Easy Ways to Ruin a Great Project

A friend of mine and I were talking over the weekend. She's also a sewer. She lives in another state and we don't get to chat very often. We were talking about our sewing projects and some we had seen online recently. At one point she said in an exasperated tone, "It drives me crazy when I see people make good garments with great fabrics, but ruin the whole thing by using cheap interfacing!"

I had to agree with her. And I got thinking. There are some really easy ways to ruin a great project. And you know what? I've committed pretty much each one. So here, for your reading pleasure, is my list. Learn from my mistakes

Ann's Foolproof Ways to Totally Screw Up an Otherwise Great Sewing Project

• Buttons: Buy the cheapest ones you can find whenever you find them on sale, and stash them in a button box. Say to yourself, "Oh, these will look okay, and no one notices buttons anyway." Pull them out 4 years later when you're too lazy to go to the store, slap them on. Use ones that are too small. Who needs modesty anyway! Or use ones that are too large. It's a "statement".
  
• Pocket Size and Placement: You know your bum is small, firm and tight, right? So who cares about the size of your rear pockets. You don't have to look at them. Slap some on there that are the size of your head. And put them at the outer sides. They won't make your 37 inch hips look about 10 inches wider!
  
• Interfacing: Pick up the pre-wrapped crap. After all, no one's going to see it. It's on the inside, right? (Ed. note: my favorite interfacing comes from Sew Exciting Fashion Sewing Supply. NAYY, just a very happy customer)
  
• Trims: Where to find the best, largest selection of trims in most chain fabric stores? Why, the home dec department, of course! Indulge in your passion for rayon passementerie. Even better, trim an outfit with it! True story. I once sat next to a lady who was wearing the most gorgeous jacket. It was trimmed with the exact same trim as the couch on which we were seated. And I remember a Chanel style jacket that I made back in the 80s. It was made from a gorgeous green raw silk. I trimmed it with a (to me) über fabulous rayon trim. I was da bomb. Then one day I caught sight of myself in the mirror and I realized it was just so wrong! The jacket went to Goodwill the next week. You'll amazed at how cheap trims (and I don't mean the website) can destroy the look of a garment
  
• Pressing: Press a garment while you're sewing? Why? Just wait until it's done, then iron the whole thing! I think I've said enough on this subject.
  
• Checking your lengths: Don't worry about matching the lengths of CF button bands or collar stands. No one ever looks at those, right? This is a cardinal sin in my book. Having had several blouses whose button placket extends below the buttonhole placket, I can honestly say that, had I taken the (max) five minutes during construction to check the lengths, the results would have been much better.
• Fabric recommendations? Pfeh, I don't need them! So what if this pattern recommends a velvet or soft faille? I think it will look smashing in a duchesse satin.
• Read the directions: Hah! I'm an "advanced" sewer. I don't need no stinkin' directions! Oh. This pattern calls for 1/4 inch SAs. Oops.

I'm sure that with a little more thought I can come up with lots of other great examples of ways to spectacularly screw up a project. Trust me, I've done every single one.

Happy sewing!