I've been using patterns for a long, long time, whether free, or paid for. Some are good, some are bad, and some just need binning!
But, I don't think, in all my years of sewing, that I have ever sewn a project as is, straight from the packet.
Case in point is my latest project, my Belle frocks. I was going to sew 3 Belle dresses straight from the envelope.
Nope. I managed to get cheap yellow satin and yellow sparkly organza and netting, but, I couldn't get the right trimmings, and the ones I did manage to get looked naff. This sparked a total re-design sans gold trimmings.
On reflection, I do something similar with every garment I sew, and I don't think I own one hand sewn garment, that looks like the front of the pattern packet.
Does anyone else do this? I'm beginning to feel contrary, or difficult to please - or both!
How do you use your patterns? Do you faithfully follow the instructions, and get a lovely garment at the end of it? Or do you use your pattern as a jumping off point, before going off at a tangent?
Jessie