A Tale of Tiny Stitches and Big Confidence
Have you ever started a project and suddenly felt that wave of doubt—you know, that little voice whispering, “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Even when it’s something that should be simple?
Yep. Me too.
Not long ago, I had one of those moments. And of all things—it was over a button.
I know, I know. A button! Tiny. Harmless. Basic. But when you’re using a fancy sewing machine (the kind with buttons for buttons), and you’re not totally sure what you’re doing, even that little task can come with a side of hesitation. I was honestly afraid I’d break a needle—or worse, damage my machine—if I didn’t line things up just right.
So what did I do?
I avoided it.
I sewed the buttons on by hand instead. Because in my head, hand-stitching felt safer. Slower. Less risky. Definitely less likely to go ka-chunk in a bad way.
But eventually, I decided to face my fear. I couldn’t find the manual (of course), and I was in a hurry. So, I did what I usually do: I experimented.
First, I found the button icon on my machine—score!
Then I followed the little pictures on the screen, which told me I needed a special tool. So I dug through my accessory kit (aka the junk drawer of sewing), found the tool, and popped it on.
I removed the presser foot, lowered the ankle to hold the button in place, and slowly turned the hand crank to make sure everything lined up. I wasn’t about to hit the pedal and have the needle go rogue.
Slow and steady.
And it worked! Sort of.
The button went on, but the stitches were loose—like loopy shoelaces on a windy day. That’s when I realized: Oh, that spacer tool is for creating a thread shank—for coats or thick layers.
Not what I needed here.
So… snip snip. Try again.
This time, I ditched the tool. Just set the button, lowered the ankle, tested by hand, and stitched it right in place. No wobble, no stress. Way better.
By the fourth button? I felt like a machine-stitching wizard.
Moral of the story?
Even seasoned stitchers get stuck.
Even we hesitate, doubt ourselves, or put things off.
But confidence doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It builds with practice, patience, and a little bit of curiosity.
Try. Mess up. Try again.
And soon enough, you’ll be breezing through the stuff that once felt scary.
Even buttons.
🌱 Let’s Grow Together
We all start somewhere—usually with a little doubt and a whole lot of “what if I mess it up?”
Tell me in the comments or send me an email:
What’s one sewing skill you’ve been avoiding because it feels outside your comfort zone?
I’d love to hear about it. No judgment—just stitching solidarity.
And if you’re ready to stretch those creative muscles, Dimensional by Design is the perfect place to begin.
It’s not about being fearless—it’s about showing up anyway.
And I’ll be right there with you.
Happy Quilting
