I had the disconcerting event of sitting at my machine yesterday to continue working on a cincher, that, when I left the work last week, I felt mighty proud of. (Such a lovely busk and stitches, sweet this/that/the other.) I was busy with other, non-corset, client work all week, and when I came back to my corset to pick up where I left off, I felt as though I'd never stitched a day in my life. It was as if the woman who made the first part was inspired, intelligent and polished, but the woman who picked the work back up was amateur, as best. I put it down and stopped, before I did any more damage. I know we all have off days, but when I have so much work to do, why is that I can't always easily replicate my own highest level? So annoying. Does anyone else have this problem?

I often feel like my theory outpaces my ability. I've done so much research and read so many dress diaries and blogs, and I give a lot of fitting and construction advice over at Corsetmakers - but I don't really have the space or the money to be sewing all the time. So when I actually sit down to make something myself, it can be scary to cut into my special fabric or try a technique I've read about but never done.

Not quite the same, but it can be quite paralyzing.

Yes! I do too. I get on a roll, everything is perfect and then I take a few days off, come back and it's like stepping back a few years lol I usually take a break a re-focus, sometimes practice what I'm doing on some scrap and then everything starts to get back in the groove

Re: Learning some theory - This particular disparity has lead me to cut and / or plan at least 20 corsets, all laying around my work room. What's helped is starting a note's sheet on *why* I made the selections on fabric, style, and technical choices that I did and leaving the notes wrapped up with the work. I use muslin to wrap all my goodies for each project, and put them in left-over shirt gift boxes in an attempt to cut down on my mess. I can't recommend cutting so far in advance because: Sometimes it's lead me to learning something really cool, then returning to earlier work and realizing that whatever I was attempting isn't going to work the way I thought it might. I get more nervous cutting coutil than silk. Silk is readily available, good coutil is harder to come by and actually more expensive, at least here.

I like your smilely! Often, my frustration feels like the end of the world! I also have begun to use warm-ups before I go back into my work to get around this problem. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Warmups are a very good idea. I use them for drawing, there's no reason I wouldn't for sewing as well.