How to be an Amazing Beginner

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I receive more emails about being a beginner than about just about anything else.
Being a beginner is the most vulnerable time in your journey pursuing any interest. Is it worth the effort? The time? The money?
And is it actually the most exciting time of all? Is it possible to be a GREAT beginner, and have the time of your life being new to something?
Love, Cathy x
My friend and dance partner Alan Cartwright is on Instagram at @finetimeswatches
Discover his beautiful restored antique watches at www.etsy.com/u...
Music:
"Supine" by Peter Sandberg at epidemicsound.com
You can also follow me and see my own sewing on Instagram:
/ cathy.hay
Your letters and cards are welcome at Mr Worth's old place.
7 Rue de la Paix
Paris 75002
France
Please don't send parcels to Paris - import fees are expensive! You are far too generous. But if you really want to send something larger, or you're in the UK like me, I also have an address here:
1 Northumberland Avenue
Trafalgar Square
London
WC2N 5BW
United Kingdom
Thank you, thank you, to everyone who has sent something to me. It is deeply valuable to read your words in your own handwriting and hold them in my hands. It helps me to connect to who you really are, and what you really need from me. I read, enjoy and treasure every one. Thank you.

[@Kanmuri_writes]

About 20 years ago, when I started to study Japanese, I was standing on the metro platform and saw a Japanese girl. I decided just to talk to her in Japanese. She was surprised and delighted to speak to someone in her own language. I'm fluent now, but back then that little step forward, that little courageous act helped me understand that it was ok not to speak perfectly. It helped me on the way to getting where I am now with my proficiency.

[@juliusroman8616]

I can't wait to do that with a Chinese class I'm taking this year in school.

[@sharonoddlyenough]

I want to do that with Swedish, but Swedish speakers are rare in my corner of Canada

[@rachel.beth99]

"It's okay to be bad at things." "Being a beginner is worth investing in." SCREAM IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS PLEASE

[@marycoffin642]

My motto has always been: I'd rather ask the dumb question and be thought an idiot, than NOT ask the question and BE an idiot.

[@montaguelynn7088]

I like that!!

[@claudiakrol5373]

Mary Coffin, that´s right! I always ask the „dumb question“. And every time i ask it, i look around. And there is always someone looking glad, thinking “thank goodness, someone is asking that!”

[@YourSewingBuddy]

Okay, but I need a clip of you cheering the baby "Yay!! Look at you!! You did it!!" For every time I finish a big step in a project.

[@m.maclellan7147]

Yes ! This ! ;)

[@CathyHay]

I feel like I'm about to become a gif. 😄

[@m.maclellan7147]

@@CathyHay the Gift of a Gif ! ;)

[@TudorositiesbyMaureen]

Cathy, you may be come a gif. Although what a beautiful up beat gif

[@ioanabaja2339]

Think of it as "I DID IT", with a big fat "I", like a toddler would proudly say.

[@elenanojkovic2554]

One of the reasons a lot of beginners in anything, really, me included, are afraid of being a begginner are people treating you Like you should already know whatever it is you are asking *cough* teachers and profesors *cough*. You are treated like a moron for asking. Probably the best advice I've been given (well, maybe not THE best, but it is up there) was in my second anatomy lecture in uni. 'Ask questions. And I'm not going to say there are no stupid questions-there are INCREDIBLY stupid questions. But you are at the beginning of your medical journey and it is better to ask a stupid question now then to do a stupid thing later.' So many other profesors were the type to shame you for asking things 'You should have already learned that, how are you studying medicine and don't already know??'. But that professor? You could've point to a femur ask 'Is that part od the leg?' and she'd still answer without shaming you. She was amazing.

[@tajhamarleau6700]

I do computer programming for a living. One of the first things I tell any new programmers I interact with is "There's no stupid questions, only stupid answers." Because if you legit don't understand something, the question isn't stupid. And if I can't explain it in a way that makes sense, that's on me, not them.

[@elenanojkovic2554]

@@tajhamarleau6700 I think that my professor was refering to those 'is bone made out of bone tissue?' types of questions. But for the most part I do also agree with your sentiment. One time one brave soul asked one professor somethinga ne je went on long tangent on how we should already know it and how stupid se are for not knowing it and then another brave soul Said 'BUT WE HAVEN'T LEARNED THAT YET!'. Only then did the profesore realize that the module the thing on question was supposed to be taught in only came AFTER his module. He did apologize however and procedeed to ask whether we already learned stuff related to the topic of every following lecture.

[@tajhamarleau6700]

@@elenanojkovic2554 Tbh, if I got a "is bone made out of bone tissue?" kind of question, it *would* probably give me pause for a moment, but then I'd answer and ask questions of my own to try to figure out why they asked something so seemingly silly. There's usually an interesting thought process behind those kinds of questions. Either that or there's some strange misinformation going around. XD

[@Dwynfal]

I always say the only truly stupid question is the one that isn't asked, because you'll never know the answer to it. I've also found that some question sound stupid because people struggle to formulate it in words. It's hard to know what you don't know when you don't know...

[@tajhamarleau6700]

@@Dwynfal Not knowing what you don't know is rough. I came up with an analogy about that long ago after dealing with people who were supposed to be teaching me, but expected me to just ask questions. It's like being in a dark room and told to ask questions. I don't even know where to start asking. Let me at least get a nightlight on in here first so I can have somewhere to start.

[@Rozewolf]

I'm 60, and started sewing when I was 10. Started sewing for 'pin money' 40 years ago. As a member of the SCA, I've gone to classes to stretch my knowledge on other fiber related skills. In one of those classes, I learned to spin. I felt like a cack handed 3 year old. My yarn was lumpy, thick, thin, and the only thing consistent about it was that it was cream coloured. It was a wonderful class, and I still have that first bit of yarn. One of the instructors also noticed something that I had never thought about, but to this day makes a great deal of difference. I'm 'right-handed'. Or at least I always thought that I was. As she was working with me, she asked me why I was spinning 'off-handed'. I didn't know what she meant. She put the wool and spindle in a left orientation and it was like a switch was tripped. My second attempt was pretty good. She just smiled at me, and has called me Lefty ever since. A month or so later, I asked my mom when I started being 'right handed', and she explained that I hadn't decided which hand to use, so the teacher decided for me. (lightbulb moment!) Since then, I've learned that many things that I have issues with right-handed make far more sense when I use my left.

[@DodiTov]

Oh Jaye, you are that rarest of the rare...ambidextrous! I'm aggressively left, and the problems I've encountered have forced adaptations I never would have thought. Do try left handed tools, they might prove amazingly comfortable to you. My left handed scissors are the most zealously guarded tool I own. Carefully hidden and lovingly stored, I'll never part with them.

[@Rozewolf]

@@DodiTov I have been exploring left handed tools. Two of the biggest discoveries were a left-handed Inkle loom, and... that I could switch my mouse to the left! I've recently gotten a pair of left handed scissors. :)

[@evestone5361]

Oh yes, 63 and got the ruler smack. But I got one up on that teacher, I do 80 percent of tasks with either hand, especially mechanical tasks. So does my son who was left handed and decided he wanted to be like mom and be able to use both hands. Comes in very handy😁

[@Rozewolf]

@@evestone5361 Cool. It certainly does help to be able to use both hands. My #3 son is an OMG lefty. When he was having issues writing, I found him a left hand nib fountain pen. He wore it out. He's learned over time to use his right as he is a chef.

[@JillianEve]

Jaye Sudar I spin left and right handed! I am self taught and just did what felt right to me which was mostly left handed. I switch back and forth for plying too. I thought I was the only one! My grandmother knit and sewed left handed, but she was a school teacher so she had to write with her right hand to teach. I think she was probably ambidextrous too!

[@nidomhnail2849]

As an instructor, I love beginners and beginner's questions. So many of their classmates benefit from beginner's questions. It helps to remind myself of this when I am at the beginning of something.

[@KyleJMitchell]

When I see a fellow student's hand go down in class, I'll just skip right to the point. "If you have a question, there's a good chance someone else has that same question, so you might as well ask now." It always gets them to ask their question, and more often than not I myself benefit from the instructor's answer that follows, or at lest the peek into the other student's thought process. Questions are more important than we give them credit for.

[@braedentalkington1893]

You're such a wonderful inspiration, Cathy! I've wanted to learn to sew for YEARS but I've never made the time to do so. Since losing my job due to COVID, I found the wonderful historical dress community here and have fallen in LOVE (I went to Uni for History, so of course this is possibly the best thing ever in my eyes). I'm a total beginner, I've never sewed anything. Because money is tight right now, instead of buying supplies to start I've taken to doing what I do best: research. The other day I had the most amazing moment watching a video because I knew the names of THREE WHOLE STITCHES before the person said what they are! I literally did a little dance on my couch because I KNEW SOMETHING! Three weeks in and I'm excited that I knew something off the cuff! :D

[@amandamarquart2047]

I have a similar beginning! I’m a very research oriented person in the first place, but I think I watched CosTube and historical & vintage sewing videos for 6 months before I ever actually picked up a needle and thread. By the time that first project came around it felt like such a breeze because of the base knowledge I had going in. My next project is going to involve a little bit of self drafting and draping because I want to make a 40s version of a 70s pinafore I saw on an etsy listing, so I’ve ordered a couple books and I plan on watching as many videos as I can find about draping before I every go to a mock up. I know not everyone out there can learn this way, but it’s fun knowing there are other people out there who are starting out the way I did :) I hope you find work soon and can afford to make all the projects you can dream up!

[@zanbudd]

I totally love the image of you dancing on couch because you knew the names of 3 stitches 🧵- it’s beautiful to find your niche

[@Majmysza]

Same here - thanks, Covid! I lost my job and suddenly got lots and lots of time... thanks to discovering the costuming community on Instagram I know what to do with all that time!

[@pinkiestink]

i recently unlocked the ability to knit! i have been trying to learn how to knit for almost 17 years now, always stuck at the most basic beginner level. i could cast on, knit a few rows then suddenly end up creating a whole bunch of new stitches out of nowhere, and I just could not get my hands to purl for the life of me. almost every year I get the urge to try learning again and every year I just don't understand and put it down again. the urge hit again this year just after my birthday and at first I thought "no, don't even bother. if you haven't gotten it by now you aren't ever going to get it." but then i realized that's a really mean thing to say to yourself. i grabbed my old needles, a dusty ball of yarn from the closet, and sat down and tried again. i began, started knitting a few rows, but i wasn't adding new stitches. i got comfortable just doing that for a bit before i got to the dreaded purl. i gave it a shot and guess what, it clicked. it finally made sense. after 17 years of trying it FINALLY made sense. it made sense enough that i was able to learn how to complete my project and not unravel it. is it great? not even close, but its something i was able to actually make. im just so excited and happy to finally have been able to get it to click after so long of trying, and that i can finally get to the fun stuff like following a pattern. i really think the thing that allowed me to finally get it to click was changing my mentality. stop being so mean to myself, allowing myself to just try and not caring about the outcome. you really can be your own worst enemy when it comes to learning new things. be nice to yourself and don't give up. it may take you a day to learn or it may take you 17 years, just keep trying.

[@NOARawle]

I have a knitting mantra: in, around, through and off. I say it for every stitch - not out loud these days but it's still there in my mind. My older sisters, both accomplished knitters would tease me mercilessly, but the mantra got me through! 😂

[@yarncurator]

So glad it finally clicked!! My first project was a dishcloth for my mom, which she loving teased by saying it looked like it grew a whole lot of tumors! I hope you love your new step in the journey with the craft. 💛

[@ChubbyUnicorn]

YAY!! CONGRATULATIONS!

[@smallishkae]

I also just re-taught myself to knit! I was “good enough” as a kid when my mum taught me the basics (but she quickly got frustrated with me). Recently, I had the revelation of “I can sew... but I don’t want to buy another ready-to-wear sweater anytime soon.” So I just... practiced. Now on my way to knitting my first cardigan and I’m so excited!

[@yarncurator]

smallishkae oh, you can do it!! I haven’t bought a machine made cardigan in nearly 4 years. They aren’t nearly as hard as they seem, especially if you start with a fairly basic pattern like a top down raglan.

[@lucamannstein2587]

I'm making a skirt from scratch. Its my 4th ever garment to make. Its a simple circleskirt, and I'm mostly using handstitching for the first time. I learned how to properly sew in a zipper and at this very moment, Im trying to sew on hooks and eyes, also for the first time. And i know that every stitch is wonky, and the pattern doesnt really match up but hey, thats kinda the excitement of making the first few sewingprojects, right? (Also im not using a pattern, just winging it and a bit of thoughtfullness) Thank you for the inspiration, Cathy :)

[@TheSuzberry]

Luca Mannstein - enjoy this skirt. When someone compliments you on it, say “Thank you.”

[@averykopp7330]

A hand sewn skirt was my second ever project (I'm now on #4 lol) and it's so exciting to start making these projects and have them come together. I wish you luck on your sewing journey! Also The Pattern Making Primer by Jo Barnfield and Andrew Richards is a good read when making your own patterns (though honestly some packing paper, a measuring tape and a sharpie is often all I've been using lol

[@CinnamonToast]

Cathy's impression of a mom cheering on a baby is the fuel I needed to survive 2020

[@fitbmx7744]

When I taught myself to weld, my dad wasn't around enough to teach me, so he gave me one 30 minute lesson. Now over 15 years later I get mad when people say "you are so talented, you can just do anything. I wish I could do that." I get mad because it isn't talent, it was 15 years of failing! Countless hours of welds that were no good, but I kept failing until my welds were good. But through all that time, I never hated my failures because everyone is slightly better than the last. I loved this video, thank you. ❤❤❤

[@Oasisflicka]

Yes!

[@Velostigmat]

I still need to learn welding! My Dad was hot rod mechanic, and whenever I feel bad for not learning things from him I remember that he just put a lot of time into it, and he made most of his mistakes before I was around to see them.

[@fitbmx7744]

@@Velostigmat You should learn, I only know how to stick weld. But you should learn, there are lots of videos on KZbin these days, and used welders are cheaper than you would think.

[@conniesmith3169]

I've always wanted to weld. I go to sign up for a class and they won't let me because I'm a girl. That makes me mad. I'd love to do craft items to sale. 💜Connie Smith in Salt Lake City Utah.

[@fitbmx7744]

@@conniesmith3169 That makes me so mad!!! Metallica (the band) set up grants at a college here, it is for women who want a degree in welding or machining. Just by a welder and start watching KZbin videos, I know you can do it! If you were in Kansas I would teach you what I know.

[@shannonnonnon]

As someone who has just exited college and is building a career in a nationwide company, the biggest complement that I've received is that I ask a lot of questions and learn things quickly. I've recently been shifted to the "more advanced" side of the team as one of my peers is about to go on maternity leave so after 6 months of getting processes down, I'm starting anew. I'm working hard to be a good beginner and advocating for myself to my manager and supervisor so I have enough time to do things twice when I inevitably fail and have to restart tasks.

[@deborahrossi8963]

I've been working in my field for 25+ years. One thing I've always been told is that I ask a lot of questions but it's a good thing because I was obviously more concerned with improving my skill set than protecting my ego. Good luck with your future endeavors.

[@coryvan5645]

As a trained art teacher, I've had many students who were frustrated they couldn't make an amazing piece of artwork the first time they used a new media. I would ask them "what does a small child learning to draw do?" They would respond, "The child scribbles." I would then tell them that "every time we learn a new skill, we have a scribble stage. So of course it isn't going to look as we expect because we are still learning." That seemed to help people realized that the scribble stage is an important part of the learning process. Thanks for your video Madam Hay!

[@sweetiedahling8137]

As someone who’s just picked up her childhood love of drawing again in her 30’s and has been quite frustrated with the results: that is AMAZING advice! Seeing it as an essential stage & not failure is so helpful. Thank you so much for sharing that with us.

[@coryvan5645]

You’re welcome Sweetie Dahling. I’m glad my words helped you!

[@rubynibs]

@Cory Van Zytveld "Scribbling"? Scribbling. Yes, _scribbling_. SCRIBBLING! YES! Thank you!

[@coryvan5645]

@ruby nibs yes!!!!! Keep on scribbling!

[@coryvan5645]

@sweetie dahling! Also, Good for you for picking it up again. So many children stop making art because they “can’t draw” which translated means “I’m having a hard time drawing realistically” (preteens reach the “want to draw realistically stage” of development, but without the training and patience to do it so many people stop drawing at this age). As a result so many adults will tell you that they aren’t artists because they can’t draw! What they forget is that many great artist don’t need to or are good at drawing. Kind of a tangent but wanted to let you know, I’m proud of you for getting back into it.

[@K_rye]

I'm a librarian and one of my duties is helping patrons use our computers (or at least was before the plague). I frequently heard people telling me that they were stupid for not knowing how to use one. I would tell them that the only reason that I know a little more than them is that I use them everyday and have for decades. Most people are more capable than they think they are. It's the ones that think that they know everything that are scary. I am definitely one who gets paralyzed by the fear of failing. I had not sewn in years, but decided to make masks for the family this spring. I was surprised how difficult it was to cut out that fabric. I was terrified of making a mistake. I watched a video over and over again and read the very limited instructions a few times and actually made a mask that fitted to my face and looked OK. I even added the touch of sewing an ornament hanger wire into the mask to make it fit better. Then I made a few more. It's just a cotton mask, but I felt great when it was finished. Now I'm thinking about taking a sewing class.

[@barbhayes5613]

I keep reminding myself "No one is BORN knowing this stuff." I've even said that to people who try to shame me for asking a seemingly (to them) simple question. Everyone learned this (whatever) at some point in time; I know I have a good brain, there is no reason I can't learn it as well.

[@Thelmageddon]

Yes!! I was in my *thirties* before I started looking at people I knew who had learned to knit or crochet or sew or embroider, and say to myself, "Well if *they* can learn to do it, *I* certainly can!"

[@kitkatchunky93]

I've never sewn fabric before (I'm married to a leatherworker), but we decided to make a Regency petticoat in the week leading up to CoCoVid. It wasn't going to be perfect & that was OK. I made a mistake with the spacing of the pintucks, & decided I preferred the mistake. It's still not finished, but soon I'll have a petticoat for my Napoleonic kit 😊

[@PauliEvansBlack617]

While I was watching I remembered this quote: “I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me.” I think that my own expectations have often gotten in the way of my improvement, but truly that example with the baby was perfect :) I should celebrate what I do instead of berating myself for every single thing I perceive as wrong.

[@zanbudd]

This really resonated with me also!

[@kpacubo.]

Wow! Love the quote

[@mllemelocoton8272]

This video comes on the right moment I’m 34 and I’m turning my career around and I’m a beginner again and I feel so unsafe, insecure... so scared! Thanks for this!

[@ellenuttmark7946]

I feel this! I just turned 31 and just went back to school... it's terrifying. We've got this though!

[@peggyr9623]

@@ellenuttmark7946 I went back to school at 28 to finish my BSW. I had the time of my life. I was focused with my goal in mind. I wouldn't have been able to do that at 19. I was able to appreciate what I was doing and the empowering feeling it gave me knowing I was accomplishing my goal. You will do this!!!

[@peggyr9623]

Look over the things you have accomplished in your life so far. Write them down and I mean every thing (!), tape them to the bathroom mirror and congratulate yourself on those accomplishments each morning. Puts things in perspective. You have made it each day in those 34 years and there were times it was not easy but you did it. You found a way to get through that time and make it to the next day, the next week, month and year. Use that feeling of accomplishment and self awareness in taking on this new career path!!

[@philippatill9727]

We believe it you! You can do it! (I started my business 3yrs ago and encouragement from random strangers can be very uplifting!)

[@mllemelocoton8272]

wandering Inge oh my god thanks so much!!!! That comment just made my day! I officially changed career today and I was feeling quite overwhelmed, so please I read your comment! Little gestures like this make me day brighter and lighter!

[@Emily-vp8dz]

I went through fashion school, I legit thought I was going to have to quit after one week when I couldn't even figure out how to operate the industrial machines. It's just a matter of attempting at something you don't understand enough times until it starts to make sense.

[@evestone5361]

OMG, it was the computer program for graphic design. A month my instructor worked with me, then bingo, the lights turned on. Got my associates any several completion awards for designs and photography. Then I couldn't get a job in the field and worked a non design job for 20 years. Totally confused by computers again, so back to basics. But will learn again, to use it for resources to do my own thing for me and my wardrobe. So a crazy circle to be a beginner again at 63. 😁

[@shenenigans2037]

I think my best beginner story is about me and ballet. I took a few ballet classes as a kid, but I wasn't able to keep doing it, even though I would've liked to, and I kind of forgot about it. Well, two moves and around seven years later, I suddenly found myself in a position where I could take classes again. I got started, and boy, was I bad. I was twice the age of my classmates, with half the experience, and I felt like I was the worst dancer ever. I wasn't flexible, I didn't know more than the barest of basics, and I was in an intermediate class, to make matters worse, because I was too old for the beginner classes. But I kept doing it. I would go right when we were supposed to go left, struggle through barre going at half speed, and in the wrong pattern, I would use the wrong arms, and look at my feet, and generally struggle. But I'd ask questions. I'd go home and look up anything I could, and practice again and again. I was bad, but I was stubborn. And slowly, slowly, I began to improve. Two years later, I'm still usually the worst in the room, but I give it all I can, I apply all the feedback I'm given, and I get there. I still go the wrong way a lot, and use the wrong foot, but I'm still here, and learning. I remember having a breakthrough moment a few months ago, when a friend wanted me to help her learn some ballet. I would look at myself dancing, and actually see someone who knew what they were doing! I would do 6 or 7 chainé turns, and then remember that I could barely do three without falling over a year ago. I would do steps, and realize that those steps I was doing without really thinking, were steps I could barely execute at all just a few months prior. I wasn't perfect, certainly, but I was so much better than I ever expected to be. One thing I really didn't realize until that moment was that, through having to be corrected time and time again, and through listening to everyone else's notes, I had learned how to teach. I could tell what wasn't right, and how to fix it, while still knowing how it feels to not get it. It made me a much more compassionate teacher. Being a good beginner gave me skills many dancers never have, and that's something I'm really proud of. So yeah, that's my story!

[@SweetyKimmo]

I have to remind myself that projects won’t end up as I hope when I’m just starting out but that I can always do a project again. That my first pair of pants won’t be perfect but that I can always make a second one that still won’t be perfect but will probably be better!

[@astertea5187]

I read something recently in a book about kids and resilience that seems to me to be applicable to all of us, in that we don't often get taught to enjoy the process of learning, rather it's taught as a chore that you have to get through in order to achieve the shiny thing at the end. We say things like 'oh that looks too difficult for you, why don't you try this easier thing instead' and celebrate when something has come easily to them. Instead we could say 'oh that seemed really easy for you, lets try this harder thing to give you more of an enjoyable challenge.' It flips that idea on it's head of 'you're no good because you're a beginner and haven't yet achieved excellence' into 'you're a beginner - how wonderful that you're taking on this new challenge and learning something new or developing your skills!'

[@jeka8826]

Ooh, I really like that! We used to learn things for fun before that got trained out of us.

[@pheart2381]

Just remember as beginners,noone is standing over you with a stopwatch. Its your own journey. Making my own blouse and finishing it and trying it on was a milestone in my beginnership. Very satisfying!

[@bronwyndiperi6696]

From Ira Glass: "Nobody tells people who are beginners - and I really wish somebody had told this to me - is that all of us who do creative work … we get into it because we have good taste. But it’s like there’s a gap, that for the first couple years that you’re making stuff, what you’re making isn’t so good, OK? It’s not that great. It’s really not that great. It’s trying to be good, it has ambition to be good, but it’s not quite that good. But your taste - the thing that got you into the game - your taste is still killer, and your taste is good enough that you can tell that what you’re making is kind of a disappointment to you, you know what I mean? A lot of people never get past that phase. A lot of people at that point, they quit. And the thing I would just like say to you with all my heart is that most everybody I know who does interesting creative work, they went through a phase of years where they had really good taste and they could tell what they were making wasn’t as good as they wanted it to be - they knew it fell short, it didn’t have the special thing that we wanted it to have. And the thing I would say to you is everybody goes through that. And for you to go through it, if you’re going through it right now, if you’re just getting out of that phase - you gotta know it’s totally normal."

[@lunarose9]

I feel like I was a really good beginner at crochet because I kind of became obsessed with beautiful yarn over night. I picked up the basics pretty fast and I didn't mind pulling out my work because I was just so happy to have lovely yarn in my hands and the idea of being able to make soft fluffy beautiful works of art. It was low stakes because anything I messed up with could be undone very easily or corrected later in the work with ease. I am now so obsessed with yarn 5 years later I have started spinning and I am going to start a degree in knitwear in September. The funny thing is, despite being now quite proficient, I still prefer he really beginner patterns because I prefer to have simple repeating stitches, because I can work from muscle memory and do something else like listen to the radio, which I can't do with a really complicated pattern.

[@marthahawkinson-michau9611]

I soooo get that. I also love doing really simple beginners level patterns. It’s amazing to when I can just get into a rhythm of crocheting and get out of my own head a little. The one crochet project that I was most proud of was a laundry basket that I made for my little sister’s new baby. Absolutely nothing but straight single crochet. One. Stitch. At. A. Time. And I made a laundry basket large enough to hold a bushel of laundry. In two weeks time. I really should have paced myself more and taken more time to make it, as I also had horrible hand pain for three weeks after, but we all learn at our own pace, eh?

[@natekrogel2179]

First off, you are amazing! When I first started historic fencing week after week I would practice the moves and practice and practice til my arms and feet were in sync (I am the clumsiest person ever) and I didn't have to think about where my plastic practice sword was supposed to go for each move. Then one day a few weeks in my instructor said "ok today you are going to spar with Nathan" (I had watched Nathan in competitions before and he was amazing) and my immediate response was "oh no im not nearly that good" but he tossed me a helmet and a metal sparring sword. I stepped into the circle scared out of my mind, but then my muscles took over and my brain went into "whats his stance? OK hes in X stance so he's going to strike with X strike" and then hs did and i parried without even thinking about it. After about 5 minutes of back and forth I landed my first strike and almost jumped out of my skin! For so long I had seen people sparring and exchanging blows and thought "I'd never be that good" or "it will take me years to get to that level" but then I was in the circle and I did the thing and realized "I'm only ever going to get better by sparring with people better than me!" It was this amazing "Ahah!" Moment. And now im taking those lessons into the sewing room and applying them there.

[@marissahartshorn7049]

Cathy, I wish I'd seen this years ago when I was still studying ballet in New York. I was certainly not a beginner by the time I got there, but I had worked so hard for so long (15 hours a day, 6 days a week since I was 9...) That I was so, so tired. For every thing I got right I ground down harder on myself because it wasn't ALL right, that I entirely burned myself out. I wish I had the advice to find inspiration to keep going and to reward myself. But even now as I painstakingly fell stitch every seam on this stupid 18th century men's shirt (thanks Bernadette Banner) I've sat here and watched your videos about the Peacock gown and dreamt of the beautiful things I want to make in the future. All while you kept me company. So thank you Cathy, for being a fantastic mentor.

[@hazelmeldrum5860]

When I retired I knew that my current hobbies were sedentary so I took up walking and walking more than a few miles was difficult, a year later we had new people in our group and they were looking up to me as a good walker. and I realised how comfortable I was walking 10 miles plus, I also took up bowling still quite bad at that but it is enjoyable.

[@TheEdiya]

I was also about to make a walking analogy - when I set out to walk a marathon, I cannot think at the start "have to go this whole distance," I have to think first about the first 100 steps (did I actually manage to put my shoes on correctly? still an issue to check), and then the first mile, and hour, and so on... The further ahead I look, unless it is for the sake of pacing, the more futile it seems. Walking has helped me so much to come to so many of the same conclusions for life that Cathy was talking about. It's fun to celebrate the small victories, to have a goal, but to be mindful of the present task at hand. As a teacher, it's something I have to remind myself in a similar manner - both in regards to myself, to teachers with more or less experience, and to students. Those a-ha moments are grand. Admittedly, sometimes it's the kids who never seem to have them and are in the bottom half of the class, yet still, consistently, plugging away that I privately cheer for the most.

[@annetteandhercrafts]

@9:36 Cathy being an encouraging mum is MOOD and I'm here for it. DO THE THING! And keep on learning while doing the thing. I want to be a beginner all my life in the sense that I want to have the humility to know that there will always be someone who knows more than me, and that I can learn something from anyone. And if others see me as that person, I want them to feel encourage. :-) ♥♥♥

[@emma.squire]

Much needed video, thank you! I've debated getting into sewing for months now and finally bought some of my first materials yesterday with a small (hopefully beginner) project in mind. I have virtually 0 sewing experience, but I learned and tried to do a back stitch by hand on a family member's project and really liked it and was pretty proud of myself (though it wasn't straight). I have a long road of being a beginner ahead of me, but I hope I can be a good beginner.

[@Sleepeating757]

Dear Cathy, When you used the baby learning to walk allegory I had to laugh out loud. I learned how to walk really late, my parents even had to send me to ergo therapy to get me walking. I knew how to speak very well before I even learned how to walk. I used to focus on the fact that I was a very early speaker and be a little ashamed of my late walking endeavours. Your video made me look at it in a different way: I took my time with walking and needed a little help to get started but now I am as good a walker as anybody else. I was a great beginner as a baby. To new beginnings! Thank you and lots of love!

[@samiraansari5686]

Omg, I had the exact same experience with learning to walk! I could talk in full sentences pretty early on, but it took sooo long (and many hours of ergo therapy) until I was able to walk without losing balance and tripping over my own feet. I love your take on it though- it‘s true, by now I can’t all just fine. What an achievement! :)

[@mausemadchenmi7144]

I am a late walker too, but I started babbling and asking questions very early. My parents have a favorite story of me. My brother was just born, and I was feeling superior to him, so I know exactly how old I was. At 25 months of age, I told my parents (in German): „I want the Person, who‘s name starts with the letter m to change my diaper!“ I think I started walking so late, because I could tell people from a very early age what I wanted, so they would get it for me.

[@TheKatelinn]

My daughter was opposite, she walked when she was 9months old, but she didn't start talking until she was 18 months old. I was not worried about her, I knew that when she started talking, she would never stop, lol. I was right (she is 16 now ♥️)

[@hyuncho620]

3:03 Cathy, did you noticed your voice in this part was bit similar with the way you talked in your first video ( or something ) ..? Well, at least I heard so.... from your most biggest fan in Korea!! + So sorry about this awful English. 60% of this comment is Google translator...

[@m.maclellan7147]

You did very well ! :)

[@mllemelocoton8272]

Hey Olympia your English is great! Google or not! 😘

[@hyuncho620]

@@m.maclellan7147 thank you very much..!! 😊

[@hyuncho620]

@@mllemelocoton8272 thanks!!!

[@IngerWinkelmann]

I love your videos (and your voice), they're so helpful to tackling the challenge that is life. Thank you!

[@mandipowell7797]

When Cathy Hay posts another video to add to the arsenal of "anyone but Mom" ♡ The added bonus is when your child admires Cathy Hay.

[@CathyHay]

Izzy said hi on the call last night! I remember!!

[@mandipowell7797]

Cathy, I was listening to the call driving her home from from camp. I let her watch the call so she could understand what was going on. She was enamored you replied.

[@KB-nm5rp]

As soon as I've accomplished a mini victory, I stop what I'm doing and take a break. The break times serves as a time to let the happy sink in, take a breather knowing there's far more to go, and reward myself with a snack or just the scenery of a different room (eyes need breaks too!) or some fresh air. ...And sometimes I'll watch a Cathy Hay video

[@FantasyGeek24]

One of my best beginner moments was while I was learning to set sleeves. I kept catching the the sleeve in the seam and so I had to keep going back and picking it back out and trying again. It taught me to be patient with myself and with the machine which is always handy. I got so good with sleeves that my teacher stated calling me “The Queen of Sleeves”. Not sure if I really want that monicker cause that’s a lot of pressure haha...

[@jennybrockartist]

I've always been terrible at learning languages, but wanted to use lockdown as an opportunity to re-learn and improve upon some basic Italian I used to know. So I finally installed the Duolingo app on my phone and have been doing a little bit of practice every single day, and am currently up to a 68-day streak of learning! It's so satisfying to feel my brain remembering what I used to know, and beginning to understand more vocab. I FINALLY UNDERSTAND HOW ITALIAN VERBS WORK!! Hurray :D

[@Haghenveien]

More than you're terrible at learning languages, most likely you haven't dedicated enough time to learn them. Languages take a lot of time and effort to learn them. Look at children, in spite of what we're told, they don't learn to speak effortlessly. It take them years. A five years old can speak reasonably well but they have a limited vocabulary and grammar knowledge, and they still need to learn how to write properly. And that after five years of constant practice being in constant contact with the language. But we have been made believe that dedicating a couple of hours every week in six month we should be able hold our ground in an international conference meeting. No wonder people feel like a failure when it comes to learn a language.

[@marthahawkinson-michau9611]

Huzzah!!!! I took a Spanish major in college, but then I let my brain rust for nearly ten years. Embarrassingly enough, I couldn’t carry on a conversation anymore. I also started using Duolingo, and I’ve gotten really good results from it. It’s such a good feeling to knock the rust out of the corners of my brain.

[@carolinecagle3266]

I recently unlocked the Gardening Level, and every new bud or leaf is a tiny yayyy you did it!! I practice on dying plants in the discount section of my local big box garden store, and just try to get them to survive and thrive. I don't know what I'm supposed to do A LOT.

[@francodominguez3053]

My Concept Art teacher said to me once: Yes! You’re a beginner and you’re slow and that’s why you have me here helping you and teaching you, but if this class was about creativity or absorbing culture for illustrations, I would be the one paying you to teach me.

[@DianneKargBaron]

I teach wireworking and I always encourage my students to keep the first piece they make and to put it in a place of honour. That piece is a benchmark for their creative journey, and is a reminder of the excitement they have felt in this new craft. It's a touchstone for the days when being creative hits a speed bump. ❤ I still have the very first piece I made, now 25 years later, and it's always inspiring to see how far I've come.

[@sarahwessels7020]

I took Pole Dancing lessons last year... and lets just say I was really good at failing 😎😎 And now with a little bit more honesty: i took Those classes and stopped - but not because I failed at it, but because it wasn't really my thing and i'm weirdly proud of that. I learned a lot about failing and being okay with that in those classes. 😊

[@Stettafire]

So, I hand sewed everything for years. So, my step dad kindly renovated an old singer. He did a lovely job, got the machine working great. Only today I snapped a sewing needle. I'm still not positive where I went wrong, and that not knowing, and the destroying of a lot of old sewing needles has me worried. Also, I wonder if the needle was attached correctly, or tight enough, or if it's the right or wrong needle. I'm not sure. The manual for the machine says possible causes are not using the proper needle, pulling on the fabric and using a bent needle. It's fine, I just need to figure out where I'm going wrong, but that snap didn't half make me jump!

[@marthahawkinson-michau9611]

Breaking the needle is well, shockingly normal. Yes, there might be something that you might have done wrong, but honestly sometimes the needle just breaks. Change the needle, get outside of your own head, and make something. Make something beautiful, make something useful, make something ugly. Keep making all the things. And buy more needles along the way. They break. Especially old, well worn needles break. My favorite way to break the sewing machine needle is to leave my pins in while sewing. It’s a really great way to break a needle, but I don’t recommend it for economical reasons. Even my sister, who is an excellent seamstress, will still break the needle sometimes. Honestly, sometimes the needle just breaks.

[@jasondeeley797]

This Vlog is so me at the moment, I've been sewing since I was 15 and I'm now 54, life is a funny thing, I worked hard and loved to learn and get new skills, but 3 years ago I had a mental melt down and had to be medicated and still am just not so much, what this has taught me is do what you have always wanted and try new stuff but don't let the fear get to you, foundation garments I've made but dress inner foundation is a different ball game, so there's a project. Hand sewing is a love of mine but to hand sew whole garment, yes there another whole new project, so what I'm trying to say is, your never to old and you will never know every thing but you can have a go and just relax and enjoy because that's why we are who we are "creative Sensitive people" so go and do before your to old and regret it. Jason from Stoke on Trent 🤓

[@МарияПанфилова-т7у]

Oh, I think I had my amazing beginner moment in my first year at university. It made me realize I was free to try new stuff - skies wouldn't burn, world wouldn't end, I wouldn't be expelled if I messed things up a little in the process :3 I'm doing a degree in computer science, and one of our maths exams was in conference format. I really wanted to do my presentation about Lewis Carroll's "Symbolic Logic", but uh-oh, self doubt. So next term I found the courage to ask our professor if I could do this, and he agreed! Also, he always says "there is no such thing as a stupid question" - if you're a beginner, there is no need to be ashamed if you don't understand something )

[@jasminnyack1724]

Thank you, I am a beginner, and it's hard when things don't work out when i don't have a lot of money and I have to learn how to do a lot of adjustments that aren't in patterns very quickly. So I appreciate this video a lot.

[@mgansworth78]

Everything you said in this is so true. My Dad always said Practice, practice, practice! I am 42 years old and have been doing beadwork on and off now since I was 20. In my opinion it's such a unique experience going thru the learning process it would be a shame to skip being a beginner. I am proud of my work now but it's taken me a long time to get here. What a strange thought, would we feel the same about our work if it was possible to skip the learning process and just be amazing right away ??

[@newtlewis1798]

I'm an aspiring author, and I've gone through my fair share of beginner struggles. I've been writing, probably since I could pick up a pencil, and yet I always saw my improvement as minimal. I never saw anything I could be proud of because I was so blinded by these works of fiction that authors who had been at it for years had created. I'm not going to be that great at writing at 12 years old. In fact, when I compare myself, there are so many things to improve on, I commonly get overwhelmed, and shut down. However, as I write and as I see the sentences slowly become a story that paints a picture in someone's mind, I remember why I wanted to write for my career. It brings me so much joy to read books, to escape into a world where I'm not concerned about my family's financial situation, or whether I'm going to get shoved into a locker tomorrow at school. I want to be able to be that form of comfort to others. As I've gone through my trials and errors, even though I'm still a child, I've learned that all of the mistakes I make, and all of the times I get so frustrated I want to throw my computer across my room, are worth what the end result will be. I want to be great at writing. I don't need to be the next C.S. Lewis or J.K. Rowling to be a good author, and that's what so many people don't realize. Even if you aren't a huge celebrity, or making millions, you can still be amazing at something and help people. It all starts with being an amateur, a novice who knows nothing about what to do, but the important part is that you persevere through the struggles.

[@jimbrittain402]

I'm 66, and just starting. I'm making a lot of crap... but each bit is better crap, or at least different crap, than last time. I've got an idea for a project that I just can't bring myself to get started on. Maybe I need to just admit that the first one might suck, and I can make another later. Thanks for permission to be awful.

[@yarncurator]

“You’re allowed to be back at when you start,” 💯. You’re even allowed to be bad and make mistakes when your experienced 😂. We are life long learners on this journey. 💛

[@JinxyCat]

Thank you, Cathy. One of my favorite sayings is, "Have the courage to suck at trying something new today."

[@valery7363]

I know nothing about sewing or have anything more than a vague interest on it, but as an aspiring writer these tips are still really precious and inspiring. Thank you ♥️

[@starrdate877]

Cathy, I love you so much. I need you following behind me every minute of my day, just encouraging me and telling me how great I am doing at life. You are an exquisite person.

[@stamatinaf.6760]

Can I just say thank you for your words.... They count for more than just sewing

[@galaxysprinkles1573]

I think one thing that has really helped me out is learning about things that are technically abovemy skill level. I've gone through books and watched videos and read articles about garments and techniques that I know I won't be able to create or use *yet*, but it still helps because it sharpens my mind and my skills where I am now. It also pushes me forward and up without me realizing it until after I suddenly did something quite neat that I didn't know I could do! :D

[@mnels5214]

100% my experience, too

[@Absintheskiss]

I will never forget that lovely coffee we had in Costa, all those years ago. You were telling me about how you wanted to move on from sewing commissions, when YWU was an idea. I am so proud if how far you have come since then.

[@head_huntress]

I love how encouraging this video is! The part where you use encouraging a baby as an example made me laugh so hard. You remind me of some of my college professors and it's a familiar, nostalgic feeling. Thank you Cathy!!

[@lindapesnell5723]

❤️Wonderful Advice Thank You❤️

[@ploefff]

what a wonderful video. Ted talks can't do it any better

[@danad.7392]

I just started this path in sewing and costuming and I'm a complete beginner at 34. Your video made me feel a lot more confident. Thank you!

[@becauseitscookies]

I recently decided I wanted to finally give crocheting a try, so I picked up a crochet hook and found a lovely lady on youtube who explained and showed it in a way I've never been shown it before. I had that "Aha!" moment because it was explained so simple and I could see exactly what she was doing, compared to when I've been shown previously and given up because my previous teachers have just raced ahead and not been able to explain it in a way that just made sense to me. I made a tiny little "test" piece and felt extremely proud of myself. Sure it was a tiny little piece that can't be used for anything, but I made it, the stitches looked very nice(at least to me) and I felt encouraged and inspired to keep going at it, having little goals of things I wanted to do in the future. The day after I learned how to make little circles, which again could be looked at as a small, not impressive thing, but I never was able to do that. Now I can. I use coasters I've crocheted myself now, how cool is that? Keeping my table clean and safe from my glasses, and also displaying a sort of art that I made? After I'd made that first little piece, I went to visit my mother(at 11:30PM) just to show her what I'd done all by myself. She's still my biggest cheerleader and was very, very supportive. Now, because of that little spurt of inspiration, I'm in the process of getting the crafts room of my dreams. I can't tell you how excited this little piece of crocheting that I did made me, but I have it framed and on my wall, simply to remind me of what I was able to start and do.

[@marthahawkinson-michau9611]

Keep working on it! You will definitely keep improving the more you keep going. I’ve been crocheting for decades now, and there are still lots of techniques that I’m absolutely rubbish at. I mean, I’d love to make beautiful, intricately delicate pieces of lace, but the reality is that those patterns are also insanely complex, and I have yet to complete any lacework pieces. The project that I’ve been the most proud of myself for making was a bushel sized laundry basket. The stitches it used were the most basic, single crochet, chain stitch, and the odd slip stitch. I emptied out most of my stash in the process too. The best part was the feeling of pride I had when I finally bound off the last stitch wove the end in for the last time. Keep working at it. You will get to the point where you amaze yourself if you keep going.

[@sweetiedahling8137]

That’s exactly how I started crocheting too! Being able to pause & rewind YT videos is so helpful. I tend to get obsessed with a different craft every couple of months thought so I haven’t actually haven’t picked up a crocheting needle it in a long time, but just learning the basics of a new skill is so satisfying. Oh and I’ve also made so, so many coasters 😄

[@evestone5361]

Yes, the"Aha" moment when the lights turn on. I love seeing or feeling that. Love your insight and advice, my son shares a 🏠 w/me and he's my cheerleader.

[@inas3993]

I finished my first dress recently and I am so proud. Turning 52 today and still start learning new things like playing the bodrhan (a drum in traditional Irish music). It's an adventure to start something.

[@CathyHay]

Happy Birthday Ina!

[@inas3993]

Thank you,@@CathyHay​. Last year, I was not sewing, now I am. It's definitely an enrichment. I am looking forward to your future videos. :-)

[@ninasmith5245]

As a beginner there Is so much out here that you can learn from

[@cedarwriter26]

When I first learned to crochet in college, from my grandmother, I only knew one stitch. It wasn't great, and my scarves were very wavy, but it was a scarf and it was crocheting. And a friend of mine in college got excited by this and wanted me to teach her. She took that one stitch I managed to teach her (backwards, because I was left-handed) and went on for years, making amigurumi animals and things that I never learned. Sometimes your one little beginner thing that you're not even good at will excite someone else to try.

[@nowa1277]

'You can do it too!' I'm going to start cheering for myself like I would for a toddler trying to walk ❤️

[@julknet]

Is it just me or is her voice stronger than usual?

[@PaleLady]

💗💗 I just love all your videos and your personality. I've noticed in your more recent videos you've started to sound more and more like you and I'm just so happy to see you becoming more comfortable 😊😊

[@adelecharue5215]

For me, the first time i felt like a good beginner is when i actually started my first ever dress (modern), after doing only little projects that doesn't request a lot of skills and precision. I procrastinated it for so long because I was too afraid to fail... And then I heard Noelle saying DO THE THING... and just started, and took my time along the way. Even if the dress didn't come out perfect, I was still (and am still) so proud of myself!

[@DodiTov]

Adele? Did you ever stop to consider that "innovations in sewing" were actually mistakes that someone decided to own? The high-low hem springs to mind...a typical bad pattern hem. Who knows? You might be the next high fashion designer with your own "innovation"!!!

[@petawatson5120]

"Do the thing!" Is perfect - especially when coupled with Matthew Chlamers do it with stuff that doesn't matter. Make it out of something that doesn't matter - old sheet, tablecloth, old curtains - that way if you do screw it up - you haven't screwed up $$ of nice fabric.

[@Carmen-nq8ex]

I started sewing again last year, after a long hiatus. I was rubbish. Couldn't remember things, cracked it and chucked it in. Started again...again this year. Calmly, more relaxed and determined to have fun and I am. I ask questions, watch tutorials (just discovered you tube!) and just plod along.

[@anabella8028]

I think everything you said it’s very important! Everybody has to start somewhere! When I started sewing I couldn’t even thread the machine! And now I sell my creations Online! We gotta be kinder with ourselves... life is a constant learning! Happy sewing everybody! :-)

[@AllThePeppermint]

I NEEDED this video! My guy and I are trying to work on my skill and ability to encourage myself, "be your own cheerleader." I was diagnosed with ADHD the month I turned 30. I'm 32 and still learning about this neurological disorder. One of the things I recently learned is that it seems ADHD brains (unknown if this applies to all ADHD diagnoses, or just a percentage) do not have enough norepinephrine and dopamine receptors. These are the reward hormones, so not having enough receptors for me oftentimes means I need to consciously and purposefully dwell on what I accomplished, maybe even journal it, because the "reward sensation" in my brain is so short and fleeting that I cannot remember how it feels to accomplish a task or goal. Sometimes I've even forgotten altogether that I accomplished a difficult task or goal because I may even feel neutral about having done it. Consciously I know I should feel good about having done it, and yet... While it can seem like a drawback to know I have ADHD, having an explanation for why I struggle in so many different areas actually helps empower me to know they're connected and there are potential solutions. It is also massively empowering to know the answer is not merely that I am lazy, unmotivated, etc., etc. My boyfriend and I share a 3 bedroom house. We each have our own room, then the master is our bedroom. He has experience as a psych nurse, and has wonderful organizational skills. I want to be organized, but don't know how besides just throwing everything away. My amazing guy has been helping me organize my room. Whenever I exhibit signs of getting overwhelmed, or if I've been working for a long stretch, he pauses to hug and kiss me, reassure me and calm me so that I wouldn't give up or lose progress. If I couldn't keep my focus on which task to prioritize, he would direct my focus for me. Thanks be to God, because of him, my room is almost organized enough I can actually start making my first sewing projects in the coming months! I can't wait!

[@annabelsimmons6314]

Thank you Cathy, you’re so right! I understand this is weird (from comments others have made) but I love putting in sleeves! I started sewing at Christmas and so far they have gone really well or corrected easily and it’s the bit I look forward to. However, getting a hem straight is going to take more practice!

[@DodiTov]

Here's a trick that might help you out...baste the raw edge. Seems stupid, but the basting can pull to adjust that weird bit of pucker without making the whole hem go wonky. Pin the seams first, then adjust from there. Home Economics, 1963.

[@SerenityVonSavage]

I have crippling self-doubt. It's been written on University assessments "Required too much supervision" because when I would always check and recheck with my supervisor that I was doing everything right before moving on to the next step. I was briefly studying Handcraft Tailoring and had one of my tutors stop me from asking and instead said "What would you do next?" I told her what I thought, thoroughly expecting to be told that was all wrong, but she just looked at me and said "See! You know more than you think you know." That sentence has gotten me through a lot of muddles. Not enough, but many. Working on it again. I'm going to get there some how.

[@debralunnen3378]

I always love listening to you and learning !! Your voice is better ! I love the softness and whisper aireness, Everywhere is SO Loud ! Ok I haven’t the time to explain However watching this during a break given to myself, you’ve inspired me and to remind me to be kind and gentle to ME. I’m trying to learn to clean my home, organize it and Bless it as it gives and does so much for me and my Family. Thank you. Love from Debra in California USA 🌻

[@Beautyonthebrain_]

I have NO experience in woodworking, but I just finished & placed the top of my custom sewing table. I made LOTS of mistakes & it is far from perfect. I’m thrilled it’s done, I learned a lot, now I can carry on to being a beginner at something else.

[@mrhyand6258]

I got my first job as an apprentice pattern maker while still in school in Cleveland, Ohio. I worked two years there. I moved to a better paying job and better quality garments. I got married and moved to New Jersey, to work in New York. My first 10 jobs I was fired after a short time.(Days) Each time I picked myself up and went to another interview. I had to make a pattern to get the job., but I was using their paper and fabric and seamstresses to sew my garments so I learned "Factory methods" by failing. I opened my own shop and sewed wedding dresses and sold Vintage clothing for three years. I could pay the rent but that's about all. It was fun, and I learned a lot. When I went back to NY I landed a job with Calvin Klein doing the Collection ! I had learned draping and sewing, so I could fake my way into any interview and get the job! I did well there and so it just goes to show failing is educational! Love you videos!

[@wendyflores1092]

Your dance story is delightful, please keep dancing when the pandemic is over, you're right, you can feel others people feelings.

[@elizabethcoggins-hill3219]

Cathy - thank you. You are inspirational! I'm a crap yoga practitioner (my back does weird things at times), I'm an ok-ish sewer, but a dodgy pattern adjuster. I enjoy working on Regency, Late-Victorian and Edwardian patterns - you could say that it's thanks to my part in the opera chorus in the Opern Akademie in Bad Orb (Germany), that got me into historical patterns & sewing. I love your videos, as it reminds me that it's ok to be mature, a learner and invested in something that others see as weird and not "mainstream". We are each on our own journey. ps love the peacock dress stuff... and hope it gets finished

[@sparklemotion8377]

I save all the old clothes and bed linen to 'practice' Then buy expensive fabric and get so excited I forget about the sheets Now I have many ruined projects.😁

[@sodiqstark]

Hello Cathy and all who may read this comment. I am very much new to this community and already have a since of love and appreciation for all that happens here🤩. My eyes are filled with wonder and amazement. But I do wish someone could perhaps help me. You see I'm looking for the name of the "coat/shirt" that cathy always wears over her normal white shirt but under her jacket/coat. The name escapes me and the google master is having a fun time not understanding what I mean🤦‍♀️ Love your channel Miss Cathy. H You do inspire me❤

[@gayezimhuycke]

Wow! Yes, I have started sewing again in the lockdown. I sewed as a teenager, my Mum was a gifted sewer but our teacher/student relationship was fraught with our other issues and different learning styles. So after making some masks, with my new birthday sewing machine, I decided to make a dress. I bought a simple pattern from Amazon and forged ahead. Every thing that is right and wrong about the finished dress was a wonderful learning experience. From not having a flow-y enough fabric, to attempting a “not in the pattern” scalloped hem. From ignoring interfacing to constantly trying it on and adjusting the left shoulder seam until it fit perfectly. In my career life I work with babies....so hurray! clever girl! I did it!

[@magistermurray]

This was too inspirational! Thank you for putting this up! When I was first learning to knit, I couldn't figure out why I kept getting holes in my scarf. After about three feet of a six foot scarf (riddled with random holes), it clicked! I just saw the needle going in the wrong place and I knew how to keep from doing it the next time. Form that point on, the rest of the scarf was even and had not a single missed stitch or whole. I felt so accomplished :-) I'm also thinking of starting to create my own historical costumes/garments (I like late Victorian/Edwardian stuff) and your encouragement that it's ok to be bad at something and not be very good at first is helping me to feel better about starting. Thank you!!!!

[@marnie8032]

I have always love what Ira Glass (from This American Life) has to say about being a beginner. Here is a beautiful little video of him speaking about the gap. It makes me cry every time. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXnVnn6CZ71-mac

[@christabeljoy2443]

Hi Cathy! Ok so I’ll try to keep this short, but tbh that probably won’t happen lol Hello, my name is Christabel, I am 15, and I live with a family that is not very supportive/good for my mental health which means I have quite a few mental problems and doubts in my abilitybut watching your videos have helped me tremendously in finding the light at the end of the tunnel. My dream is to become a writer and an animator, and I feel like I can do it, even though no one really supports it. I feel like when I write and draw that I am living the story of my life I have always wanted. I have always daydreamed that I was in a beautiful story, as a form of escape from my messy life, and I hope one day I can create that for others too. I have learned that i can’t chase anyone else’s dreams for my life, but I can and will do whatever I need to achieve my own. I feel like you’re like my cool aunt who believes in what I want to do lol. I know it’s kinda cheesy, but your videos are amazing pep talks to make me feel like I can achieve anything I set my mind to. Well this comment is quite long and doesn’t really make sense, but I just want to thank you for all your kind and inspiring words that help me keep going and creating :) Much love from America -Christabel

[@miraeir]

I've been hand sewing badly since I was 5 (19 years). I never learned how to use a machine without all the threads being tangled into massive knots and nothing working. I never thought I could accomplish anything because no real sewist sews by hand. Watching you and other historical KZbinrs had shown me I don't need robots, I just need to practice straight lines lol

[@lilaclurva1]

THANK YOU for giving me the push to start making videos. I love it, and it's inspired me to sew even more!

[@inanna..]

i started knitting about a year ago, teaching myself from online videos and tutorials and patterns, and i think my big moment was when i knit myself a hat that i really genuinely enjoyed wearing. it was a pattern i made myself, and it wasn't perfect, but the yarn was nice, and i loved it. and then about four months ago i knit myself my new favourite beanie, ever, and realized. huh. maybe i'm not a beginner anymore. but also, since i was teaching myself, and had nobody to judge my work, i never felt... pressured? i suppose? to be Better Than Anyone, or Good Enough For Anyone. i just had to make something and get better at making things.

[@isabellafischer3044]

My beginner moment happened a few days ago actually. I'm making a patch for my boyfriend as a present for his graduation. It's this cute lil cactus with a graduation cap on top. I've been doing cross stitch for around 3 years I believe, but embroidery was a completely different task for me, and I really wanted to do a french knot to fill in the cactus body. Now, for months, this stitch had eluded me. I absolutely could not figure it out, but the other day, after the thread just sinking through the fabric for the nteenth time, I watched another beginners embroidery video, and slowly followed the persons movements, and I did it! the stitch stayed on top of the fabric! Now, the cactus body is almost filled in, and my french knots have gotten super good, and I'm very proud of doing that one little stitch. Thank you for the inspiring video Ms. Hay. I greatly appreciate the boost of self esteem I get after watching you.

[@taraloche5578]

I'm trying to teach myself to knit. My stitches are very tight, and it's hard to get my needles through the loops and my needles feel too large and unwieldy in my small hands but... I have a square of garter stitch. It's recognizably the garter stitch and i've managed to not lose any stitches for a while! I'm proud of my square of too-tight garter stitch.

[@sharonrickson2527]

Hi Cathy, I am a beginner in sewing historic/vintage costume, but not new to sewing. I have made a few first dresses that even as a person who has sewn modern clothes for years, my venture into costume sewing is not perfect and completely new. I am so thankful to you and all those in the costuming community that make these encouraging videos about being a beginner and where tobstart. You have really helped me get the confidence and drive to start and keep trying and failing forward. To answer your question of one way in which I think I have been a good beginner, I have to tell you about the time I made my first 1920s 1 hour dress. I had no pattern and was drafting it from an article I found online from and old magazine. The armscye was drafted too short. Suffice to say, I got stuck in the dress mockup and my husband had to come and cut me out of the dress. There I was with my arms stuck in the air and the dress over my upper half of my body was just stuck. I had never drafted anything before. I didn’t even like altering patterns. But I wanted to make this dress so bad that after me and my husband had a good laugh, I vowed to conquer this simple 1920s 1 hour pattern and I did. I have since made 3. This is probably the most simple pattern to but being able to complete this dress makes me feel like I have joined the costuming community.

[@jilliandonn3528]

Oh I've actually been thinking about this lately! With starting my try at a costube channel, I've felt like I've lost all my abilities in sewing (since I've been out of practice for so long), and it reminded me of the time I was just back to ballet after my knee surgery. I could barely stand on one flat foot and kept thinking "I'm never gonna be allowed to LOOK at a pair of pointe shoes again" and felt so discouraged; but then a girl in the class offered to help me, and I had to ask her to explain one of the most basic moves in ballet and I felt so stupid, but because she showed me I was able to get it back in my muscle memory - and it gave me a new approach to everything else I was having trouble with. It was a humbling experience that reminded me that being a beginner isn't bad, it's just HARD. xx

[@tabwatts363]

A few years ago I got selected to be the main featured dancer of the main Masquerade dance in The Phantom of the Opera. I had never had a dance lesson in my life but I got told I got the role because during the auditions I laughed and smiled while dancing. Sometimes it isn’t about the quality you produce but the quality of your overall well-being of what you do. One may be a terrible painter but if they enjoy it then why should they stop? Yet another lovely video by Cathy

[@Snomnomm]

I think a big reason I've made a switch in interest from drawing to sewing is the fact that it is so easy to compare your work to other people's but when I'm sewing and making things that are unique I don't have an example of something that is "better". With drawing I used to get frustrated cause I had ideas but they weren't translating to paper the way I wanted, I felt like I was constantly trying to imitate other artists and existing concepts. It makes me kinda sad to think if I had decided to stick with drawing and pursue a career in art I could have been really good but I quit because I felt discouraged when I looked at other people's work. Which is a shame because I wasn't bad at drawing, in fact I really like my art now but I just never knew how to view my work without seeing everything flaw and thing that I didn't like about it. So if you're feeling discouraged just remember that you won't automatically be good at everything. And its not a talent to be good at something but it is a skill that you learn. (This is very long and I'm kinda just writing this to encourage myself to not get too discouraged about my current sewing project because its not working out how I wanted it to, but if it helps anyone else then that's cool)

[@Mintleafes]

I’m a year late, but I really appreciate this video. I want to start sewing and maybe even making videos about it, but I’ve never done anything like that before. It’s comforting to know that it’s ok to be a beginner, and it’s ok to make mistakes. Thank you

[@lorrieannesilvey474]

Wish I knew how to begin being older. I am not doing my age very well. My body reminds me......😊

[@spfisterer3651]

After my first lessons in horsemanship I came home - full of enthusiasm - and tried to replicate what I 'd learned with my own horse. She reared up (stood on her hindlegs) for 3 months everytime I tried to tell her to come to a stop. To this day my sister likes to quote me for saying "today was a great day, she didn't even rear up'. That was more than 10 years ago and I Iaugh everytime someone tells me my horse is so well behaved "she must have been born that way". Nope, it took years of trial an error, lots of lessons, and lots of self-awareness to first change myself and then my horse....

[@juliaissajeva7127]

I want to learn Data Science, but I'm still only learning prerequisites to be able to learn it. I had I sneak peak into Data Science with several videos and there were a brief explanation on how to organize a report about your findings. And on the interview a few days later I was asked to analyze certain information and make a report. I followed the instruction from that video, because I had no other idea anyway and they made me an offer! I turned it down, because I didn't like the company, but the feeling was great.

[@ArawynnEveningstar]

Great advice Cathy. I posted my very first KZbin video this week. I had been wanting to start a youtube channel for years but found myself getting very discouraged watching other youtube videos feeling like I would never be that good so just didn't do it. After watching a tonne of videos during CoCoVid I finally got up the courage to do the thing and I hit publish on a video I just made. I did send the link to a dear friend to tell me her honest opinion and she said it was pretty good for my first, her 16 yr however told me everything that was wrong with it and things I needed to change to make it better. For the first time in my life I was able to take that and not get extremely upset and hurt by criticism. It was my first video and won't be as good as people that have thousands of subs and many videos under their belt. I'm still learning and it will come with practice. Pushing publish on that first video was terrifying and I know it is far from perfect but it has sparked a lot of video ideas swirling and I am excited to see where that brings me. Getting better definitely comes with practice and time.

[@lisettegarcia]

In the US Marine Corps, they say to be a great leader you have to have been a good follower. I think that is basically what you are saying here: be a good beginner so that you can give yourself the time and space to apprentice into a role, ultimately, of mastery.