As much as I enjoy the act of sitting down and working on a fun little craft, I know my limits. I can make adorable Valentine’s day cards or bake cute treats for Halloween. I can paint an egg for Easter, and I’m capable of operating a hot glue gun. But when it comes to carving pumpkins, working with wood, elaborately decorating a cake or working with clay, I’ll be sitting those crafts out.

Thanks to the internet, however, we have endless DIY ideas at our fingertips nowadays. According to Sprout Social, Pinterest was the 15th most popular social media site in 2023 with 450 million monthly active users. 80% of pinners say that the site makes them feel positive, referring to it as a “social media oasis” compared to other similar sites. And most users aren’t simply scrolling, as 85% of them say they’ve used the platform to help them start a new project. 

As far as why Pinterest is so beloved by users, particularly Gen Z, Socially Powerful says that the site has an extremely well developed search engine. It might even be better than Google! It’s also a great platform for anyone who wants to keep up with current fashion trends, as one study found that Pinterest trends take off 20% faster than those that originate on other platforms during their first six months.

But, of course, many people choose to use Pinterest to find inspiration for projects around the house and crafts to do with their little ones. Unfortunately, however, these DIY projects don’t always go according to plan. Whether it’s a failed cake that deserves to be on Nailed It! or a carved pumpkin that looks much scarier than intended, plenty of people know the experience of creating something that doesn’t live up to the expectations that Pinterest has set.    

To gain some more insight on this topic from a crafting expert, we reached out to Brandy Nelson, creator of the Gluesticks blog, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. First, we wanted to know if most of the crafts we see on Pinterest are actually possible for the average person to complete.

“I think the majority of craft and DIY projects can be done by anyone! We live in a day and age where you can figure out how to fix your clothes dryer by watching a YouTube video,” Brandy shared. “Sometimes things can get lost in translation, so it’s important to find a thorough tutorial. I tend to look for links on Pinterest that not only provide a tutorial, but also step by step photos AND a video because I’m a visual learner.”

When it comes to common mistakes people tend to make when embarking on a DIY project, Brandy says that reading through the entire article or post is crucial before beginning any project. “I’ve made that mistake many times,” she admits. “Starting recipes before making sure that I have all of the ingredients, or not buying the right supplies for a DIY project because I only glanced at the supply list. I do not recommend substituting items or skipping steps unless you are an expert!"

The expert also shared some tips for any readers out there who want to get started crafting. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Most of my first craft and sewing projects looked wonky or ended up in the trash,” Brandy says. “My sweet husband pulled many out of the trash and set them aside because he knew I’d eventually calm down and have the patience to work on them someday. He was right.”

“Taking a break and working on [a craft project] a few days later worked out in my favor a few times,” Brandy added. “I learned from my mistakes and am now to a point where I can recreate the projects that I see on Pinterest. If everything is easy, you won’t learn. So dig in, get messy, make a mistake or two and grow your skills!”

If you’re looking for a project to start today, be sure to visit the Gluesticks blog!

If you have a knack for starting DIY projects that never turn out how you expected them to, Our Home Made Easy has a few explanations for what might be going wrong with your crafts. First, they note that many people tend to underestimate the amount of work these projects take. We don’t allow ourselves enough time, or we quit before we’re finished because we’re in over our heads. To avoid this, be sure that you understand the requirements of the project before starting, and don’t work under tight deadlines.   

It’s also easy to start a project without realizing what skills are necessary to complete it. If you don’t have a sewing machine or you haven’t used yours in a decade, creating your child’s Halloween costume from scratch might be an incredible challenge. Our Home Made Easy notes that sometimes it’s best to simply outsource labor or pay someone to have a project done, such as tiling your home, if you’re not confident doing it yourself. 

Are you feeling inspired to whip out your hot glue gun and get crafting this weekend, pandas? Or are you convinced that these DIY projects should be left to the experts? Regardless of how you feel, we hope you’ve enjoyed scrolling through these fails. And if you’d like to check out another list from Bored Panda featuring unfortunate attempts at DIY projects, look no further than right here!