Everything started off ok. I began sewing on my layout when, a few inches in, my sewing machine needle broke. No problem. I had another. Except, it turned out the needle I had on hand was too big for sewing paper. It kept shredding the thread. Given the time of night, going to the store for new needles was not an option. Time was running out. My page for Layout a Day needed to be submitted in less than an hour. What was I going to do?

 

Starting Over Isn’t Always the Best Solution

 

I could have started over. However, I had already chosen the sketch,paper and embellishments. I didn’t have any more sheets of this particular patterned paper and really, I didn’t have time to choose another set. I knew I would feel guilty for wasting the supplies if I trashed the page. Somehow, I had to make the messed up stitching work within my design. I just had to let go of being upset and to work with what I had.

Lean In by Christy Strickler |Supplies Patterned Paper: Studio Calico,Fancy Pants, My Mind’s Eye; Letters : American Crafts; Metal, Acrylic: Webster’s Pages; Sequins: PinkFresh Studio;based on a Page Maps Sketch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I continued stitching around the paper. When the thread broke, I simply left the pieces dangling,re-threaded the machine and moved on. The border was stitched, though some sections were missing thread here and there. Now it was time to make the problem and embellishing opportunity. I gathered bits of the dangling string together in some spots. In others, I created graceful loops and twirls. Small dots of glossy accents were strategically applied to hold the thread in place.

I could have let myself become frustrated. I could have trashed the page and tried to start over. Instead, I turned a problem into an opportunity. Most people who view this page will never know the issues I had with my sewing machine that night. It looks almost as if the messy stitching was done on purpose. Sometimes, problems occur when you are making a layout. It’s not the way we envisioned the page, but with the right mindset, we can make it work. In doing so, we push our design skills a bit and learn something more about how we can adapt our personal style. As for me, messing stitching may just become a thing I do more often.

Tips For Learning to “Work With It”

1.Don’t allow yourself to become frustrated. Take a deep breath and reassess the situation.

2. Don’t trash the page. Ask yourself if you can cover the spot with the error or find a way to incorporate the error into your scrapbook page design.

3. Realize that if you can find a great way to make it work, people viewing your layout will have no clue it wasn’t something you meant to use in the page design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This hasn’t been the first problem that I have turned into an opportunity. Check out this layout from JBS Mercantile in which a blob of black gesso fell onto the bottom of the layout. I fixed the issue by adding splotches of black gesso on the upper left side. Adding a few sequins added dimension and contributed to the diagonal flow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related articles

• Ideas for Adding Crafty Handmade Touches to Your Scrapbook Layouts (debbiehodge.com)
• When an Imperfect Page is Just Perfect (jennibowlinstudioinspiration.blogspot.com)
• Two-Page Layout Strategy: Pair a Simple Grid with One-Page Design (debbiehodge.com)
• Adding Accent Stitching to Hybrid Pages (tracireed.com)