A Suitcase Full of Patterns.

Isn't there a nursery rhyme like that?  There should be.

When I moved out of my house a little over a week ago, I had to put my patterns in something for the move. I grabbed my huge Samsonite piece of luggage (the same I took to Rome ten years ago) and shoved it full of patterns. I have *a lot* of patterns. I knew I had a few, but after seeing them overflowing in a suitcase, I knew I might have hit my personal limit. At least until an unexpected visit to Joann's forced me to buy this $3.99 Vogue pattern. But that is it...for now.

As I was going through them last week looking for my Anniversary dress ideas, I ran across some that I forgot I had. Here is a small taste of a few random patterns that I have in my collection that I can't seem to get rid of, but am not sure why I still have them or, more importantly, why I bought them in the first place. Here it goes:

A Simplicity reproduction pattern, celebrating 80 years of fashion. This pattern must be from 1980, for the styling of this pattern is horrible. A tan dress? And that blue satin looks beyond cheap. I don't know, maybe it is just me, but I think it might only have a 20% survival rate. And really only one view that looks promising —the short sleeve version, which you can't see. Just take my word for it.

The Wrap-Around Dress: How cute is that dress? And it is just so easy and fast! But! Have you ever read some of the reviews of this dress?! They all seem to point towards disaster. It seems that there is always an issue with the underskirt not wrapping all the way or the shoulders hanging funny. It aways seems to need tweaking with every review I have seen. So it is a dress in three easy pieces...honestly for the amount of headache it would take to get this thing working right on me, I would rather let it languish in my suitcase, and deal with multi-pieced dresses.

Next!

This one makes me wonder. Did I really need a pattern for a bunch of rectangle place mats and/or tablecloths? Maybe I thought the one that wasn't a complete rectangle might be difficult?! I guess will never really know...

This, I remember that Laurel and I got in a huge purchase of dollar patterns when a fabric store was going out of business. Most of the questionable patterns were purchased at that time. This one also makes me scratch my head. Maybe I thought it would be good for Halloween, but what would I have been? A mermaid? I don't know. Can anyone think of a better reason (or logical one) that would make me purchase this?

Moving on. My favorite:

I actually remember telling Laurel that I thought I could get my husband to wear this. Apparently one of the side effects of a dollar pattern sale is delirium. Looking at it now...there is no way. It is a great pattern ("great" in the sense of hilarious), but I don't know what came over me. My favorite part about this pattern: there is a bag that is shaped like a guitar that goes with it. Fabric choices for bag? Satin, of course, with a sequined strap. Ha! I might need to make this for someone. Maybe I'll sew it and send it to Peter. He does love jumpsuits ;)

Okay. That is enough for today, folks. As you can see in the first pattern shot, I have lots more where these came from. They aren't all bad, but when they are — ugh! How about you? What is your worst/ugliest pattern that you still own? Come on, fess up!