3.08.2012

coffee's on me, debi.


eons ago, back when debi had her last sew grateful shindig, i made this dress.  it was one of several things i made in a desire to play along with my drinking buddy, and indeed it was inspired by a beverage.  or rather, the complete lack of color at my favorite non-alcoholic watering hole.  i wondered if i could make something suitable for the environment, sort of a hipster camo, but not utterly devoid of pizzazz.

enter this linen remnant found at international silks and woolens in west hollywood.  i stopped by when we first hit LA soil, not yet ready to brave downtown traffic.  the sticker shock should've sent me racing south.  man, their shit is 'spensive.  no seriously, they have mood beat, and they do not have the displays to make up for it.  but for the most part, they're very sweet.  well, let me amend that.  the gentleman working the register and naming the remnant prices is sweet.  the lady squinching her eyes and begrudgingly pinching out answers to "where are the multiple remnant boxes and sale fabrics the nice man behind the counter told me you have", not so much.

what can i tell ya, lady, point me to the deals.  times is tough.


so tough, i can't even buy enough fabric to make a proper back!  seriously, do you know how much a cuppa joe at le place du inspiration costs?!  this dress was cheaper than a large latte!  c'est tres cher!  but worth it, my friends. WORTH IT.

i actually cut the back out in a necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention moment.  i had traced out butterick 5032, one of debi's traveling patterns, before sending it on its way to the next owner.  y'all remember debi's brilliant dress, yes?  i was so excited to make my own and join in the sew grateful celebration, i sort of just held the tracing up in front of me and decided it needed no adjusting whatsoever.  conveniently, i come to this conclusion whenever i:

A)  have an impending deadline
B)  just want to get sewing
C)  am drunk.


hey lookie there at that bust dart.  that's not right at all.  nevermind, you, pay no attention to that dubious dart, i was talking about the back.  let's stay on topic here.

so!  i cut it quickly and sewed it swiftly and threw it on and ta daa, like magic, the back gaped and drooped and sagged JUST AS IT SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE I ALWAYS NEED TO ADJUST THE PATTERN BACK.

i knew i could tuck and fix my mistake in post, but visions of my botched pastille dress haunted me.  the horror. like the Thing Under The Bed, just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there.  while wrenching my neck out of whack trying to get a good look at the creepshow behind me, i realized it fit at the side seams... it fit at the waist.... why not just cut that big old gaping hunk out?

so i did.


and i have zipper earrings too.  i know.  i'm awesome.  you so want to be my best friend right now.  especially those of you named beangirl.

i actually had it done in time to play along, but wasn't unpacked enough to take a picture.  why is setting up a picture harder than setting up your sewing space?


"oh hai intelligentsia barista, i'd like a cappuccino!  why yes, i DID make this dress.  how intuitive of you to guess. bien sur, i made my own bias tape to enclose the raw edges, what an excellent eye you possess to notice!  my coffee is FREE?  because i am AWESOME?  why THANK YOU!!"

i don't know, i just kind of feel like that's what my face is saying here.   maybe i'll say it in about twenty minutes. i'm off to get some coffee, yo.

47 comments:

  1. Ahahaha, I love your solution to the mess at the back - just cut it out! Atta girl! And it looks like it's supposed to do that, so double bonus points. I should try to be as bold as you are next time, and get my hack on... hmm...

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  2. I am so freaking jealous! You make so many new outfits and I'm still pondering how to adjust the last fleece sweatshirt I made for Peanut so that it fits him. Where do you find the time girly-girl?

    I'm totally gonna figure out how to make my own patterns and my own clothes, just like you oona.

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  3. Got any pattern drafting books to recommend?

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    1. firstly, i have no peanut, which equals more time! :)

      i've checked tons of books out of the library and skimmed here and there, but i've never fully followed a book. i'm too antsy and i just wanna get it done. and i google search anything i get stuck on.

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  4. Ahhh lovely-ness! You always seem to make a bad situation good the back looks fab you'd never have guessd it was 'hacked out' well done!!
    P.s I love reading your posts very entertaining!!

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  5. Man, the choices I've made when I'm sewing and drinking are some of the best and worst of my whole damn existance. This clearly falls on the best scale, because this is awesome. So damn cute. Coffee is on me next time you are back east.
    strugglesewsastraightseam.wordpress.com

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  6. Love your dress, and the idea of hipster camo. ;)

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  7. holy wow! YOu look amazing! The cut of the dress, the fabric love it all!!

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  8. And, I hope the free coffee scenario works out for you, the dress deserves to be noticed! Love it!

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  9. Love! If I could go with a back that low (and bra-less), I'd totally come and steal it from you while you sleep. ;-)

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  10. The cut-out is part of mess up? Hmm, yeah right. Don't believe. ;)
    Hope you get that free latte, that dress screams 'give me free latte'.

    I would fill out an best friend application. I come with my own baked goods, especially banana chocolate chip cookies.

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  11. Utterly gorgeous!! and as fabulous a post as always!

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  12. This is fabulous! I love the neckline and the cut out back. The fabric is beautiful too. Fantastic job, Oona!

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  13. Ah-mazing! Girl, you got problem solving skillz all over the place!

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  14. fabulousity.. i loove cut out back, that was a good solution to the problem.. i'm not that creative today (or i'm a bit too creative, had couple of cherry brandies too much, so i'm reaping seams more than i'm sewing.. and changing cuts madly and with no success.. at this moment i'm in such an insane mood, that i'm about to go and dye my hair myself, 'cause i just decided i need it colored in the morning.. we'll see how that goes).. one more thing - those earrings are so frigging cute

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  15. ha... best fix ever to just remove that back. i love it :)

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  16. I love the high neck and the low back. and the colors are great.

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  17. Lov-er-ly!! Clearly, I don't make enough decisions whilst drunk. Actually, I've never been drunk...I don't drink coffee either. At least I sew, or I wouldn't fit in AT ALL! lol

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  18. ha.ha.ha. unless it is underlined in red then i obviously don't check to see if it's wrong! wear...ware?? what really is the difference right? pssh, i need you to proof read for me. but then you'll see i'm a horrible writer and it'll just go down hill from there!

    i once dated a guy who wouldn't get his words right and it drove me nuts i tell you. "hey will you grab that four me" "i no her" ahhh i about died and never dated him again. and now i'm eating my own crow!

    much love! xo

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  19. I love that solution! Just take that part out, yes! The result is beautiful :)

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  20. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! LOVE IT! Oh and I'll definitely take you upon the coffee offer (Irish coffee, of course) :) And I totally do the exact same thing...in fact, I think I did the exact same thing with this pattern. Held it up to me...looks good. Some gaping in the front, 'exposed' zipper in the back..hahahahha. Good times. Miss you, my dear!

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  21. LOVE the dress!!! and I concur about international silks and woolens. I went in there recently and asked the sales girl if they carried Liberty fabrics. she told me, very matter of factly, that Liberty was no longer in business. I schooled her otherwise to which she replied, oh, well, my manager said that we can't get it anymore. to which I said, that isn't exactly the same thing as going out of business now is it? she didn't appreciate my correction, but whatever. she was giving out the wrong info! anyhoo, a nice chunk of change later, I was out with my desired voiles, which of course, she called vo-il. like oil. as in olive. :)

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    1. OMG I totally didn't see this comment earlier when I was commenting (probably because SOMEone distracted me with her stupid rotten zipper earrings...). Anyway, your comment made me El. Oh. El. Seriously.

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    2. wow. that's some excellent customer service there. i think i know exactly who you're talking about,

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  22. You look AMAZING!!!! Boo on people who are rude in fabric stores - I'm here to give you business, so you better show some respect. Love the bias trimmed edges - those alone are worthy of a free coffee!

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  23. Did you get free coffee? 'Cuz the back of that dress TOOOOtally deserves a free coffee. Amiright? 'Specially after braving Mean Fabric People. I hate them.

    Yep.

    (whistling)

    Hmm.




    (I am TOOOOOtally ignoring your FLIPPIN' ZIPPER EARRINGS.)

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  24. I love it. Boas binding gives me a happy and yours is so perfectly applied!

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    1. your typo made me think of the rattlesnake ruggy and i almost stepped on yesterday while hiking!

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    2. Ha! That's your next sewing challenge- applying boas binding.

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  25. Cutting out fitting issues? That.is.inspired. If I could do that I totally would - but I don't think I'd have much of a garment left. I do have a soft spot for that pattern - it was the first dress I ever made. Did you use pleats on the skirt instead of standard darts? Love the bias binding! Free drinks all round!

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    1. yes, pleats! mainly because the skirt would've been too small with the darts. stupid drunken cutting.

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  26. *g* Great post! "If it doesn't fit, hack it off" - that's the attitude, girl! :D The back looks great! I also love the zipper earrings.

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  27. Love your fix-- I LOVE that you don't get hung up on "ooh ooh oh no, it doesn't look like the line drawing!" and waffle over it for hours. You just GET. IT. DONE. That's why you're the best!

    Also, the square neckline/back look totally awesome with the stripes. Awesome.

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    1. i'll tell ya, it is often a handicap. sometimes i wish i could JUST. MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF THE ENVELOPE.

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  28. Oona, you always make me smile. I love your fixes, partly because you give me hope that maybe I'll be able to fix my own sewing mistakes/ misfits. Love your style. Keep it comin'

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  29. Ohh i like your smile so much. This dress look beautiful and Dress pattern is new and fantastic. I like square neckline so much.

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!