Common mistakes

Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

Most disappointments in crafting come not from a lack of ability but from a handful of recurring slip-ups. People take on something too complicated, skimp on tools, skip the test, work while tired and in half-darkness — and decide the craft is not for them. Below are five of these mistakes and ways around each one.

A beginner's mistake is no reason to give up. It is a hint about what to change: the material, the tool, the light or the size of the task. One adjustment is almost always enough.

— Editor's thought

An overly complex first project

A patterned jumper, a dress sewn from a pattern or a large model look inspiring, but the first difficulty in such a project can put you off for a long time. A labour-intensive piece calls for skills you do not have yet and time you usually lack.

Start with something you can finish in an evening or a weekend. Several small finished pieces will give you both the skills and the confidence that make it easier to take on something bigger later.

The wrong tool and material

Blunt scissors crush fabric and paper and make you press harder, which is dangerous.
A needle that is too thin bends in heavy fabric; one that is too thick leaves holes in fine fabric.
Needles of the wrong size give fabric that is too tight or too loose — check the yarn label.
Fluffy dark yarn hides the stitches, making mistakes hard to spot.
Glue meant for a different material does not hold or seeps through as stains.

No test sample

It is always tempting to skip the test: it seems a waste of time. But it is the sample that shows how the fabric behaves under the needle, what tension the yarn produces and whether the glue warps the cardboard.

A test square or a short seam on an offcut takes a few minutes and saves you from having to unpick or throw away the main piece.

Abandoned projects

Keep a list of works in progress and return to the one closest to completion.
Store each project in its own bag or box together with its instructions.
Note where you stopped: the row, the step, the next piece.
If you have gone off a project, decide honestly whether to finish it, turn it into something smaller or let it go.

What this text is based on

Beginner guides to sewing and knitting (general principles)
Instructions for craft tools and materials (general principles)

Threads, yarn, glue and paints vary noticeably from one manufacturer to another, so the label and instructions for the specific material or tool always have the final say. This guide describes general techniques and is no substitute for a hands-on lesson with an experienced maker.