Hot take: That $80 fabric I bought for a coat pattern was a total waste

I spent 3 hours cutting into some wool blend from a local Joann's and realized the drape was all wrong for the pattern, has anyone else gotten burned by expensive fabric that looked perfect on the bolt?

3 comments

3 Comments

derekward1mo ago

Oh man, I once did that with a silk that turned into a sad curtain, not a shirt.

amy1541mo ago

Silk is a nightmare fabric to work with, it really is. One wrong move and it goes from a nice project to a crumpled mess that costs way too much. I feel like people get obsessed with the idea of something being "luxury" and forget that it takes real skill to handle it right. Same thing with expensive coffee machines or fancy kitchen gadgets - everyone wants the best stuff but nobody wants to learn how to use it properly. At some point you just have to admit that cheap cotton and a basic pattern are better than expensive silk and tears.

the_pat25d ago

Wait, the fabric was from Joann's? Since when does Joann's sell wool blend for $80 a yard? That's wild. I've been sewing for years and I always thought their expensive stuff was like $30 max unless you're buying the really bougie upholstery fabrics. Three hours of cutting though, that makes me mad just reading it. I had a similar thing happen with some rayon challis that looked perfect for a flowy dress but ended up drooping like a wet dishrag.