thoughts and leave out the parts that we don't feel comfortable saying or that we feel are not relevant to the conversation. Which is just natural and how communication and interacting with people works. But too often we forget that other people filter their thoughts, too, just like we do. And I think it's important to remember that. But also: nobody will ever understand you fully and grasp all the aspects of your soul like you can. Which is also natural. Relationships should be based on harmony and cooperating and liking each other. I feel like so many people think, when they have a partner or "soulmate" they are supposed to fuse somehow. To stop being individuals. And this is so wrong and probably leads to them separating further. Anyway, what I wanted to say, is that we all want to be happy and to be loved and we should start by befriending ourselves and to be gratefull that in all this confusion and with nobody really knowing what they are doing, we have ourselves. Our mind and our body are made of fricking atoms interacting with each other that somehow managed to create a conscience. This all is such a miracle and THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANNIKA, for reminding me.
One of the reasons I really enjoy your videos is the way you often document your mistakes and frustrations. Maybe you edit a lot of it out, but you still leave enough in that when I mess up sewing I can assure myself that more practiced sewers like yourself still struggle sometimes. It's not just me. I've also been feeling this way about sewing for a couple weeks and haven't had as clear language to describe it as this video had, so this helped a lot. I'm about to spend my Saturday sewing and this was a great way to preface it in case I hit these same thought ruts. Thanks for being real and vulnerable! I appreciate you!
Annika, thank you for this video. I've been on a downward spiral lately with all the things I had to do and didn't have the energy to do, I really needed something like this. 🖤
That's how I feel about finding work in my field. And about sewing sometimes too when I'm in full "can't find work because I'm a fraud and I have no real skills to do that work" mode. It's hard reminding yourself that it is not true. Your skills are real, you can in fact do the thing you claim you can do. I struggle with it so bad.
As someone that's had their most intense sewing week since they started, doing something bad is how you get good, and you've helped me so much over the years. Enjoy your break!
I am very much feeling this! I've been trying to sew a quilt for the first time and I have everything prepped to just sew my blocks together. It's just a straight stitch and I keep messing this one block up and having to seam rip. I put away my sewing machine for the last month because I feel like I lost the small bit of talent I had for sewing. It's been similar with other crafts that I do as well. I've taken a break and listened to audiobooks (my local library has them available to check out online, but the selection is sparse), chores, a lot of video streaming, and video games. Sometimes we need to take a break to recharge, but we shouldn't let that break go on for too long. I've let myself linger long enough and will get back into the saddle. This video is exactly what I needed to hear. So, thank you Annika for the relatable and motivational content.
I was just feeling this way about my painting and drawing, that I had lost my talent or something. Thanks for the reminder that not everything we make will be great. ♥️
I really needed this video right now, I've been going through a really down time with my depression lately and just starting to come out the other end. This video definitely does not suck and I am so glad you posted it
Hi Annika, when I was younger I was a self taught seamstress and I learnt a lot from your videos. A few years ago I started sewing as a job for a fashion brand and learnt how to sew "by the book" Just because people learn how to sew in a certain way at school, does not mean that all other ways are wrong. Your ways work for you! The clothing looks good and are wearable in the end, no matter how much you have struggled or unpicked. The clothing you make is wearable for you and don't let other people convince you that you can't sew or that you're doing it wrong (and of course, don't let yourself tell you that either). I think it is awesome that you have taught yourself how to sew and are using your skills to help others. And now you're even using it to donate to charities. I think you are awesome and I am always excited to watch your videos!
I don't hate anything I made, but the sheer number of projects that I always have ongoing at the same time makes it very easy to put stuff in a box and forget about it. I used to feel really bad about it (wasted money etc etc) but have accepted that it's the way I work and I DO finish things. Spent two weeks making a dress a while ago and still have to hand sew the cuffs and some buttons as a finishing touch, but here I am folding another bunch of origami flowers for project Bedroom Lamp that started and paused at least six months ago, oh well.
Omg big mood I always have about 5 different creative projects on the go, and if I'm not spending enough time on one, I feel really guilty for the money I put into it! But you're right, I just have to accept that that is the way I operate and I know I'll come around to finish them all in time!
@@AnnikaVictoria24 Sometimes knitting is fun, sometimes it's just repeatedly threading one loop through another. I think most of us do these things because we enjoy it and there's no point in feeling guilty about it if it seems like a chore. I'm guessing for you it's more like a job sometimes but I think doing things like this video and turning those frustrations into something new is a good approach! Maybe you can braid your cut up fabrics into a little rug to stomp on from time to time? Thanks for replying, it's good to know I'm not the only project stasher! :D
I've definitely had experiences like this, Annika, and here's the thing I've learned: The more frustrated and discouraged you get while working on a project, the harder it becomes to succeed on it. You actually NEED that break and mental/emotional reset in order to make any successful headway. Not just because it's good for you (although yes, also because of that), but because the exasperation and self-doubt caused by repeated setbacks or failures will actively prevent you from making positive progress. It's a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle, and the only way to interrupt it is by stepping back, giving yourself permission not to work on (or think about) it for a while, and engage in some self-care to make yourself feel better. Otherwise, you end up spiraling into despair and taking scissors to your project. That little voice that keeps telling you, "You can't stop now, it doesn't matter how long you've been at this and how much your back hurts, you should've finished this hours ago! Just get it done!"? Ignore her. She's part of the problem. Take a breather, come back fresh in a day or three, and you'll find yourself much more able to troubleshoot issues and make progress and -- just as importantly -- enjoy the process.
Mmm, I just watched a video yesterday on Imposter Syndrome from UA-camr Jessica Kellgren Fozard (probably got name wrong). She mainly focussed on disabilities. But I can see how it relates to sewing and you gave good advice. I have a UFO that should have taken a week but I keep getting stuck with it. I was feeling guilty for not finishing it in months, but actually when I get too frustrated I put it down for a while, do something else, but I keep picking it back up. I think that is the whole point isn't it? Picking it back up later and doing that over and over, means I am still progressing, I am still sewing. First time you have popped up on my recommended, Hello! 👋. I liked the video style, may watch again.
The curse of a creative, and no matter success, it's so easy to feel like an impostor... It's funny because I consider you an inspiration when it comes to learning and fixing; you constantly show us if you go wrong in your projects and how you fixed it. That's one of my favorite parts of your videos. You show us when you struggle, when you get frustrated, when you need to take a break and walk away... we all have to do that and I don't think you belittle or hide that process which is wonderful. This video is another evidence of that and we need it, too. Thanks for your videos, lady.
I started making a point of sharing mess-ups on my Instagram page ... usually also with a note of “this is how I fixed it” or a “oh well, it’s there now!” Thank you for sharing, I think it’s important to share when something doesn’t work the way we want it to.
That tip of stopping when you're frustrated is golden. I do this for a while now, because sometimes I think that I'm doing something on the right way and then when I leave it be for a couple of days, I go back and see that I was doing wrong, or that was a better solution for what I was doing. Going back when your mind is clearer is the best thing you can do
Cathy Hay is an Angel we don’t deserve on costube if you need motivational stuff around sewing. She has many words of wisdom and affirmation when you are in a pickle. Keep working Annika and congrats on getting an editor to lighten the load
This video was great! It’s completely normal to not always be satisfied with yourself. The only thing that is important is to give it your best and if it doesn’t work out, don’t agonize over it. Loving what you do and being happy with your work is way more important than constantly producing stuff under the influence of negative emotions!
Seriously. That's the only reason I got my paper pieced Christmas tree finished. It was kicking my butt. And quilting it took forever. Then I realized I pieced a PAPER PIECED ITEM and tried to QUILT it with a HEAVY DUTY NEEDLE. Im surprised I still have hair left. But I put it down and kept coming back. And now, I have a cleaner work room, and can make a fresh start on the next project. Keep at it Annika. You'll get through your "heavy duty needle" issue and move forward!!
Annika, I just wanted to say that you were one of those creative people on the internet that made me stick to sewing for all those years. I've been struggling with depression, which makes one feel like one is worthless, but sewing has somehow always been my respite from this spiral of self-damage. It has been my safe place and also allowed me to dress amazingly at the fraction of the store prices. And it's all (in part) thanks to you! You literally change other people's lives for the better because of what you do! You are amazing.
Some of us DO want to listen what you have to say! It feels so good to hear successful people talking about their failures (or at least when the result is not up to their expectations). I am currently in imposter syndrome full force and your video made my day a little bit better! Thank you for your work! 🤗
Thanks Annika. This is such an important thing for creative people to keep in mind when making things. We are human, we don't always get it right the first time and that is completely okay. You rock! Many hugs
Annika thank you so much for this. I'm crying. I don't normally leave comments, but I just had to tell you that I am saving this and will be looking at it. I get so afraid of everything I like to do that I can't do anything. I sit around and compare myself to successful people until I'm drowning in self pity. I want so badly to love what I do and feel pride in my work but sometimes I just can't. Thank you for this, you are a treasure.
I always try to remember why I sew. Because it’s fun. I enjoy it. When I’m not having fun, not enjoying it, it’s time to step away and try another way. Thank you for sharing your ramblings. We all need to know this is normal. This is part of the process.
I compare myself to my past self.. and then have to remind myself that I have cancer now. I'm going through treatment with serious side effects. Of COURSE I can't do what I used to be able to. It's still hard, especially since society treats you like you're garbage if you aren't "productive" enough... but I try to celebrate little victories like getting my laundry done.
Honestly, I'm struggling a lot with my motivation for uni now and the things I "failed" at are so much bigger in my mind than the things that worked. I tend to get lost in the bigger picture and that makes it so hard to take these small steps that are ahead of me which just makes me more stressed and more paralyzed. Social media is not really a factor for me but I tend to compare myself a lot to other's when I'm in that bad headspace and just feel stupid or like I can't achieve the things others can. I feel like the message of your video is pretty universal and it applies to many different contexts. I know that I'm supposed to be kinder to myself but it helps to hear it, so thank you for talking about these things. :)
I feel this in my soul. Not sewing related. But as a first-time mum with a 10 week old it took me 8 weeks to stop YouTubing newborn routines and days in the life with a newborn. Because I was driving myself mad because all these women had showered, eaten and have a full face of make-up by 8 a.m with their beautiful settled baby and here I was with the screaming newborn still in my pj's not showered for 3 days and to anxious to eat. it took me that long to realise they edit all that bad stuff out and don't talk about it. Just be confident in yourself and what you're doing and it will be ok ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for making this video you are amazing and we love you ❤️
THIS! I've been working on my first freelance job making a game for a company with some friends and it's been the absolute worst. Everything that could've gone wrong has and this is exactly what I needed to hear right now so thank you, Annika, for this!
I love this! I am a beginner at sewing and I hate picking out stitches with a burning rage. just recently had to on a project I made and realized it's much easier to pick stitches if I count how many I've picked out and then stop at ten or twenty to have a snack and not focus on it for a bit. in general I need to remember it's best to take breaks from projects.
Thank you for this. I’ve spent the entire day feeling bad for myself because I got hurt trying to work out and have been in pain on top of other monthly pains, but this video made me feel better. I like now having a plan for when I feel like a failure that I know someone else is also doing. Solidarity. It’s a beautiful thing.
For what it’s worth.. me and my dad just started sewing together! I showed him one of your videos and we both love how genuine you are! We have been making little purses and bags based on one of your videos! I look forward to seeing your videos and I rewatch them all the time! Thank you for showing this side because I know I feel the same way a lot of the time! Thank you!!
Before the pandemic I was kind of over sewing, I didn’t want to make anything anymore. I’ve So stoped sewing now for over 4 months. (which is the longest I’ve stoped since I started 4 years ago) I really wanted to redo my room and got into interior decorating, and I’ve been focused on that for about the past 3 months. But it’s been a while since I’ve sewed anything and I really want to start again. So if you’re feeling this way Annika is right do something else and when the time is right to you’ll want to start sewing again you’ll feel it.
Thank you so much for this video !! I havent much sewist in my IRL surrounding so its good to hear that this "bad sewing day" happens to other people too
Having to rip up the same seam multiple times over oof I felt that. I'm glad to know that a pro such as yourself makes the same mistakes that I did on my 2nd ever sewing project (dog onesie). I finally finished it but it's a hot mess so it has been demoted to "trial run" and I'll get some nicer fabric than the old t-shirts I was using to make the final version. Considering the ones I was gonna buy are $30-60 +shipping, I think I can splurge a few bucks for fabric haha
Your discourse and experiences are so important because only disabled people know that comfort is a necessity. That's why we're so good at pacing the efforts on anything... but ourselves ofc, because imposter syndrome and stuff. But the thing is we learnt to understand or own functionality better than most of the people we personally know.
Please Annika, never doubt yourself like this. You're a wonderful person with so much personality and creativity. A total babe with a mobility aid! Stay awesome cos we all love you! Sometimes we all need to take a step back from life and breathe. Sometimes I convince myself that my chronic pain isn't real, that I'm just normal people kind of tired and just being dramatic. I need to give myself a mental break then I might have the spoons to physically feel better.
Hahaha omg that hits hard!! I always convince myself of that too, that I'm just somehow weak and making everything dramatic. (Then luci will like, have a mild headache and become incapable of doing anything and I'm like... Oh no I'm strong af lol)
I get that feeling _constantly_ regardless of which project I'm doing. Sort of a dry spell in crafting, like artists block where nothing goes the way you'd like. It's important to try and ground yourself when this happens, trying a different angle and approach, taking breaks, etc.
Every project is a learning process for me and sometimes something I've done loads of times just ends up crashing and burning and I just want to....!!!! Yea, we've all been there. ^^;
The Fluke is a big one, and the “past me was better”. Also, any praise I get is from people who don’t know enough about design to realize I suck. I’m saving this for the next time I’m overwhelmed by design work and panicking.
Oh honey, I hear you! The sheer frustration of a sewing day (or days, or weeks) gone bad can get in your head. Indeed, I always go back to a project that I know I can pull off simply to get my confidence back.
Thank You! I have felt so unmotivated and I wanted to start a new crochet project and no pattern I started worked so I went back to putting my granny square blanket together. It is really so very helpful to be reminded that the internet is curated and that everyone has bad days. Thank you!
You are such a beautiful person inside and out. This mental back and forth is exactly what I feel more often than I care to admit. I truly appreciate you putting yourself out there with honesty and humor! Thank you for everything you are!
I'm kinda glad you did this video because I largely prefer when you show your fails! I liked so much your early video where it was a challenge, and it was complicated, there was a huge amount of fail, but the succed project where so much more enthusiastic than now!
This. So much. This sums it up so perfectly and is exactly what I need to tell myself sometimes. Thank you for talking opening about it, I think it's really really important and not many people do it ♥️
This is so validating omg I've been trying to sew recently and it's always been hard to use non-stretch because my chest is wider. I even made a mockup out of muslin and it fit fine, but I transferred it to the proper fabric and all of a sudden my chest is suffocating. Everytime I see people do thrift flips they make it look so easy and claim that theyve barely ever sewn before! And whether jts easy because they have a smaller chest than me or because they used a stretch material or simply because they know what theyre doing, it just makes me so frustrated and confused that Ive been doing this for a while and cant manage to do as well as someone new. But thanks for this video! Its really encouraging.
For some reason it never passed my mind that sowers get artist’s block. It make sense! So if you need help with stuff look up tips to get through it. Taking a break and spreading your horizons are big helps
thank you thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU for posting this. it's SO HARD to remember that social media is not real life and i catch myself comparing myself to other artists with seemingly more skill, more followers, more everything than me all the time even though i KNOW! BETTER! love love love this video. seriously.
Me at least one day every week all through fashion school.... You are my biggest sewing insperation. You inspire me to continue creating things. You inspire me to continue wanting to create!
Thank you Annika! I needed to hear this message today from somebody I admire and find inspiring. Helps people keep going when we know we are not alone....feeling THIS way about pretty much anything. Thank you!
So true that most UA-cam is only showing the good bits. I learn more from my mistakes than I ever do from the projects that go well. Walking away from your sewing when things are not working is very good advice. Sometimes, you just have to play Simms for the afternoon 😊
I feel this so hard 😭 This was the reminder and motivation I needed to know that I am capable even if I have a bad day or mess something up 😅 Thank you for your words and please be kind to yourself ❤ we all need kindness in this word, from ourselves more than anything ❤
Thanks! This is so true, its happened to all of us so many times, and dont take it the wrong way but its refreshing to see someone as good as you makes these same mistakes! Its a good thing! It means there is room for improvement!
Thanks for sharing your experience. I don’t sew but I come here when I am feeling uninspired writing or a cooking experiment fails. So thank you for sharing your failures. Makes us all feel human.
I can so relate! I'm a photographer and have to deal with imposter syndrome every single week. And I don't know a single creative who doesn't. It sucks and I don't have any answers, but I can 100% relate
Annika, thanks for always being so real and for adressing this topic. I think all of us need to hear this! Your channel is so wholesome and nice, I just love it!
I've always been a firm believer in the "put it away and try again later" method. Whether its craft projects, video games, or writing, if the thing you're doing is causing you pain rather than joy, put it aside for now and focus on something else for a while. If you feel compelled to, go back and try that project again, but only if you really want to and you feel reinspired by it. We're only human, we all have bad days, and even the most accomplished people struggle to get things right. More often than we think actually. Thanks for making this video, Annika, and being honest about your feelings. You are an amazing sewer, no matter how many times you unpick that stitch! Here's hoping you'll have more successful projects in the future! Rooting for you all the way! 💖
This pandemic has totally exacerbated the imposter syndrome as well! We’re faced with danger, we can’t fight or flight so we just have to sit....perpetually exhausted even if we’re not constantly panicking. It’s not exactly the safe space we need to explore creatively. Thanks for making the video, I’ve totally lost my sewjo recently and it makes it so much more tolerable to know that creators I look up to are feeling it as well (sorry for the schadenfreude) sending love from Israel ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
i’m so glad that you’re sharing this because i have so much trouble sewing! and i have to keep telling myself that it’s ok to mess up and improve! sewing is hard!
One of my favorite videos of all time on your channel was the Video where you showed all of your sewing projects that were successful and the fail. Because it showed me that you can’t always succeed
This is one of the reasons why I enjoy watching Chef John's channel 'Foodwishes' he posts the failed recipes / steps as well. He doesn't take himself too seriously.
I know you didn't want to post this video, but I appreciate it. My chronic illnesses have been taking over my life the last 5 years. I had to stop working last year. And I keep thinking if how much I was able to do in the past. I have so many plans on what to do, but some days I just manage to shower, get dressed, and fix my family some food before collapsing again. And I miss the old me!
I think it is important for person's to admit defeats or setbacks and in the UA-cam arena it is pretty easy to curate the content to seem idealized. Thank you as a consumer for admitting things don't always go as planned the first time. Even mistakes can befodder for learning
I'm so glad you post failures as well as successes! I remember my first big failure: I had spent nearly 100$ on materials for a dress only for it to be a complete disaster. I was so distraught for weeks thinking about all that wasted time and money. These days I learn to be sad for the rest of the day, and then move on. You learn from your failures, and can always reuse the fabric for mock-ups/other projects.
You’re hilarious! I’m a beginning sewist (at age 56) and made 3 great things and 5 disasters. But I’ve learned after screaming and flinging my disaster across the room that it’s part of the process; I’m learning and sewing is learning for a lifetime. It’s a great comfort that I’m not the only one who feels shitty after a sewing project sometimes. Thanks for your creative approach.
Oh God! I can relate sooooooo much, recently I’ve been feeling just like that but with crochet, I have a very small store for crochet items and it has been so hard to feel inspired to work on projects when I see the amazing work of other crocheters, I literally when back to the psychologist cause I got so sick and upset with my work, but she is helping me feel better again... it’s been hard.
YES! Please post things that went wrong. These videos are a) teaching us, and we learn from mistakes too. And we all have a few ... b) it entertaining - believe me, perfection gets really boring really soon. Also can get us, viewers feel 'un-worthy'.
Hey I’m Mike, the Editor/co-creator of this video.
We’re experimenting with different styles of videos at the moment so If you want to see more videos like this we would love to hear about it in the comments.
Both of us really enjoyed making it and we would love to make more editorial videos like this.
If you enjoyed the skit at the start of the video check out my channel by clicking my icon, I I’ve started making 30 second skits while in self quarantine, they're not great but if you enjoy them please subscribe, comment, like ect. If you hate my videos, you should subscribe anyway so you can tell me how much I suck whenever I upload.
I will be working on all of Annika's videos for the foreseeable future, so if you want to help support us join up at Annika’s Patreon. With the extra support I'll be able to work more hours on Annika's videos, and it'll give us the ability to make more ambitious and creative videos.
Thanks, Mike!
😚👉 www.patreon.com/annikavictoria 👈😎
You are very talented Mike and a good addition to Annika's projects! I'm looking for the new video coming up next 😊
I quite liked it!
@@alessandram.2461 Thanks! I've started working on the next video and I can't wait for you all to see it.
This video is wonderful. Great editing that advances the content at a great pace.
This is called impostor syndrome! It has a official name and everything and is extremely common. I've also been sewing for years and for me personally the most helpful things are:
1) You're always allowed to walk away from an unfinished project. Don't cut it up, just put it in a box somewhere and leave it! Stopping, taking a break and walking away from a project even if it is for months is perfectly fine. I have so many half-finished projects and i refuse to allow myself to feel guilty about not finishing them. Because sewing is a hobby! And a hobby means just for FUN! and when it's not fun, I don't do it! So if I find myself getting frustrated and annoyed and angry (and rushing things!), I ask myself: "Is this fun?". If it isn't, STOP! I stop until i feel like it again, even if that's 5 years from now.
2) Stick to the cold hard facts. The facts are that your (and my!) wordrobe are full of handmade things. And how did we get those things? From hours and hours of sewing. When we sew we make neural pathways for sewing in our brains, and it's like riding a bike, you can get rusty but if you've been sewing for years it's LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE for you to forget how to sew. Because your brain has made those paths so well travelled that there's no going back now. Another interesting thing is that our brains do need a break for maintenance! Your sewing roads in your brain need to be maintained and reinforced and that means you need to step away from the sewing for a while, to think about something else so you have have a break from the same old roads! So there actually is a neurological reason for needing a break. This frustration, the difficulty you're having, it's purely because your brain needs a chance to process what you've already done and maintain those roads for next time! So don't feel bad, think about how you are going to come back EVEN BETTER next time!
(I see this same thing in my two year old daughter, she's learning to talk and learning new words every day and she needs the extra sleep because her brain is so active so she needs extra down time and sleeps more when she's developing neurologically. And then she wakes up the next day and I'm always so amazed how fast her speech is improving! )
3) Also, burnout is real! Get enough sleep, get outside into nature, eat healthy and look after yourself! Those things can make a world of difference too :)
Came here to say the same thing about impostor syndrome. Seems to affect us women disproportionately (likely because of the rest of our lives having men that feel much more comfortable bragging about themselves) but when it hits, it hits on all roles we have - personally, professionally, etc. Just have to take a deep breath and remind myself that I'M the hardest on myself and apparently I'm so good at "faking" whatever it is, I'm actually good at it.
Agreed. And I do believe it's more common in things that are inherently uncertain. When you're doing scientific research for example, or crafting something new, the outcome is ALWAYS uncertain. But in science as well as in crafting, we only show eachother the successes. We need to remind ourselves of that. That genius professor has had a ton of failures behind the scenes, as has that sewing youtuber, it's what happens when you try something new.
💌
I’ve been trying to unlearn a few bad habits I picked up during the years my kids grew so fast I couldn’t sew fast enough to keep up, changing a bad sewing habit is HARD! I’ve had to start from square one and dedicate myself to relearning good sewing practice! So even an experienced seamstress can have problems over time, it helps to reset and start again.
@@dollhalla4164 I also have this problem! My daughter is 2 and oh my word my sewing is so rushed these days!! I have started preferring hand sewing (for hobby projects) because I don't have to be at the machine and I am forced to be slow and careful with it! But sometimes if something needs to be made than it needs to be made, and rushed it is! But eventually things will calm down and I will have time again :)
I recently made up a “time out box” that lives on the corner my sewing table for THOSE projects. It is extremely therapeutic to aggressively throw things in there and scold them for not behaving.
I'm going to steal this!
I do a version of this with my D&D dice, I made a little dice jail for when they roll terrible too many times.
BRILLIANT! I’m gonna steal this idea too. Thank you for creating a solution for us all!
I love this idea!
This is a great idea!
Best Idea Ever... Off to look for a box now. Thanks!
Sweet Annika!!! You are a talented badass sewist who is very creative! I know it is so so so tired and repeated but comparison really is the root of ickiness and self-hate. In the world of fashion and sewing there are tens of ways to complete any given technique because SEWING is such a universal necessary craft that has been taught around the world every way imaginable. Going to a fashion school doesn’t make anyone better than anyone else. Home sewers are valid. Learn as you go! Experiment! Try new things! To make sewing this “exclusive” thing by shaming people that don’t have formal sewing education is gross and anyone doing that is Very Unfashionable 😤
"Comparison is the thief of joy" is a motto they use on The Running Channel and I find it really helpful. Hope you're ok Annika 💜
They also say that in the polyamorous community 😂😋🥰
@@silverbracelet6 As a married monogamous person I bow to your knowledge! 😉😊
@@KatieM786 hahaha you're welcome 😆
I turned a dress I was making into stuffing for a tailor's ham 🤷♀️. It happens 😂
Emily Hunt I’m laughing so hard right now🤣🤣🤣
Lol
One of the hardest things I had to learn as a hobby sewer. Learn to walk away. When it's 2 AM and you are on your 3rd wind and you totally could start that complicated bodice. Walk away. When you have sewn yourself in a corner and everything is ruined. Walk away.
Walk away, have a cup of tea, don't look at the project again for a few hours/a few days. And then come back to it.
I still fail to do it, but I am getting better at it.
I completely agree, this applies to most creative endeavours never hurts to just take some time and walk away :)
Yes! Get some rest and let your brain absorb and process and you’ll be refreshed coming back to it later
Facts
This is so true. 💗
I’ve heard the no buttonholes after 10pm rule. Sometimes sleeping on it fixes this or they just seem a lot less hopeless
Me, the professional archaeology tech who’s been doing this for nearly a decade, lost my freakin’ glasses this week in the middle of the woods. I can find a piece of glass the size of your thumbnail on the forest floor or sort through a pile of rocks and pick out every flake but I lost my glasses. In the woods. I say this to prove we all have those days, weeks, months, years where we just go “welp, guess I’m no good at this! I should just give it up!” But failure isn’t the end, it’s part of the journey.
Hey, I know this is unrelated to the video, but as someone who really wants to become an archaeologist, do you have any tips?
Sanith K Nambiar are you in the US? Every country is really different, and I’m in the US. But generally it’s a small field so a well-respected university and lots of networking goes a really long way. Your specialty can also be very important. Finding one with a bit of a niche can make you a necessary expert to many people. If you’re in the US and want to work in the US, I can be more specific, but every country is really different.
I mean, but when you find that flake or shard of glass, I'm guessing you have your glasses. I can't find my own glasses on my nightstand without my glasses sometimes. I can't see my glasses without my glasses. Basically I'm blind. 😂
Alex Reith that was kind of the predicament I found myself in in the woods. Not only that, but my old glasses had clear frames and I was in heavy brush with only about 1.5m visibility in any direction.
Okay but did you ever find them? Also I use my phone's camera to find my glasses because I can see up close and the camera brings everything close enough to see but yikes losing clear frames guess that's a reason as to why I should avoid those
“All my seams are trash and all my clothes are just fabric glue sticked to my body.” But no. I have a talent and I’ve made some wonderful pieces and so have all of you.
LMAO!!!!! OMG....fabric glue....all too many of my projects also have been solely made with fabric glue.....but, sometimes I DON'T feel like hand sewing or I just DON'T feel like clearing the jam in my sewing machine.
I think you have really hit the nail on the head for most creative people. This is how it’s been for me my whole life. You just need to remember to go easy on yourself, remind yourself about the things you do love with your job, and don’t be afraid to try new things or new projects. You’ve got this, and you won’t feel like this forever. I think you’re amazing, and I have sewn for 20+ years and still feel beginner 🤣
I feel the exact same way every time I start one of my acrylic paintings. It always starts with meaningless color blobs and I'm left thinking "well I don't know what I'm doing, I can't paint!" Usually I have to walk away I get so frustrated. And then after my break and several hours of painting it starts to look like something and I go "oh ... maybe." My paintings usually turn out well, but I only see my old paintings in their finished state which makes me forget that they also started as meaningless color blobs.
You articulated something that's so deeply linked with the creative process. Thanks so much for sharing so that we all feel a little less alone :)
Dear Annika,
A few years ago, just when you started your channel, I stumbled on your how to make a dress (the one with the teapot print on it) and it inspired me to learn how to sew :). Shortly after discovering that video, I dropped out of high school and had no idea what to do with my life anymore. I then got an opportunity to do a small internship in a studio and from there I landed onto my current apprenticeship as a tailor! I also struggle allot with sewing and I often had days, where I was stuck on the SAME seam because it was just so hard but in the end, I'm amazed by the craft, and I learn something new every single day and get a little better every time I sew something. You are an inspiration and I love your content just sooo much, thank you for sharing.
Yesss. Yess. Yes.
I've been sewing for years. I went to college to learn sewing, design, art. Spent two years there. I'm skilled. Like really skilled.
But I have months like this! I feel like lockdown definitly added to this. I've been designing a collection but have put off doing the final illustrations for months because I've convinced myself that I don't know how to draw anymore! I've actually had to start an online drawing course to get my confidence back.
But yesterday I just said why not try who cares if I mess it up, I don't need to show anyone. And I did it. Its not the highest quality but guess what. It wasn't impossible!!
Its so easy to get yourself in that mindset and so difficult to get out of it!!
ive recently bought an overlocker n a upgrade for my sewing machine and while I'm waiting for that to deliver I've convinced myself I'm actually rubbish at sewing and should not invest in it. But I am good! And I am good mainly because of you and your videos as i genuinely would not know how to sew without you! So thank you, and thank you for putting something so honest out here :)
This is so important. As a beginner casual sewer, this happens to me frequently. I've only completed a handful of projects and it is soooo easy to think it's all a fluke. Thank you Annika!
Thank your for posting this.
I haven't machine sewed in months and I'm feeling nervous to start proper projects again. To practice and get back into the swing of things I've been making little hammocks for my rats. It doesn't matter if they're good or not because they'll get destroyer anyway. It's very motivating.
Rat hammocks!!!!! 😍😍😍😍
If you're feeling like this, I would highly recommend listening to or reading the books "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" or "The Imposter Cure" both books cover feelings of being a fraud, or not being good enough, and help you reassess your priorities. They're normal feelings that everyone experiences, and you just need to shift your perspective
This video is so important. I feel like that so many times and it's not only on social media where you don't usually see this but also in real life. Everything we say to people is always filtered. We filter our own thoughts and leave out the parts that we don't feel comfortable saying or that we feel are not relevant to the conversation. Which is just natural and how communication and interacting with people works. But too often we forget that other people filter their thoughts, too, just like we do. And I think it's important to remember that. But also: nobody will ever understand you fully and grasp all the aspects of your soul like you can. Which is also natural. Relationships should be based on harmony and cooperating and liking each other. I feel like so many people think, when they have a partner or "soulmate" they are supposed to fuse somehow. To stop being individuals. And this is so wrong and probably leads to them separating further.
Anyway, what I wanted to say, is that we all want to be happy and to be loved and we should start by befriending ourselves and to be gratefull that in all this confusion and with nobody really knowing what they are doing, we have ourselves. Our mind and our body are made of fricking atoms interacting with each other that somehow managed to create a conscience. This all is such a miracle and THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANNIKA, for reminding me.
One of the reasons I really enjoy your videos is the way you often document your mistakes and frustrations. Maybe you edit a lot of it out, but you still leave enough in that when I mess up sewing I can assure myself that more practiced sewers like yourself still struggle sometimes. It's not just me. I've also been feeling this way about sewing for a couple weeks and haven't had as clear language to describe it as this video had, so this helped a lot. I'm about to spend my Saturday sewing and this was a great way to preface it in case I hit these same thought ruts. Thanks for being real and vulnerable! I appreciate you!
I think this was a really good video to make and that it's good to acknowledge those feelings. I think it'll help a lot of people
Annika, thank you for this video. I've been on a downward spiral lately with all the things I had to do and didn't have the energy to do, I really needed something like this. 🖤
That's how I feel about finding work in my field. And about sewing sometimes too when I'm in full "can't find work because I'm a fraud and I have no real skills to do that work" mode. It's hard reminding yourself that it is not true. Your skills are real, you can in fact do the thing you claim you can do. I struggle with it so bad.
As someone that's had their most intense sewing week since they started, doing something bad is how you get good, and you've helped me so much over the years. Enjoy your break!
I am very much feeling this! I've been trying to sew a quilt for the first time and I have everything prepped to just sew my blocks together. It's just a straight stitch and I keep messing this one block up and having to seam rip.
I put away my sewing machine for the last month because I feel like I lost the small bit of talent I had for sewing. It's been similar with other crafts that I do as well. I've taken a break and listened to audiobooks (my local library has them available to check out online, but the selection is sparse), chores, a lot of video streaming, and video games.
Sometimes we need to take a break to recharge, but we shouldn't let that break go on for too long. I've let myself linger long enough and will get back into the saddle.
This video is exactly what I needed to hear.
So, thank you Annika for the relatable and motivational content.
im not sure what i love more, your sewing tutorials or your relatable sewing experiences content
I think that the new title and thumbnail fit the video much better, great change :)
I was just feeling this way about my painting and drawing, that I had lost my talent or something. Thanks for the reminder that not everything we make will be great. ♥️
I really needed this video right now, I've been going through a really down time with my depression lately and just starting to come out the other end.
This video definitely does not suck and I am so glad you posted it
Hi Annika, when I was younger I was a self taught seamstress and I learnt a lot from your videos. A few years ago I started sewing as a job for a fashion brand and learnt how to sew "by the book" Just because people learn how to sew in a certain way at school, does not mean that all other ways are wrong. Your ways work for you! The clothing looks good and are wearable in the end, no matter how much you have struggled or unpicked. The clothing you make is wearable for you and don't let other people convince you that you can't sew or that you're doing it wrong (and of course, don't let yourself tell you that either). I think it is awesome that you have taught yourself how to sew and are using your skills to help others. And now you're even using it to donate to charities. I think you are awesome and I am always excited to watch your videos!
I don't hate anything I made, but the sheer number of projects that I always have ongoing at the same time makes it very easy to put stuff in a box and forget about it. I used to feel really bad about it (wasted money etc etc) but have accepted that it's the way I work and I DO finish things. Spent two weeks making a dress a while ago and still have to hand sew the cuffs and some buttons as a finishing touch, but here I am folding another bunch of origami flowers for project Bedroom Lamp that started and paused at least six months ago, oh well.
Omg big mood I always have about 5 different creative projects on the go, and if I'm not spending enough time on one, I feel really guilty for the money I put into it! But you're right, I just have to accept that that is the way I operate and I know I'll come around to finish them all in time!
@@AnnikaVictoria24 Sometimes knitting is fun, sometimes it's just repeatedly threading one loop through another. I think most of us do these things because we enjoy it and there's no point in feeling guilty about it if it seems like a chore. I'm guessing for you it's more like a job sometimes but I think doing things like this video and turning those frustrations into something new is a good approach! Maybe you can braid your cut up fabrics into a little rug to stomp on from time to time? Thanks for replying, it's good to know I'm not the only project stasher! :D
Ok I needed that 😣 never unpick when you are annoyed it only leads to holes !
It's ok Annika, I've been having a sewing block too for a little while now. What matters is to keep trying and even if things arent perfect it's fine
Well I went to a super expensive fashion collage and this one particular way of doing this is the ONLY way to do things!
Any one who makes those kind of statements is not creative at all
@@secretsiren6769 I think you missed the sarcasm from the co creator /editor of this video
lucrezia31 not at all
I appreciate that you went to "collage". 😁
I've definitely had experiences like this, Annika, and here's the thing I've learned: The more frustrated and discouraged you get while working on a project, the harder it becomes to succeed on it. You actually NEED that break and mental/emotional reset in order to make any successful headway. Not just because it's good for you (although yes, also because of that), but because the exasperation and self-doubt caused by repeated setbacks or failures will actively prevent you from making positive progress. It's a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle, and the only way to interrupt it is by stepping back, giving yourself permission not to work on (or think about) it for a while, and engage in some self-care to make yourself feel better. Otherwise, you end up spiraling into despair and taking scissors to your project. That little voice that keeps telling you, "You can't stop now, it doesn't matter how long you've been at this and how much your back hurts, you should've finished this hours ago! Just get it done!"? Ignore her. She's part of the problem. Take a breather, come back fresh in a day or three, and you'll find yourself much more able to troubleshoot issues and make progress and -- just as importantly -- enjoy the process.
Mmm, I just watched a video yesterday on Imposter Syndrome from UA-camr Jessica Kellgren Fozard (probably got name wrong). She mainly focussed on disabilities. But I can see how it relates to sewing and you gave good advice.
I have a UFO that should have taken a week but I keep getting stuck with it. I was feeling guilty for not finishing it in months, but actually when I get too frustrated I put it down for a while, do something else, but I keep picking it back up. I think that is the whole point isn't it? Picking it back up later and doing that over and over, means I am still progressing, I am still sewing.
First time you have popped up on my recommended, Hello! 👋. I liked the video style, may watch again.
The curse of a creative, and no matter success, it's so easy to feel like an impostor...
It's funny because I consider you an inspiration when it comes to learning and fixing; you constantly show us if you go wrong in your projects and how you fixed it. That's one of my favorite parts of your videos. You show us when you struggle, when you get frustrated, when you need to take a break and walk away... we all have to do that and I don't think you belittle or hide that process which is wonderful. This video is another evidence of that and we need it, too. Thanks for your videos, lady.
I started making a point of sharing mess-ups on my Instagram page ... usually also with a note of “this is how I fixed it” or a “oh well, it’s there now!” Thank you for sharing, I think it’s important to share when something doesn’t work the way we want it to.
That tip of stopping when you're frustrated is golden. I do this for a while now, because sometimes I think that I'm doing something on the right way and then when I leave it be for a couple of days, I go back and see that I was doing wrong, or that was a better solution for what I was doing. Going back when your mind is clearer is the best thing you can do
Cathy Hay is an Angel we don’t deserve on costube if you need motivational stuff around sewing. She has many words of wisdom and affirmation when you are in a pickle. Keep working Annika and congrats on getting an editor to lighten the load
thank you for conceiving, writing, filming, editing, and posting this video
Great video, Annika! I needed to see this today. I was down on myself. Ty for making me feel better. 🤗
This video was great! It’s completely normal to not always be satisfied with yourself. The only thing that is important is to give it your best and if it doesn’t work out, don’t agonize over it. Loving what you do and being happy with your work is way more important than constantly producing stuff under the influence of negative emotions!
Thank you, this is so important!! Thank you for uploading this
THIS is EXACTLY what I've been feeling for the past few weeks. Thank you for putting into words!
Seriously. That's the only reason I got my paper pieced Christmas tree finished. It was kicking my butt. And quilting it took forever. Then I realized I pieced a PAPER PIECED ITEM and tried to QUILT it with a HEAVY DUTY NEEDLE. Im surprised I still have hair left. But I put it down and kept coming back. And now, I have a cleaner work room, and can make a fresh start on the next project. Keep at it Annika. You'll get through your "heavy duty needle" issue and move forward!!
Annika, I just wanted to say that you were one of those creative people on the internet that made me stick to sewing for all those years. I've been struggling with depression, which makes one feel like one is worthless, but sewing has somehow always been my respite from this spiral of self-damage. It has been my safe place and also allowed me to dress amazingly at the fraction of the store prices. And it's all (in part) thanks to you! You literally change other people's lives for the better because of what you do! You are amazing.
This is exactly what I need to hear right now, Annika. Big love
Some of us DO want to listen what you have to say! It feels so good to hear successful people talking about their failures (or at least when the result is not up to their expectations). I am currently in imposter syndrome full force and your video made my day a little bit better! Thank you for your work! 🤗
I really, really needed this right now. Thank you annika
I am watching this as my failed project is laying on my desk staring disappointed at me...
SOLIDARITY! haaaha
Thanks Annika. This is such an important thing for creative people to keep in mind when making things. We are human, we don't always get it right the first time and that is completely okay. You rock! Many hugs
Annika thank you so much for this. I'm crying. I don't normally leave comments, but I just had to tell you that I am saving this and will be looking at it. I get so afraid of everything I like to do that I can't do anything. I sit around and compare myself to successful people until I'm drowning in self pity. I want so badly to love what I do and feel pride in my work but sometimes I just can't. Thank you for this, you are a treasure.
I always try to remember why I sew. Because it’s fun. I enjoy it. When I’m not having fun, not enjoying it, it’s time to step away and try another way. Thank you for sharing your ramblings. We all need to know this is normal. This is part of the process.
I compare myself to my past self.. and then have to remind myself that I have cancer now. I'm going through treatment with serious side effects. Of COURSE I can't do what I used to be able to. It's still hard, especially since society treats you like you're garbage if you aren't
"productive" enough... but I try to celebrate little victories like getting my laundry done.
Honestly, I'm struggling a lot with my motivation for uni now and the things I "failed" at are so much bigger in my mind than the things that worked. I tend to get lost in the bigger picture and that makes it so hard to take these small steps that are ahead of me which just makes me more stressed and more paralyzed. Social media is not really a factor for me but I tend to compare myself a lot to other's when I'm in that bad headspace and just feel stupid or like I can't achieve the things others can.
I feel like the message of your video is pretty universal and it applies to many different contexts. I know that I'm supposed to be kinder to myself but it helps to hear it, so thank you for talking about these things. :)
This is so relatable. Even I graduaded as a dressmaker in 2011. And I've been sewing over 12 years now. Still happens.
I feel this in my soul. Not sewing related. But as a first-time mum with a 10 week old it took me 8 weeks to stop YouTubing newborn routines and days in the life with a newborn. Because I was driving myself mad because all these women had showered, eaten and have a full face of make-up by 8 a.m with their beautiful settled baby and here I was with the screaming newborn still in my pj's not showered for 3 days and to anxious to eat. it took me that long to realise they edit all that bad stuff out and don't talk about it. Just be confident in yourself and what you're doing and it will be ok ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for making this video you are amazing and we love you ❤️
THIS! I've been working on my first freelance job making a game for a company with some friends and it's been the absolute worst. Everything that could've gone wrong has and this is exactly what I needed to hear right now so thank you, Annika, for this!
I love this! I am a beginner at sewing and I hate picking out stitches with a burning rage. just recently had to on a project I made and realized it's much easier to pick stitches if I count how many I've picked out and then stop at ten or twenty to have a snack and not focus on it for a bit. in general I need to remember it's best to take breaks from projects.
Thank you for this. I’ve spent the entire day feeling bad for myself because I got hurt trying to work out and have been in pain on top of other monthly pains, but this video made me feel better. I like now having a plan for when I feel like a failure that I know someone else is also doing. Solidarity. It’s a beautiful thing.
For what it’s worth.. me and my dad just started sewing together! I showed him one of your videos and we both love how genuine you are! We have been making little purses and bags based on one of your videos! I look forward to seeing your videos and I rewatch them all the time! Thank you for showing this side because I know I feel the same way a lot of the time! Thank you!!
This is so wonderful and makes me so happy! I'm so glad you've been enjoying a hobby together and watching my videos! 🥰
Thank you Annika
Before the pandemic I was kind of over sewing, I didn’t want to make anything anymore. I’ve So stoped sewing now for over 4 months. (which is the longest I’ve stoped since I started 4 years ago) I really wanted to redo my room and got into interior decorating, and I’ve been focused on that for about the past 3 months. But it’s been a while since I’ve sewed anything and I really want to start again. So if you’re feeling this way Annika is right do something else and when the time is right to you’ll want to start sewing again you’ll feel it.
Thank you so much for this video !! I havent much sewist in my IRL surrounding so its good to hear that this "bad sewing day" happens to other people too
Having to rip up the same seam multiple times over oof I felt that. I'm glad to know that a pro such as yourself makes the same mistakes that I did on my 2nd ever sewing project (dog onesie). I finally finished it but it's a hot mess so it has been demoted to "trial run" and I'll get some nicer fabric than the old t-shirts I was using to make the final version. Considering the ones I was gonna buy are $30-60 +shipping, I think I can splurge a few bucks for fabric haha
Your discourse and experiences are so important because only disabled people know that comfort is a necessity. That's why we're so good at pacing the efforts on anything... but ourselves ofc, because imposter syndrome and stuff. But the thing is we learnt to understand or own functionality better than most of the people we personally know.
Please Annika, never doubt yourself like this. You're a wonderful person with so much personality and creativity. A total babe with a mobility aid! Stay awesome cos we all love you!
Sometimes we all need to take a step back from life and breathe. Sometimes I convince myself that my chronic pain isn't real, that I'm just normal people kind of tired and just being dramatic. I need to give myself a mental break then I might have the spoons to physically feel better.
Hahaha omg that hits hard!! I always convince myself of that too, that I'm just somehow weak and making everything dramatic. (Then luci will like, have a mild headache and become incapable of doing anything and I'm like... Oh no I'm strong af lol)
Gentle high five for not being alone in these dark thoughts! 🖐🏻 Why are men such babies about pain? 😂 Oh Luci!
I get that feeling _constantly_ regardless of which project I'm doing. Sort of a dry spell in crafting, like artists block where nothing goes the way you'd like. It's important to try and ground yourself when this happens, trying a different angle and approach, taking breaks, etc.
Every project is a learning process for me and sometimes something I've done loads of times just ends up crashing and burning and I just want to....!!!!
Yea, we've all been there. ^^;
The Fluke is a big one, and the “past me was better”. Also, any praise I get is from people who don’t know enough about design to realize I suck.
I’m saving this for the next time I’m overwhelmed by design work and panicking.
Oh honey, I hear you! The sheer frustration of a sewing day (or days, or weeks) gone bad can get in your head. Indeed, I always go back to a project that I know I can pull off simply to get my confidence back.
Thank You! I have felt so unmotivated and I wanted to start a new crochet project and no pattern I started worked so I went back to putting my granny square blanket together. It is really so very helpful to be reminded that the internet is curated and that everyone has bad days. Thank you!
Thank you.
This was exactly what I needed right now. I hope you feel better again soon x
You are such a beautiful person inside and out. This mental back and forth is exactly what I feel more often than I care to admit. I truly appreciate you putting yourself out there with honesty and humor! Thank you for everything you are!
I'm kinda glad you did this video because I largely prefer when you show your fails! I liked so much your early video where it was a challenge, and it was complicated, there was a huge amount of fail, but the succed project where so much more enthusiastic than now!
This. So much.
This sums it up so perfectly and is exactly what I need to tell myself sometimes. Thank you for talking opening about it, I think it's really really important and not many people do it ♥️
This is so validating omg
I've been trying to sew recently and it's always been hard to use non-stretch because my chest is wider. I even made a mockup out of muslin and it fit fine, but I transferred it to the proper fabric and all of a sudden my chest is suffocating.
Everytime I see people do thrift flips they make it look so easy and claim that theyve barely ever sewn before! And whether jts easy because they have a smaller chest than me or because they used a stretch material or simply because they know what theyre doing, it just makes me so frustrated and confused that Ive been doing this for a while and cant manage to do as well as someone new.
But thanks for this video! Its really encouraging.
For some reason it never passed my mind that sowers get artist’s block. It make sense! So if you need help with stuff look up tips to get through it. Taking a break and spreading your horizons are big helps
thank you thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU for posting this. it's SO HARD to remember that social media is not real life and i catch myself comparing myself to other artists with seemingly more skill, more followers, more everything than me all the time even though i KNOW! BETTER! love love love this video. seriously.
Me at least one day every week all through fashion school.... You are my biggest sewing insperation. You inspire me to continue creating things. You inspire me to continue wanting to create!
Thank you Annika! I needed to hear this message today from somebody I admire and find inspiring. Helps people keep going when we know we are not alone....feeling THIS way about pretty much anything.
Thank you!
So true that most UA-cam is only showing the good bits. I learn more from my mistakes than I ever do from the projects that go well. Walking away from your sewing when things are not working is very good advice. Sometimes, you just have to play Simms for the afternoon 😊
I feel this so hard 😭
This was the reminder and motivation I needed to know that I am capable even if I have a bad day or mess something up 😅
Thank you for your words and please be kind to yourself ❤ we all need kindness in this word, from ourselves more than anything ❤
Thanks! This is so true, its happened to all of us so many times, and dont take it the wrong way but its refreshing to see someone as good as you makes these same mistakes! Its a good thing! It means there is room for improvement!
Thanks for sharing your experience. I don’t sew but I come here when I am feeling uninspired writing or a cooking experiment fails. So thank you for sharing your failures. Makes us all feel human.
I can so relate! I'm a photographer and have to deal with imposter syndrome every single week. And I don't know a single creative who doesn't. It sucks and I don't have any answers, but I can 100% relate
Annika, thanks for always being so real and for adressing this topic. I think all of us need to hear this! Your channel is so wholesome and nice, I just love it!
I've always been a firm believer in the "put it away and try again later" method. Whether its craft projects, video games, or writing, if the thing you're doing is causing you pain rather than joy, put it aside for now and focus on something else for a while. If you feel compelled to, go back and try that project again, but only if you really want to and you feel reinspired by it. We're only human, we all have bad days, and even the most accomplished people struggle to get things right. More often than we think actually. Thanks for making this video, Annika, and being honest about your feelings. You are an amazing sewer, no matter how many times you unpick that stitch! Here's hoping you'll have more successful projects in the future! Rooting for you all the way! 💖
This pandemic has totally exacerbated the imposter syndrome as well! We’re faced with danger, we can’t fight or flight so we just have to sit....perpetually exhausted even if we’re not constantly panicking. It’s not exactly the safe space we need to explore creatively. Thanks for making the video, I’ve totally lost my sewjo recently and it makes it so much more tolerable to know that creators I look up to are feeling it as well (sorry for the schadenfreude) sending love from Israel ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
i’m so glad that you’re sharing this because i have so much trouble sewing! and i have to keep telling myself that it’s ok to mess up and improve! sewing is hard!
One of my favorite videos of all time on your channel was the Video where you showed all of your sewing projects that were successful and the fail. Because it showed me that you can’t always succeed
I really appreciate your honesty. We need more of that on social media. Thank you.
Thank you Annika. I love that you are always honest and it inspires me to try new things in sewing/mending/etc.
This is one of the reasons why I enjoy watching Chef John's channel 'Foodwishes' he posts the failed recipes / steps as well. He doesn't take himself too seriously.
I know you didn't want to post this video, but I appreciate it. My chronic illnesses have been taking over my life the last 5 years. I had to stop working last year. And I keep thinking if how much I was able to do in the past. I have so many plans on what to do, but some days I just manage to shower, get dressed, and fix my family some food before collapsing again. And I miss the old me!
I think it is important for person's to admit defeats or setbacks and in the UA-cam arena it is pretty easy to curate the content to seem idealized. Thank you as a consumer for admitting things don't always go as planned the first time. Even mistakes can befodder for learning
I'm so glad you post failures as well as successes! I remember my first big failure: I had spent nearly 100$ on materials for a dress only for it to be a complete disaster. I was so distraught for weeks thinking about all that wasted time and money. These days I learn to be sad for the rest of the day, and then move on. You learn from your failures, and can always reuse the fabric for mock-ups/other projects.
You’re hilarious! I’m a beginning sewist (at age 56) and made 3 great things and 5 disasters. But I’ve learned after screaming and flinging my disaster across the room that it’s part of the process; I’m learning and sewing is learning for a lifetime. It’s a great comfort that I’m not the only one who feels shitty after a sewing project sometimes. Thanks for your creative approach.
Oh God! I can relate sooooooo much, recently I’ve been feeling just like that but with crochet, I have a very small store for crochet items and it has been so hard to feel inspired to work on projects when I see the amazing work of other crocheters, I literally when back to the psychologist cause I got so sick and upset with my work, but she is helping me feel better again... it’s been hard.
YES! Please post things that went wrong. These videos are a) teaching us, and we learn from mistakes too. And we all have a few ... b) it entertaining - believe me, perfection gets really boring really soon. Also can get us, viewers feel 'un-worthy'.