If you're a maker who's posted your work on the internet or sold at a craft fair, I'm sure the phrase, "I could make that," makes you cringe more than just a little bit!
To be honest, hearing "I could make that" over and over at my first craft fair almost broke me - nobody was saying that to the man next to my booth selling lightbulbs in mason jars for $80! Don't get me wrong, I love a rustic handmade lamp; but if you see a fiber artist at a craft fair, extend them a bit of kindness - maybe even ask if they need a hug - because craft fairs can be absolutely demoralizing for us.
Initially, I made kits so I could bring them to future craft fairs and respond with, "You sure could make that, here's a kit!" Yes, the secret is out: I have a bit of a petty streak.
The joke was on me, though, because I fell in love with teaching other people how to embroider and watching them tackle a new art form they were maybe too scared to try without a little nudging and encouragement. Whereas craft fairs had been demoralizing, teaching embroidery by selling kits and patterns was exhilarating.
I started noticing "I couldn't possibly do what you do" comments more than the "I could make that" comments, and I did my best to encourage those people to just give it a dang try and see that they, too, could absolutely find joy in this art.
Don't get me wrong, this phrase can still piss me off every once in a while, especially when I see it in the comments sections of my friends' work (!!!). At the same time, it reminds me of when I had to convince myself that maybe attempting embroidery was worth the try - and it was!
If you're thinking of giving embroidery a try, I've turned this hoop into a free pattern (download the pdf here). I would love to see you convince yourself embroidery is worth a try by using this pattern, so be sure to tag me on your social channels if you finish the piece and want to show-and-tell!
