9.02.2013

the sew weekly reunion: LATE AS USUAL


OH HAI!  guess who has a new photographer??  ruggy haz mad skillz, yo!  all it took was a delayed DIY bathroom renovation surprise to guilt him into this job, and now he is FOREVER chained to my canonG12! MUUUUUUUAAAAHAHHAhahahahahhHaHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!


if you read between those lines, you'll understand why i'm late to the sew weekly reunion.  but it's totally par for the course with my track record there.  actually, this dress, the ever popular and completely awesome anna of by hand london, was completed over two weeks ago, in plenty of time. that was a sew weekly record for me. however, the distant due date found me slacking on pictures, and holy hell am i glad i did.  who woulda thunk ruggy would snap away in ten minutes flat what it takes me forty five minutes to hopefully accomplish. okayokay we're done,  i yammered after five minutes of clicking, hoping to avoid any stress.  wait babe, lemme try from back here.  the light is playing in a really cool way.

??!!!!!!  OKAY!


the facts:

fabric: a polyester from joanns from, egads, THE SUEDE SAYS COLLECTION.  wrong side of fabric was used for the front.  it's like playing a record backwards to reveal the voice of a demon, only the other way around.  suede scares me.

pattern: the bombalicious anna from by hand london

year: right now, baby, as tootie heath would say...

notions: invisible zipper, poly thread, universal sz 12 needle

time to complete: for cutting, sewing, and handsewing, under three hours.  even with french seams! unfortunately, i tinkered like hell with the pattern, part of which included raising the waist WAAAAAAY too much, that part took about four hours.  i blame it on my dallas hotel room and lack of ruggy.

first worn: august 2013, in the heart of texas, to model for tinkerbell in our dressing room.

wear again: now that i see ruggy's pictures, hell yes!

total cost: the pattern was a birthday prize, so just the fabric & notions, about $24.  joann's polyester is EXPENSIVE, yo.  suede says he needs a coupon.



for this reunion challenge, we were required to use pantone's fall colors.  i'm like, kind of colorblind, but i think these fit.  maybe they fit better on the right side of the fabric.

i'm so glad the fab four got the big band together again.   for those of you who don't know about the sew weekly, it was a online group of sewists who were challenged to sew one garment a week for an entire year.  each week was a new challenge.  i joined up in march of 2011, with this green pieced ponte knit dress.  later that year i met mena, and signed on to do oona does it! as a weekly feature, which very nearly had me throwing my iron right out the window every sunday. you can see those archives here, if you are so inclined.  

it is absolutely balls out crazy to make one garment a week.  i won't lie, a lot of those ended up wadders.  but the fab four, along with mistress mena, continually churned out amazing, envy inducing creations that always inspired.  anyone who played along with the sew weekly was certainly a little stressed, and definitely a better sewist by the end of it.  and a better friend.  to wit: the colossal new york meetup.  
  

although i shot myself in the foot overthinking pattern adjustments, i did need a couple of darts in the back bodice to solve some gaping.  i've noticed several ladies have made that adjustment...anyone have a method to share?  i just added 3 inch long, 1 inch wide darts, the center line following the center line of the pattern's waist dart.


speaking of foot.  BEANGIRL.  WHEREVER YOU ARE.  MARK MY SHOES.  MARK MY SHOES WELL. 

happy labor day, and happy reunion, y'all!  thank you debi, adey, veronica and sarah for throwing this beautiful bash!  my photographer is placing dinner on the table, but do holler if you're playing, i'd love to peep over a digestif...

edit: hey guess what i did.  I FORGOT TO NAME IT!  so not sew weekly of me!  i'm thinking of going with "the psychedelic suede dress"... suggestions?

95 comments:

  1. Wow, love this dress! The fabric seems to have every colour in the pantone palette. Great pics too! I was not even sewing yet the first time The Sew Weekly challenge was up and runnung so was excited to be able to take part in this one!

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  2. The dress is incredible, as are the shoes - I don't usually like wedges, but I make an exception for those babies - and the photos. I wasn't following any sewing blogs during The Sew Weekly run, so I crashed the party.

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    1. i'm not a wedge girl either but that print ensnared me...

      party crashers are welcome and your brand of flanges are SO sew weekly. great ensemble, great gams!

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  3. Love the dress, the colors are certainly Pantone Fall Colors. And it looks great on you. On time or not, it is certainly a well sewn garment and deserves recognition. Alas, my project for The Sew Weekly was not finished on time. It is the story of my life.

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    1. hey, i was late to the party, i'm sure you can still booze it up with us :)

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  4. Love the dress and the shoes. Beautiful job with the pattern!

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  5. Oooo yeah! Great work, Ruggy! And you. I need to make this dress. I bought it 'n everything. /sigh.

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    1. seriously, you're gonna make 12 of these when you finally crack that baby open.

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  6. Even if this is "late as usual" you are right on time with this pattern because it's everywhere! And I would've totally thrown an iron out the window if I had sewn every single weekly challenge too. I'm impressed with how much you did do.

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    1. i have fond memories, but i also remember ruggy telling me sewing should be FUN. i love that reeeedddd renfrew on you!

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  7. It's no secret that I love this pattern, but I ADORE your dress! That fabric is beautiful -it looks like it has a lovely light sheen to it in some of the photos. Did you lower the neckline slightly? Maybe I just have a short neck, but this looks a bit lower than mine does (and better for it!). Nice photos, Ruggy! Now to work out a way to bribe Ray... Mwuh ha ha!

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    1. you know, that's a good question.... i HATE facings, so i used self made bias tape and blindstitched it to the inside at the seam line. but the addition of darts on the back messed with that neckline, i evened out the curve on the actual dress.

      i used the wrong side of the fabric, it has far less sheen than the garish right side!

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  8. SHOES!!!!!

    Sorry, got distracted...Is it only me, or the fabric patterns reminds me of marihuana leaves?

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  9. amazing dress and SHOES! :) looking fabbbulouuuss as usual

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  10. LOVE your dress! Looks like we have the same taste in fabric! Check out what I made with what I call "The Palm Tree Fabric": http://seamstressfromvenus.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/finished-project-m6744-palm-tree-dress/

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    1. ooh wait now that i see the right side i wished i'd used it!!! pretty...shiny....though your cute shorter length goes perfectly with it. maybe on mine it would have been too much. sexy, mama!

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  11. Aaaaaaaannnnnnnaaa. Everyone needs to stop making this dress until I have time to make it. Is that Bratty? I don't care. You're all making me jealous with such freaking delicious makes. Amaaaaayzing.

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    1. it is your OWN DAMN FAULT, you vixen. go make this dress. kbye.

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  12. Great simple dress - you look great!

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  13. Wowza! This dress is gorgeous, and that fabric! I always play it very safe when it comes to fabric prints and colors so I'm sure that if I had ever come across this fabric I would not have taken it home with me, which is unfortunate because I looove it!

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    1. thank you! to be honest, i only took it home because it was facing wrong side out :)))

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  14. Love the dress and I am certainly eyeing the shoes!

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  15. AMAZING and Yay for Ruggy's great photos! Having a photographer is the BEST!

    But babe when you wear really hot shoes like that I'm not looking at your dress... they are OUT OF THIS WORLD great!

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    1. i was always so jealous of your hubbie's shots!! and i knew the shoes would be darling candy :)

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  16. Smokin' hot as always. I love your attitude, it screams through my computer screen! I'm making Anna No.4 and I've altered the bodice back to get rid of the waist dart and deal with that back gaping issue... I've just got to put in the zip and see if it worked!

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    1. ha! scream is a good word for it!

      i hope you post your trick for #4, you are the anna QUEEN.

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  17. Love the dress! Colourful yet stylish and you've got the attitude to pull it off soooo easily! I don't know how tall you are but you seem like 6 foot tall on these pictures!

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    1. thank you! the height is a trick of the camera eye... i'm posting some wee tips soon....

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  18. Your photos are fabulous. He's good! LOVE the dress and all your expressions! It's the "Oona does it again" dress to me :P I want those shoes!!!

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    1. oona does it again LATE. she should have renamed that column oona does it sometimes.

      if i can have, let's say, half your closet, you may have my shoes. that's totally fair ;)

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  19. Lovely lovely Anna!! And omg suede scares me too! But I think you did a fantastic job of taming the suede. Tell Ruggy - great pictures! Also, your shoes are killer.

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    1. ruggy is shocked that peeps love his pics. he really doesn't believe me.

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  20. Those shoes!!!!! Love the dress as per usual!

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  21. "suede's envy" - how's that for a different title? *lol*

    LOVE the shoes!! Like, WOW...

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  22. I love your reverse suede Anna action (especially with those shoes) but dear me I hope you are planning a maxi. THIGH. HIGH. And your fro is fucking fantastic.

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    1. all good things... or well, i would call this one a so-so thing....

      thanks fo' the 'fro love!

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  23. can we talk about those shooz s'il vous plait ? *boing went my eyes*
    ja ja, the dress is good too...but we all know that :)

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  24. You're one lucky sewer to have found a photographer - when I asked my brother to take photos of me in my me-made garment, well, let's just say that was the only time he took photos of me.

    I love this dress and I can't believe you bought the fabric at Joann's!

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    1. is this the same bro with the pattern software idea???

      i was shocked to find it there. you've got to dig, but there are gems.

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  25. OMG YOUR SHOES! I die.

    Oh, and your dress is pretty freakin fabulous as well...you totally fit in with the sew weekly colors. I may or may not be color blind as well, though, so it's all good to me :)

    This beautiful pattern is on it's way to me as we speak. Now, to find some crazy awesome shoes.

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    1. don't die! find ye a department store sale! or better yet, cover some wedges in fabric :).

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  26. Very nice Anna dress. Woo Nelly on the Fro. Loving it.
    Loving it all.
    So is Ruggy agreeing to do ALL the pictures taking??

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    1. thanks girl :) we're 2 for 2... i'm keeping all my digits crossed...

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  27. I love love this Anna dress! Whatever you did for the adjustments
    is really working! Love the print, the way you used the back, and super
    impressed that it has french seams and it only took you 3 hours! You are an amazing seamstress!

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    1. eek! thankya! i must admit, i've had a loooot of practice on french seams, having spent 2 summers away from my serger...

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  28. Oooh, I need to guilt Phin with Ruggy's photo mojo. Great dress!

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    1. it shouldn't be hard. give him a phin inspired nickname till he caves. better yet, give ruggy one....rockin ruggy?

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  29. Great photos! I like how you provide the deets on materials, including needle and thread. That's a great idea. I'll have to start doing that on my posts. It's always nice to see what people are actually using when they made stuff.

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    1. that's actually a sew weekly thing, "the facts". i don't normally do it, though you're right, it is helpful. maybe i'll start!

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  30. I loooooovvvveeeee itttttttt!!! I have trouble coming up with comments to leave you because your projects are always so amazing that I just don't have the words haha! Or maybe it's the shoes... yeah the shoes are tipping my brain over the edge this time. DUDE. You wear the coolest stuff.

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  31. LOOK AT THE SHOES!!!!! Eeeeeeeekkkkkk!!!! Love the shoes, the dress is great as well, SO Oona : )

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  32. UGH YOU POSTED A LINK TO THE MEETUP AND NOW MY EYES ARE ALL MISTY AND SHIT AAAAHHHHHH.

    Anyway, I love you and your fierce, amazing dress and those hot HOT shoes.

    You are a magnificent being - Ruggy captures your awesomeness well.

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    1. ruggy is indeed my capturer :)

      and he was asking about you the other day !

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  33. Yay, amazing dress! I really like your shoes too :) I made a Belladone dress for the challenge, really cool to think about all the colours.. If you want to check it out over a drink, here's the link:
    http://revesmecanique.blogspot.nl/2013/08/ciao-bella-my-first-belladone.html

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    1. that is DELICIOUS. i think you need a pair of these shoes to go with it. and we should have, let's say, rosemary gin and tonics?

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  34. You look amazing!! As usual!

    I'll leave the super tall shoes to you, BUT I do see a big-hair-off in our future ;o)

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  35. Lovely shoes! But I love this dress more!

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  36. great dress! THOSE SHOES!!! 'MURICA! ;) Anywho - this is yet another a-ma-zing anna - this dress is killing it!

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  37. GAH look at those shoes. LOVE.. Also love the dress of course.. just my eyes get drawn to shoes first hah

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  38. i love that dress on you, sis! just a perfect one.. this is totally my favorite anna so far!

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  39. FABULOUS!!!!! I love love love love LOVE it! You look minxy as all get out, dude!

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  40. This is a beaut of a dress! And you are so lucky with that Ruggy! I get my bloke to take my pictures and I can tell he's getting impatient to be done after about 4!

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    1. i'll tell ya, this picture thing is a VERY new development. i'm holding my breath.

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  41. The dress and pics are beautiful, but really I LOVELOVELOVE your hair. It looks longer, which is to say more deliciously puff-ball, yes? I want that hair. Note: I just considered how I would look with that hair and it would be very incongruous indeed. But I still want it.

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    1. oh yeah, longer, but really it's more combed out. and i just pictured us with swapped hair.

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  42. Cute!! I thought about using that same fabric on the reverse, too. So much better.

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  43. Gorgeous...love the mix of that print with those shoes.

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  44. Before I even got to words, I was oogling those shoes. LOVE! Now I'm going to go back and read the post because I'm sure everyone has said the same thing! Cool dress, too ;)

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  45. I know this is an older post but a) I love the dress and b) what's the deal with polyester? I feel like I was always raised to believe it was cheap, horrible fabric. But as a seamstress, would you really say that's the case?

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    1. thanks sexy lady!

      interestingly enough i have a little draft written up abut poly. i think it can be both-- i've worked with some GORGEOUS poly brocade before, and this thinner stuff played nicely. but the wrong side has the wrong kind of shine for my personal taste.

      most super slippery poly and thin poly jersey gives me grief! what do you think?

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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!