To say I have a fair amount of fabric is unfair; I have WAY more than is strictly fair or, frankly, seemly. And yet, and yet .. come an online fabric sale, I can’t resist having a peek.

The only problem with taking a peek is that I become tempted to buy. And the only problem with buying fabric online is not knowing exactly what you’re getting.

Like the vast swath of the sewists who are fans of Burda patterns, I fell in love with their November 2013 Asymmetrical Moto Jacket upon release. That collar! That leather trim! Those faux-leather sleeves! That collar (again, because I feel the cold and it looks WAY cooler than my usual cardie-plus-scarf-combi)!

So the plan was simple; replicate the bugg*r, faux-leather sleeves n’all. Hence buying (top right) ponte jersey in dark grey (a colour I happen to love and suit. WIN.)

I squinted at the pics of black faux leather at my chosen online retailer, and figured ‘heck, it’ll probably do’ .. so bought some. Then I spotted it in red; ‘hey, I can make Isabel Marant-style red jeans to go with it, too!’ (In my head I SO don’t live the kind of lifestyle I actually LIVE.) Then I spotted some black faux leather with cut-outs; that’s a practical fabric choice, right? OK, not practical per se, but fun, at least.

Frankly, I’m amazed that I stopped with the grey and pink leopard-print chiffon ‘to make the most of the postage charges…’ and didn’t keep crashing though the sale like an amateur theatre wardrobe mistress charged with recreating Priscilla, Queen of the Desert…

But was my shopaholic fabric rampage a success? Yes .. and no.

The fabric for the jacket; fab. The faux-leather with cut-outs; surprisingly delicate and lovely. The leopard print chiffon; hilarious and just the thing to brighten a dreary February morning. But the faux leathers are .. un-faux-leather-ish. T-shirt jersey-like in weight, they remind me of the rather sad (and once intentionally très sexy) clubbing dresses often found hanging forlornly on the racks of local charity shops. Great, but so not me.

Part of me wonders if I could subvert these fabrics by turning them into something really restrained and modest – a prim long-sleeved dress with full gathered skirt or something loose with a clever drape, etc -but the more I’m looking at them in a rare outburst of sunshine .. no. They’re kinda glittery/shiny/weird.

*Sigh…*

Thank god for free returns, so this shopaholic doesn’t have to learn her lesson the hard way…