Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Leather Jacket: Muslin 2.0 = Total Fail

Sometimes there is just nothing to be gained from using bad fabric.  Muslin 2.0 is evidence of this point.

Faux leather where it belongs! (In a Return of the Jedi waste paper basket from Phin's youth.)

My faux leather muslin was a big waste of time.The faux leather was so stiff and unforgiving that none of the seams would press open or lay flat. Instead they fought to stand up like a spine, pushing the jacket away from my body and distorting the fit. The only good thing was...was... um... Scratch that: there was nothing good about this muslin.

Lessons learned:  I hate faux leather with a burning itch. Or at least I hate cheap/bad faux leather. And it smells, too, which is also bad and itch-inducing. It's been a week and the Craft Lounge still smells like faux-ness, if you know what I mean.

Honestly, I could not tell a single thing about all my fitting changes in this fabric. It was like wearing stiff paper. So, by the time I was boarding a plane for Montreal, jacket pieces were re-cut from the remains of the heinous denim that I used for muslin 1.0. I'm feeling much less hostile toward this homely floral/camo denim these days. Nothing like a really bad fabric to give you a new perspective.

Anyway, muslin 3.0 - which I think is the definitive version - shortly. Then it's on to the good stuff!

9 comments:

T. Sedai said...

That trash can makes me smile...

And it is too bad that the muslin didn't work out. I guess there is bad fabric, and then there is really really bad fabric. But at least you will soon be moving on to the good stuff! Should be much more fun to sew.

Sheila said...

Sorry about muslin 2.0 and at least the floral/camo denim has you feeling good about moving on to muslin 3.0

Kimbersew said...

Argh!! The last few weeks I've been doing some very odd costuming in vinyl pleather 'armadillo' (with felt backing) and it actually behaved fairly well, but the smell!! ick! -better luck with muslin 3.0!

K.Line said...

I feel your muslin pain! And fake leather does smell horrible. I know the finished product is going to kick ass. Just keep on...

The Slapdash Sewist said...

It is satisfying to throw garbage into the garbage. The denim is a good call.

marcy harriell | oonaballoona said...

i feel your pain.

i was working with an oilcloth-- whatever, i don't need bhphpara whatever free oilcloth --and the fumes finally made me throw my hands up in the air and toss it in the can.

here's to expensive fabric. burn a sage stick in that jammie.

Unknown said...

Happens to me too, it drives me nuts! lol

xoxo
mimi g.

Mar-Mar said...

Clio,

I want to know, what is going on with your running? I've been doing the couch to 5k program on week 7 out of 9. I was wondering did you follow a program to get to your 1/2 marathon? Did you do a 10k first?
What are doing now(if anything?)

xoxo
Mar-Mar

Clio said...

Hey Mar! I'll give you a call this weekend - basically yes to all! But let's chat. It's been too long.