DO IT YOURSELF: HOW TO BEGIN

I was born to “make”.  For as long as I can remember I have always seen things that I love, and then returned home to make them myself.  Of course, this is not always the money saving option, and the project is not always a success, but over the years I have gathered some good skills.  If you want to “do it yourself”, let me show you how to begin.

You will generally start with one of two things: a project that inspires you or a material or medium that catches your eye.  In other words, you will have a finished piece in mind or supplies in mind. Often for me, a project starts with supplies that interest me.

Fabric has always been at the top of my list of craft-y loves.  I owned my own fabric store for years, and I have taught all manner of sewing and quilting classes.  I may or may not have a bit of a fabric addiction.

When I saw these adorable table runners measuring 12″ X 50″ in the Dollar Spot at Target, I bought three of them with no project in mind.  At $3 a piece, they were a bargain!

They sat for a few months until I started thinking about my kitchen/dining space and how nice it would be to have some homemade napkins.

Napkins made of toweling with red stripes?  Heavenly, I tell you!

This is how simple DIY’ing can be:  All I did was to cut two of my runners into 4 equal pieces and then I hemmed each raw edge.  It took me under one hour from start to finish.  And now I have an adorable pile of fabric napkins ready to be used.  So, for $9 I have a set of new napkins and a table runner.

I love their look and I love their price even more.

Here are some tips for getting started with DIY:

ONE: Pay attention.  Look around at stores, in people’s houses and online.  Notice what your eye is drawn to.  Color? Shape? Style? Texture?

TWO:  Figure out what you want to make and make a list of supplies.  If it’s too pricey for a starter project, make a smaller less-expensive item.  That way a project disaster will be no big deal.

THREE:  Count on project disasters, especially when you are starting out.  Don’t be afraid of throwing something away and starting over.  Project fails are good teachers!

FOUR:  Keep trying!  Don’t give up!  Try another method to get to your desired end.

FIVE:  Online tutorials are everywhere.  Check Pinterest and You Tube for how-to’s of all kinds.

SIX:  Enlist a friend to navigate your DIY adventure with you! It’s much more fun to plan, shop, and execute crafts of all kinds with a companion!

SEVEN:  Join me in THE MAKER’S YEAR: 2017!  We will walk through all kind of fun DIY projects together!  Sign up below!

So when it comes to “do it yourself” projects, my biggest piece of advice is to just jump in and do it.  You will learn something new and maybe even come out with a great project.

Happy making, friends!