Well, I’m sorry to say my sewing project is on hold for awhile as I try to figure out what to do. First, I goofed and didn’t realize I was missing a few pattern pieces. I finally managed to decipher them from the fold-out insert from the book only then to discover they don’t fit on my material! According to the book, Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching, I should need 1 5/8 yards of material that is 45 inches wide. I have two yards that is 42 inches wide, and these pieces aren’t anywhere near fitting on the fabric. Now I know I’m off a few inches in the width, but the difference is considerably more than a few inches.

I went over the Amazon.com to see what the reviews were saying about the projects. I did read there were issues before I bought the book, but after flipping through it at Barnes & Noble I knew I still wanted it (just at an Amazon verses B&N price). Most of the issues discussed were around the wrap skirt pictured on the cover, but I did find out that there are a number of corrections posted on the author’s weblog, so that was some help. In fact, one referred to the pattern I was trying to make, the “Summer Blouse,” but it was about a marking not included on the sleeve pattern, not about the issues with the amount of material required.

So I’m on hold for now as I figure out what to do. I really like this material from Debbie Mum. I’m not usually a yellow person because I’m so fair skinned that it doesn’t look that great on me, but I love daisies so couldn’t resist buying this.

My options are to go back to the fabric store and buy more fabric, if they still have this, or go back to the fabric store and see if I can find a pattern similar to the blouse in the book. I really want to make this now, dang it! I guess either way I’m making another fabric store trip, but I have to decide what I’ll do before I get there. Considering there are two problems now with this blouse pattern, I’m a little guy-shy about tackling it directly from the book. Let me say, though, I still like the book, and so did many of the reviews on Amazon, but there are definitely some technical issues with it. Therefore, it’s more of an inspiration and brainstorming book than an actual how-to book, which is not necessarily a bad thing (who doesn’t need inspiration now and then?) but it’s good to know this before buying the book.