Bad Dobby …

Oh dear, this isn’t looking good, my dobby fabric is, as it turns out, pretty rubbish to sew.

See those threads on the wrong side? They are a bl**dy nuisance! Every time I press the fabric, I catch a thread with the tip of the iron and suddenly I’m left with a gap in the pattern. You can just see where I have sewn a line of stitching to try and hold them in place … waste of time! What’s more, just to add insult to injury, I have used this fabric in the hope of creating a soft, floppy pair of Colette Iris shorts … that was a mistake. On the packet it clearly states the suitable fabrics and floppy dobby is not one of them!

I have trudged on in a kind of fantasy, hoping that against the odds it will all come good …

It’s not going to happen. I can’t seem to get the waistband to fit in the shorts, am I going mad? Have I got E confused with F at the paper pattern stage? No, I’ve double checked everything, though clearly it is my mistake, no one else has this bother. What’s more the dobby isn’t holding out very well and is simply giving up and letting go of the seams I’ve sewn. There is much fraying in our midsts. I think that even if I do sort these out, I’ll have to be very careful when I wear them. One clumsy fall into the sitting position and my polka dot knickers will be the only fabric covering my dignity.

Having said all that, I’m determined see Iris through (with another fabric). These shorts are the perfect shape for me (when I manage to get them on) and I love the pockets (when they sit in the right direction) and I love the retro styling. So, even if these particular ones end up in the recycling bin, there will be others!