Sunday, March 4, 2012

The Stuff of Nightmares


I spent all week working on these.  

No, scratch that.  I've spent numerous hours of precious sewing time working on these for the past month.  I have muslined-- multiple times, in fact.  I have tweaked.  I have trimmed.  I have refined.
Then, I sewed like a demon.  Seven, maybe eight hours of sewing time.  I underlined.  I top stitched.  I bar-tacked.
[cue ominous music]

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Let this be a lesson to you all.  Do not use cheapo fabric.  Do not use a pattern against your better judgement (Butterick 5683).  Do not press forward when your instincts tell you it's not going to work.

I'm not going to go in to too much detail about these.  It's too terrifying.  I'll only point out a few flaws.  See that twisty leg?  Yep.  Pretty sure that's a byproduct of crappy, off grain fabric (just because it's three dollars a yard doesn't mean you should buy it...)  Or my shady underlining job.  The waistband never did match up.  And the icing on the cake?  When I tried them on for the final time, the zipper broke. Broken beyond repair.  I haven't decided if I'm going to attempt to fix them, or burn them.

Pants: 2          Liza Jane: 0

On a side note, is anyone else going to miss Picnik as much as I am?

24 comments:

  1. It's a sad story that I', sure we can all relate too. I think only sewists can really empathise with you. I say at that price - burn them! Or chop them up to make a cute pencil case. Hopefully you've still got your muslin so your next ones will be quicker.

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    1. I don't! I used the muslin to underline the red twill.... ack!

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  2. burn. always burn. cackling gleefully over flames helps.

    (thatsaidhowboutsomecutecutoffshorts)

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  3. I could not agree more. A good bonfire makes everything better.... ;)

    Sorry to hear about this... :( Poor Liza Jane! Make something pretty and simple to get over it. A "rebound" garment, if you will. Or dig into your deep deep well of gorgeous past projects and remember you can't win them all. (Matter of fact, I was just today admiring your art blazer and wondering if I could possibly do something similar with one of my upcoming projects...)

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  4. Oh man! It's so disheartening when you spend so much time on something and it doesn't work out. I think burning them would be an awesome idea, as long as you roast marshmallows over the crackling and burning pants. I too, have a huge problem with not buying fabric just because it's cheap, lol.

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  5. Yikes. Sounds like the stuff of sewing nightmares!!! If I can't see the potential for a positive outcome at the first toile - I dump that calico puppy faster than lightning. But I'm in agreeance with StephC - time for a rebound TNT!!! :)

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  6. Don't let those pants beat you! Burn them, one leg at a time, then it will be 2-2!

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  7. This has struck fear into my heart. Sounds exactly like the things I do, especially cheap as chips fabric and supplies.....
    And yes I will miss picnik and we will miss you not having picnik!

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  8. I agree with the others - burn! And I´m going to miss Picnik too. Why, Google, why!?!

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  9. Ouch! I'd probably give up and move on. Sewings more fun when it is fun and not a chore.

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  10. I'm with everyone else - move on - if you try to fix them and it doesn't work, you'll be even more frustrated!

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  11. Burn 'EM! Then forget about them. Sometimes I have to tell myself to "just walk away from the sewing machine..." Take a nice break, indulge in some wine perhaps and pick up a new project when you're feeling pepped!

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  12. it makes me feel good when a "pro" screws stuff up too!!!! Live and learn - right?

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  13. Oh, no!

    May I suggest a kindergarten class art collage project? I always give my wadders to the kid to hack up, it's incredibly satisfying...

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  14. I would stab it a few times with scissors. Just to make sure it's properly dead. Then whip out the lighter fuel and on te BBQ it goes. I have a few paintings recently that can join it. Just one of those months really.

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  15. They need to die a painful death. And you are making me fear the project I have cut out even more than I thought possible.

    P.S. I will miss you missing Piknik more than I will miss Piknik. I hope there will be some substitute!

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  16. I feel for you! I'm also glad now that I almost never wear pants. :D I'm guilty of the cheap fabric buying, too...
    And yes, I will miss Picnik. Totally!

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  17. See, pants are cursed. This is another reason I should never try to make them.

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  18. Oh, I´m sorry for this! But your photo and text made me laugh, so funny! I made my first pants recently without trying them on (too pregnant), and I´m just crossing my fingers they will be ok :D

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  19. Aw! So sorry but they were a lovely color! I'll miss Picnik too.

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  20. Such a bummer! I think you should go out to your backyard and have a ceremony that is somewhere in between a pet funeral and an old fashion church book burning. In any case, fire should be involved. Having that sitting around in your house will only bring you don't ban that bad mojo from your live! And remember - next time it will be so much better! You know, seven months from now when you decide it's time to give pants another go ;)

    Maybe I'm speaking too much from personal experience here...

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  21. Get you a roaring big bonfire. And some marshmallows. Yep, that'd do it.

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  22. Hi Liza Jane I have given you the Sunshine 2012 award. If you would like to accept it the details are http://handmadebycarolyn.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/little-bit-of-sunshine.html

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