Thursday, January 10, 2008

Mistakes I (mostly) didn't make

Selected gleanings from the inherited stash. If you can give me a reason why any of these fabrics shouldn't go up in a puff of greasy, polyester-scented black smoke, I applaud you.

I dug into the stash tonight because I was looking for lining fabrics. I had to buy some this week to finish a project, and it bugged me when I'm trying so hard to behave myself and sew strictly from stash. I assumed in all the tubs and steamer trunks full of fabric, there had to be a few lining-worthy pieces. I was right. And then I found these.

Frighteningly enough, I remember when my mother bought all 3 of these fabrics. It was sometime in the 70s, but as I recall, there was no purpose to the purchase, they were just pretty. (What's pretty to some people might give nightmares to others; I flinched when I dug this out of the trunk and I apologize in advance to those whose sleep I've affected.)

This stuff has been traveling around with me through more moves than I can count, and I think it just hit the "use or be pitched" pile. Of course, in addition to being downright scary-looking, none of these fabrics is even in a color I can wear.

To make it worse, only the purple and silver is lightweight enough to use as a lining. Since I am short on lining fabrics, I probably will end up using that one - it might look interesting, depending on the garment it lined - but the other ones, that metallic thread makes it almost impossible to think of a purpose. (If you think of one, besides the aforementioned fire, let me know).

And now, hanging my head in shame, is one of my own aged purchases. Going by the look, I'd say somewhere in the mid-80s. I think it was meant to be a blouse. I'm almost sure it was meant to have humongous shoulder pads. It still strikes me as a happy fabric, but once again, other than as lining, what would I do with it? Even the other fabrics in my stash don't want to hang around with this one. They think she's showing her age and making them look bad, too.
It's always embarrassing to run smack into your past, especially something you thought you'd put behind you, like an unfortunate taste for unsuitable colors. But wasn't that part of what the 80s were about? And aren't we glad we survived?

8 comments:

Berry said...

Don't be so hard with yourself and your mother. I can't think of anything you could do with these right now. I had a good laugh reading your post but I don't think ashes is the solution. The last one is not all that bad. Plus, flashy colors and 80's style are making there way back, bare with it a little more ;o) Now that you showed us you cannot be more embarrassed anyway,lol!

Toni Campbell said...

I actually remember that last fabric from working at JoAnn's Fabrics when I was in college!!!

Cathy said...

I love the last fabric as a jazzy lining. The heavy pink brocade stuff: I see toiletry & jewelry bags/rolls. Just a thought. Or there's always the garment bag for the back of the closet! hahahaha

emelle said...

Oh my, funny thoughts.
When I look in my stash from that time it's batiste and liberty of london, because I was sewing for my young daughter. When I started recently sewing for myself again, the stash was decidedly juvenile and shopping commenced!
Especially the metallics could be used as cathy said for home dec/gift like things. Or for parties/holidays I have taken lengths of fabric and poofed it around dishes or decorations on table/buffets. And if the goodwill is looming, you could always use it for giftwrap or as a gift bag with a gold bow. I too like the last one as a lining for a black jacket.

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

That last piece...I probably had something like it in the 80s...so its just been with you a minute too long! So are you donating these pieces or trashing them?

CraftRage said...

OMG, I am so ashamed - I opened your blog and saw the fabrics before I read the text, and honestly, I thought "Oh, pretty!" I always knew I had bad taste, but...

I actually think any of those first three fabrics would make a fun corset - would you consider taking bids on the whole lot?

Unknown said...

I sort of like the second-to-last one--the glittery gold with royal blue roses. I think it could be transformed into an over-the-top sheath dress with a gold organza overskirt a la 1955. Or it would be lovely as a garment bag :)

Marji said...

If you haven't already trashed them - take them all to the costuming dept of your local theater group, the theater dept of a local college or university, or, barring none of those, the high school.
Seriously, those are GREAT costuming fabrics.