NEVER cut out when you’re tired. We all know that. So why did I do it? *heavy sigh*
A friend in Florida sent me 1m of lovely flamingo-themed fabric in February. (I just had to add in the month for the alliterative affect 🙂 She said she could imagine me out in my garden working there in shorts from this fabric. I agreed. And of course, there’s no more fabric available 😦
A while back I was really intrigued and inspired by the Weekend Designer blog’s cuffed shorts.
Rather than drafting a pattern from scratch I used my TNT shorts pattern, adjusted it as per Weekend Designer instructions, then cut it out.
And forgot the fabric print is very definitely a one-way design. I’ve cut one side with the flamingos upright, and one side with them upside down. Kinda like this.
And it would have been so easy to have cut out with the birds the right way up. I just didn’t think. Ok I was tired. See why I have that rule? WHY oh why didn’t I obey said rule???
Anyway, I’m asking for opinions on what to do now. My mother reckons no one would ever notice them sewn as is, as the pattern is so busy. (Well, no one but me, her and everyone I’ve asked opinions of, including half the internet!) But my bestie reckons I’m such a neat person and a perfectionist it will annoy the hell out of me if I sew the shorts up as cut. My fiance just keeps laughing.
As for me, I’m hoping sleeping on it will bring some clarity.
Here are some options I’ve thought out so far.
1) Sew it up as is, upside down and all
2) See if I can make a crazy mistake into a great garment by turning it into a skirt with totally upright birds, and make shorts out of a yummy apple-green-with-white-polkadots fabric I have in my stash.
3) Make the fabric into a Heather Bailey’s boho cloche hat. (I’m halfway through making one of these out of grey rose poplin Mmmm. I’m totally in love with the pattern). A hat in this fabric would be … very pink… but hey, very funky too methinks.
4) Buy a different hat pattern (As a consolation prize for having been so silly, you understand) like ooh say one of these from Mrs Depew’s Vintage, and make the fabric up in it. (Or even a nice lingerie pattern from the same site?)
5) Make the upside-down flamingo shorts AND the green polkadot shorts AND buy a few new vintage patterns AND get some other fabric to make them up in and throw a sewing party?
What do you think? Any other options are welcome too 🙂
Tropical Threads 
Oh no! It’s so easy to do that – I’ve done it before at least once. 😦
My vote is for lingerie – flamingo lingerie would be utterly adorable! (Plus making the shorts in the green-with-polka-dots.)
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This is a tough call…
I think the patterns being upside down would send me batty… Hat time! Or more fabric time, I say 😀
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Hi Amanda. Yup, a tough call alright. *sigh*
I wish I could get more fabric the same as this but it was sold out. I wonder if I could find more for sale using the google image match thingy?
Hey but it would make a great hat, wouldn’t it? I’d be the envy of all of Darwin running round town with a little pink flamingo cloche to keep the sun out of my eyes. (Well, I like to think I would be, anyway :-P)
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I would go the skirt option. I am lovin’ funky print pencil skirts at the moment.
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Ooh I like that idea better than my own frilly skirt idea. I think the fabric would be showcased better that way. I’m not sure I have enough for a pencil skirt long enough I’d be comfortable wearing it. Must play…
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cut the pieces in half vertically and sew them back together switched around so they are alternate panels all around you?
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Like a harlequin? Kinda kewl idea! And maybe if I did some piping in between the seams it would showcase the upside-down/right way up bit nicely.
As I said to Katharine, I think I’ll have to play, try out all these ideas, and see what I come up with.
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