There are a thousand ways a sewing project can go wrong, though most of them stem from a few root causes: carelessness, bad materials, the wrong tools. As I was sewing this weekend, I started to think about the problems that have most often come up and ruined a sewing project for me (and others I know); if not the result, then at least the experience.

1) Stupid self-imposed deadlines. How many times have you looked at a relatively simple sewing project and thought, “Oh, I’ll knock this out in an afternoon,” only to become frustrated when the actual project seems to go on forever? I used to pressure myself to finish, staying up all hours and rushing through things to get it done. But seriously, WHY? This approach sucked all the joy out of sewing. Nowadays, when it comes to my personal sewing projects, I put it away when it stops being fun.

2) The wrong fabric. The biggest culprit for most has to be quilting cottons in garments that they just aren’t meant for. They are so darn cute in the store, but unless its the right project (and there are those), can leave you feeling that your new skirt looks a bit “Home Ec,” as Tim Gunn might say.

3) Inaccurate cutting. Few things are as frustrating as seams that don’t match up, or a dress that comes out two sizes larger because of sloppy cutting. I recommend either a rotary cutter, or using pattern weights to hold your pattern in place while you trace it onto the fabric, removing the pattern, then cutting with a good pair of sewing shears.

4) Winging it on a new technique. Let’s say you’re sewing a jacket for the first time. Most pattern instructions, no matter how thorough, aren’t likely to teach you all the techniques that would make your jacket really awesome. Relying only on pattern instructions for tricky new techniques and winging it is a difficult way to learn (but oh so tempting). This is where a library of just a few reference books, sewing magazines, and the internet will make your life so much easier, and your sewing so much better.

5) The wrong thread. Cheap thread can ruin your day pretty fast. Save it for basting.

6) Expecting every pattern to fit “out of the box.” It’s a rare person that most patterns will fit without adjustment of some kind. Sewing patterns (and ready to wear) are made for a statistically average body, and chances are high that that body is not yours. I know it’s not mine. Learning to make the adjustments you need is just a fact of sewing life.

7) Pattern alterations without testing. I say, if you’re going to alter a pattern in a major way, especially for fit, take the time to make a muslin. Even just a partial muslin can save so much heartache.

8) Treating all fabrics the same. Different fabrics need different kinds of handling, different threads, different needles, and some benefit from stabilizers. I recommend a book such as More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina or Claire Shaeffer’s Fabric Sewing Guide.

9) Not pre-washing fabric. Speaking of fabric, few things are as frustrating as shrinkage when you’ve spent hour and hours on a dress. I always pre-wash my fabric in the same way I plan to wash the final garment, sometimes multiple times.

10) Being dishonest about your measurements. This goes for buying ready to wear too, in some ways. But not being honest about your own body makes it nearly impossible to get a good fit. And without that, it’s pretty hard to be happy with the outcome. It’s not worth the heartache, so respect your body the way it is and learn to fit it the way you want.

Ok, your turn! How do you sabotage your own sewing? Or have done in the past (since hopefully we learn our lessons… sometimes)?

{image above: Tears go to heaven by Rita_Lee}