Hold on, did you say the pattern was completely useless? That's heartbreaking after allocating your entire budget for it. I've had patterns with confusing instructions, but to have one that's fundamentally flawed, like mismatched pieces or incorrect sizing, is a real nightmare. Now you're left with that gorgeous fabric and no plan, which is just frustrating.
Seriously, is it ever truly useless? Most patterns have fixable issues (like notches or sizing) if you're willing to tweak them. It's frustrating, but hardly a nightmare in the grand scheme.