I made a 'couture muslin' ... :} ... (aka prototype) for pants that I drafted and cut out in readiness to sew up and wear to my next sewing lesson. I did everything right, too, or so I thought.

I think we have all been there done that however you fixed it very well. Now you will have a bit left so that you can use it for a test or a quilt square.

Sounds like its going to turn out not so bad after all Im glad you can correct the OOOps!!

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by almag 31 Oct 2010

The entire exercise proceeded without a problem. I bought more fabric, made the new muslin pants, had them fitted and adjusted, made the new brown denim stretchy pants with golden embroidery up the side seams and I am now ready to show them off. It was a lesson well learnt and not such a bad outcome after all. I do have a lot of spare muslin, though, for extra quilt blocks....
AlmaG.

Alma, what a wonderful recovery you made from your so called mistake. You must have a quick mind. H&*

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by almag 31 Oct 2010

Well, the final pants turned out well after all. I wore them last week to lesson and had envious glances flashing my way - 1. for having made them and 2. for having the courage to wear them with embroidery up the side seam and on the pockets.....:}
AlmaG.

Wow its always nice when we can come up with plan B Carolyn

Hi Alma, glad I'm not the only "tote queen". Yesterday we went to see our Grandchildren compete in their horse event of Team Penning. I took a new tote for my daughter to use, made from all my practise bits! She loved it. cheers V.

Great thinking in a tricky situation, Alma! I suspect I'd have been inclined to cut the bottom off both legs and add a contrast piece to both of them, but I suppose for the purpose of seeing how they drape that wouldn't help! Well done. Looking forward to seeing pics of the finished products!

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by almag 25 Sep 2010

Yes, that would have been a choice had this exercise not been the final sewing of my drafting lessons. I give my teacher enough headaches as it is with my small round body that won't stretch across the pattern paper to the other side and hands that won't press hard enough to make the marking wheel work through the carbon paper.... so, of course, Kerry the Teacher, has to do it for me. I was tempted to chop both legs off at capri-length and add some lacing up the side. Wicked thoughts just flowed but I cast them aside in preference for nice comments from my teacher..... :}
AlmaG.

I think you have just made lemonade from lemons! Good job. Very resourceful.
Joann

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by almag 25 Sep 2010

There you go, you see.... I didn't really make a mistake, I just took a detour....:}
AlmaG.

Oh My Goodness, Ladies, thank you for joining in the fun.
It's Saturday here, I will go into town and buy more fabric - it's double-width curtain lining muslin (we call is calico here in Australia) so every little off-cut/mistake will be used eventually for stitchout testing - and I will cut out the left side of my pants later.
I was sorely tempted to buy black curtain lining, as a small diversion, and embroider it with the same design and have half and half pants, cream/black, but sense, or something, has prevailed and I'll probably buy more of what I have.... a bit humdrum but I suppose I should conform a bit and be a better student. Once the pants have passed inspection for fit and drape by the teacher I'll then make out the real deal things in stretchy stuff for travelling.

Actually I have plans for the top of the evil left leg, too. The other day one of our members posted the instructions for making those raggy quilts and I decided to use my test stitchouts as the top blocks so I'm not really upset about this little hiccup - I'll just draw grid lines on the rest of the leg, test out some more designs and then cut them out for raggy quilt blocks.

Of course, I'm spending more time here, letting you know my plans, so that when we do get into town it will be lunch time and we'll just have to have lunch at one of our favourite restaurants .... :}
AlmaG.

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by spendlove 26 Sep 2010

I'm glad you explained what the fabric was - here in the UK, muslin is a very flimsy, loosely woven fabric. I just couldn't see anyone wearing trousers made of it!

Thats thinking outside the box! Use what you would've thrown out!!! Hugs, Judy

Alma, dear you see you are never alone in the world of embroidery - we all have done that - someo of us - more than once, too. I am thrilled to hear that you have a tote to go with your new pants and I hope you get a picture of the whole set and share it with us in PROJECTS, too.

I liked the asymetrical remark except it probably didn't work well for the hem. In construction work they say measure twice and cut once. So in embroidery measure twice and stitch once. lol

clever girl!

You made lemonade out of lemons though and got an extra tote to carry your goodies to class in! Yea for you!! Isn't it great when mistakes can be recycled instead of thrown out! Good luck with your next adventure!

I think we have all made placement mistakes...hehhehe
Your very clever in using your mistake as a tote.,,very nice recover!
Hugs

Hey it is never a mistake. Isn't it ok to be asymetrical sometimes! I think the tote will be a wonderful accessory. Now can you use the rest appliqued onto other items?

You are not alone, long time ago I made school theme blouse, it was really cute, bookworms, books, old school, etc.... when I put the garment together I realized I had two right sides, i just tried to fix the harmhole as much as I could but the blouse was very unconfortable to ware, I still have it , but I do not ware it.

You are a clever, gutsy girl; walk into the sew class and make it into a learning experience....
By the way, you are now an official recycler,too.TU for the advice and funny anecdote.*4U

BTDT...gulp! Thats the best part about having an embroidery/sewing machine...you can convert your 'accidents' into beautiful and useful works of art and nobody is the wiser!!! Thanks for bringing up old (bad) memories and making them funny...NOW! ~Rita

You are not alone, I have a container of embroidery mishaps, one of these days I will purchase an entire set of colors permanent markers and cover up the boo boos with ink. Then sew together to make a short jacket of sorts, remember Joseph and the Amazing Colors coat? Or after sewn out perhaps a dog blanket.

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by msfancyvip 24 Sep 2010

What a fun dog blanket you'd have...you'd be the coolest doggie owner on the block I'll bet! ~Rita

We all have done something like this at one time or another....now you'll have 2 nice projects for your wardrobe!

Carpenters say 'measure twice, cut once' and on occasion I have found to my chagrin that measuring once meant cutting twice. Don't you hate it when that happens!!
Fortunately you've found a nice and clever way to use (part of) your leg.

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by msfancyvip 24 Sep 2010

I wish I had a nickle for every time I have repeated that statement in my head when I've been tempted to take a shortcut or speed up the process....the faster I go, the behinder I get! ~Rita

Alma, I guess we all have messed up at one time or another. I've even had to throw things away because it wasn't worth the time to rip it out. Good thinking on making a tote out of the leg. You must post it for us so we can see how your mistake turned into a happy mistake. Judy

Good luck with the next sew off. I think all of us have made similar mistakes in the past and no doubt the future too. Happy sewing and will we see a picture of you in projects wearing the trousers?

As long as you can buy more material there is never a mistake only a detour.

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by msfancyvip 24 Sep 2010

I like that statement...a detour is exactly right. Thanks for the grin! ~Rita

It really is amazing how often we all do "silly" things when sewing. Hope you manage to buy some more material.

Dear Alma,

There's never such a thing as a mistake in sewing! You can always cover it up with something!

A lesson well learned! Love and blessings Chris

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by almag 24 Sep 2010

Hi Chris..... yes, and I've had a lot of experience in the covering-up arena. I used to tell my students, 'It doesn't matter at all how many times you fall. What counts is how many times you get up.'
I'm going to walk into my lesson on Monday in my calico outfit and have a lot of fun.
Alma.