Best Advice for Newbies

[Madly Creating]

What's your best bit of advice to Newbies - either to your craft or to the site (or both?)?

Mine would be - don't be afraid to unpick! If it doesn't look right, take it apart and try again Better to waste a bit of thread than make something you're not proud of.

[krafty1]

Not sure if it's my best bit of advice or not, but I'd say to anyone who's afraid to try something new - Go on, give it a go, what's the worse that can happen?

[greannancrafts]

Have you tried unpicking 20k of soap?

Mine would be learn from your mistakes,
the definition of madness is to keep doing the same thing and to expect different results

Jane

[Madly Creating]

Can you unpick soap? I've never tried making soap before...

[greannancrafts]

it can be done - it is called rebatching - though often more trouble than it is worth.

You will have to come on our next soapmaking course

Jane

[onlyme]

Mine would be: Learn from everyone else's mistakes - it's cheaper!

[Madly Creating]

it can be done - it is called rebatching - though often more trouble than it is worth.

You will have to come on our next soapmaking course

Jane

I have some friends in Leicester who I don't visit often enough....

[Wildheart]

Best advice...

Mine would be to start buying storage containers as soon as you have an urge to start crafting cos your stash of stuff will soon take over most of the house and better to start storing as you mean to go on....

[autumn rose]

Mine would be use what crafting delights you have straight away... because before long you will have so much stuff you forget what lovely things you already had and you never get around to using them.

[Moonbeam Angel]

Practice Makes Perfect!!!!

[EmmaT]

Take record of everything you create- could be a photo, written description, record of materials used & cost - it's always handy to be able to refer back, and see how your crafting has progressed.

[Fluffy Squirrel]

To anyone starting a new craft then there are a couple of things that I would say...

* Don't believe everything that you read in books... in many crafts the 'recommended tools' list goes on forever, but many of these things aren't necessary for beginners, and in many cases a cheaper version will work just as well.

* Never be afraid to try something new in your craft... eg, in cardmaking there are dozens of different skills from decoupage and paper folding to heat embossing and stamping, with many many others as well. Just because you start with one style, then you don't have to stick to just that

* I'd recommend taking photographs of your work, it gives you something to refer back to for future inspiration or to see how your crafting has progressed or your styles have changed.

* Never be afraid to ask questions, opinions or advice from fellow crafters - we are all here to help each other and it's better to ask than to not know. Everyone had to start somewhere!!

Hope this helps