Do It Yourself. I try to live by this credo. It happens naturally as a maker of art. I use my hands, experience, knowledge with a dose of experimentation to create. In the matter of life skills, I work to accomplish a certain amount of self-reliance too. I can’t replace the brakes on my car like my neighbor just did (he said it was easy — just a matter of four bolts!), but I can pick up trash along the beach to be helpful to the environment, replace a minor broken part of a toilet or phone the county to make them aware of excess roadwear from constant construction trucks rumbling through our neighborhood.
I'm sewing again. I was encouraged to practice making this pattern on material I already had in my stash. This way, I can confirm the proper fit, buff up my seamstress skills and familiarize myself with the pattern before attempting it on the newly purchased (slightly more expensive) fabric. It was great advice. I now fully trust I can successfully make another (even better).
Have you watched the new crafting competition show 'Making It" on television? I've enjoyed seeing the imagination, creativity, and variety of skills the artists unfold during each episode. Risks are encouraged; the results are incredible! A DIY attitude can be quite fulfilling. It’s satisfying to complete a project or task on my own. Sometimes it takes just the right tools and a trip to the local hardware store. Asking questions and advice from other experts helps build my own confidence so I can achieve success. And if my first attempts are not fruitful, I try to learn from the experience for the next attempt. A ‘can do’ attitude helps me become less and less fearful of failure.
Any time I receive a compliment on a sweater I've made, it feels great. I enjoy the reaction I get when I say, "I made this"! My years of stitching yarn into garments is a DIY skill that has taught me tons of lessons. If I've made a mistake, or don't like how the pattern is progressing, I will rip back the offending stitches and begin again. I know I enjoy the process of knitting just as much as completing a project. And when I finish one pattern to then begin another, I want to wear what I knit and be able to say, "I did it myself".
I’m not perfect. It’s easy to fall into complaining and wanting someone else to solve a problem without getting personally involved. But if we all take some responsibility and do our part to DIY, it benefits not only us, but the greater community. What have you done for yourself lately?