Perfection VS. Excellence in Sewing and What the Great British Sewing Bee Teaches Us

I finished the Great British Sewing Bee on Thursday. Which is why I have no new trousers to show you. You see, I was so inspired by Ann's excellence I decided to go the extra mile and do french seams, which means everything takes twice as long, consequently they aren't done.
I am kind of proud of them though. I think this is only the second time I've done anything like this.

Inside of pant. You can see the only raw seam which will be
covered by the waistband. I even added seam binding.

So often we struggle with making things perfectly sewn or in the case of pants, perfectly fitted. But we never achieve it and end up dissatisfied with our work. Why? Let's take a look at perfection.

Perfection: freedom from fault or defect: flawlessness.
Ooh, no wonder we fail! Guess what guys, we're never going to be perfect. Ever. Cause we're human. Let the relief from this revelation carry you through to a blissfully creative weekend.

So if we are not supposed to strive for perfection, does this mean we get to be sewing slobs??? No, and this is where the Great British Sewing Bee comes in.

Screen shot with source

Ann won because of her superb skills. They shone from almost every creation and her unflappable calm throughout each challenge. Ann had a life time of skill building and it showed in her excellent creations.
Excellence: very good of its kind: eminently (to a high degree) good: first-class
We CAN make very good garments and sometimes we even achieve a first-class fit! Even if we are doing a superb job, often we don't realize it. At the end of the show Ann admitted winning was, "a real boost, that for all these years I've been doing something right." Apparently we still can use validation even if we've been sewing for 81 years.

In summary, what does the Great British Sewing Bee teach us? Or maybe just me.

• Skills take a lifetime to perfect. I should do my best but realize excellence takes time and skill.
• Patience and self control result in less stress and fewer mistakes.
• Learn to estimate and manage time well.
• As your skills grow, never lose sight of your fun and whimsy.

Lastly, if you ever try out for a sewing show; Sew EVERYTHING!! Make sure you've put in a zipper and made a men's shirt before! 

Everyone did such a good job and it was a beautiful program to watch. Did you see it? What did you learn from it?

I'm off to finish my trousers! Wish me luck!