At what point do you just give up?

I consider myself a pretty experienced sewist but I still find myself frustrated with my workmanship sometimes, even on a simple piece of cotton print. But you can only take a seam out and resew it so many times before it's just going to fray to pieces in your hands! I'm trying to decide if I take out a seam for the third try or if I just leave it at this point. Ack!

What about you? How many times will you do the same spot over? Do you give up entirely and cut out a new piece or do you just live with the best you can do?

I know how you feel! Sometimes it helps to just set a frustrating project aside for a week or two and when you do pick it up again, everything falls into place.

I have a hard time giving up. I keep thinking of all the time and energy I've already put into it and it makes me want to finish it. I hardly every stop and "give-up", but I do have projects that I still need to finish. I simply put them on the back burner until I have enough energy to tackle it again.

Me too Irene. I ripped it out and sewed it again!

I started some jeans for my son months ago and they didn't work out how I had expected and I just put them away thinking there was no way to fix them. A few weeks ago I was able to turn them into overalls for his Halloween costume. I was so glad not to have that time wasted!

I admit to having more than a few projects that have never been finished and may never get finished. I think I just need to cut them up into something else.

Ah- the ol' jean... I've been a little jean crazy lately. I would really love to sew up a beautifully fitting jean, but it will be just for me. I've been doing alot of online oogling over people's creations and never knew the craze that exists for a hand sewn, perfectly fitting and worn pair. It's a whole new world!

I guess I'd want to ask what provokes you to rip out the seam...

Is it crooked, is it puckered, is it too wide or narrow?  There's solutions to most of these problems, so what sets the stage for the ripper?

Dru,

I was dealing with four layers and a fairly narrow seam. I know that the best thing to do would have been to hand baste to get the layers all lined up correctly but I was lazy and I paid for it. I was probably tired too. It was the sort of thing that I can do very well 9 times out of 10 without basting. So most of the time I wouldn't unless it is a particularly fine or slippery fabric. I guess I just wanted to whine about it! 

I have to be honest and say three is my max - at that point I tend to be so frustrated that I surrender.

Although, putting a project down for a bit really helps as well.

Oh my goodness..this was me a week before the gift-giving day, and I was sewing an APRON!!!  What should have taken 4 hours took 2 days!!  I was almost crying by the third time ripping out a seam, and yes, it was fraying and all the other ugly stuff.  So I zigzagged it!! and it looked fine (for most folks, that would be "great"..I'm a perfectionist) and I finished and I hated that artsy apron and the recipient loved it and....never again.

Christine

Chiming in a little late, but...

When I feel like I'm taking more stitches out than I'm putting in, and getting irritated about it, I put it down.  A lot of times I'll just then make something - anything - small & simple, to see a quick "instant gratification" kind of result, and feel better about myself.   

Twice. ;-) After that, I figure I'll just call it "charming."

Great question...
When I can't stand to look at the project anymore and I don't know what to do with it, I just put it down.

I pick it up when I work out in my mind, why I'm frustrated and what I can do about it.

Sometimes, it really helps to show it to someone else who knows about sewing and ask their honest opinion.

If they saw scrap it-you probably should use the fabric for another project.

Some of the best things I have ever made, came out of running into some difficulties.

You know what they say about necessity being the mother of invention...

Hope that helps!!!

:)Elaine

I always ask myself "Can I live with the way it looks?".  If not, then I'll just keep tearing out the seams and sewing it back up until I'm satisfied.

My quilting friends around here call your situation a time for a "design decision" - instead of ripping it out again or giving up, consider what else might be done (other than what the pattern calls for) that would make it an interesting garment/product. Would an applique look nice in the area of the "oops" - how about a row or two of bias trim or ric-rac  stitched in the area...with all the items on the market now, there are always ways to improve on that the pattern calls for and who's to know that your custom look is all because you were too frustrated to rip and re-sew....again!

 :-\Well glad to see I am not the only one whom gets frustrated with sewing sometimes.  Yes, I, too like the many others posted on here, set it down and come back.  Half the time though I rethink the design and try another way to hide my imperfection(s) and move on.  Patience is really hard for me as well and I want to see the end result---NOW not LATER! 

So hang in there and take a breath, scream if needed and then move on!!!