11.05.2014

technicolor depths

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

Are you ready to see what's underneath that GIGANTIC HOUNDSTOOTH?

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

HOLY COLORFUL INSIDES BATMAN!

If you didn't see my post over at MSN yesterday, here's my November allowance offering. Capety Cape Cape!! And, bonus (non-Mood) CRAZYFACE DRESS!!! 

This schizoid ensemble was all about opposite directions and course corrections. At first, I'd made the cape up in full with a Hong Kong finish. The houndstooth was so pretty! Why hide any of it? Well, for one, it sheds little baby wool hairs. And for two, I'm starting to appreciate the weight that a lining gives. The look, for three. OH THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS TO LOVE LININGS THAT MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNEW.   

Seconds before landing, I changed course and seam ripped a bajillion hairy stretchy seams, adding the red superheroine ponte. Under the wool and mohair, I'm all ponte, all the time.

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

The floral ponte hails from my neighbor to the north, Oh Canada. I had a Top Secret Super Quick Spy Mission that left me with a little time for fabric hunting (and very little for socializing. Next jaunt!).

You guys. You guys in Toronto. King Textiles is awesome. AND IT WAS FIVE BLOCKS FROM MY HOTEL. WHAT ARE THE ODDS. I came home with 5 pieces, one for every block, and ate supermarket haute cuisine to make up for it. WORTH IT. FABRIC IS MY FOOD.

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

But! Do you ever get that small yet consuming feeling of complete and utter dread, just after the proprietress cuts the first snip of your choice? This is not the droid you were looking for. This droid is defective. And this droid is now YOURS.

The print feels painted on with some crafty substance, even after washing, and it has zilch in the stretch recovery department. But I refused to change course! I eagerly plunked down my super pretty Canadian money! I'd deal with the saggy wrinkles for that palette of Holly Hobby flowers!

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

Later, in the hotel room with my feast of deli selections, I sighed and realized it was probably best suited for pajamas. Or pillowcases. Which, in Opposite World, made it the perfect choice for Vintage Simplicity 7398, hacked into a dress. 

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

With coral neon elastic stretch topstitched zigzagged embellishment. As you do. 

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

As for the cape: I often succumb to trends, in that I squirm uncomfortably over an endless parade of a suddenly coveted item, finally break down and snag everything I need to make it mine, sit on my supplies until the trend is over, and ultimately make something else.

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity patterns ensemble

This ginormous houndstooth wool threw me in reverse. When she arrived, I fell on her, and thought I'd make a sleek tailored blazer. But you know, super chunky, and not sleek in the slightest.

However, as the days passed, she whispered to me---actually she hollered at me, I mean, look at the size of that print: DON'T YOU REALLY THINK I SHOULD BE A CAPE. COME ON, MAN.

oonaballoona | wintry vintage simplicity ensemble

Of course capes aren't a passing trend, they're in every Fall, and this pattern (vintage Simplicity 7866) harkens from 1968. So I guess they're here to stay.

Ruggy says I look like Christmas. Yeah! Vintage Christmas! I took that literally and hamhandedly painted the backdrop with yellow and blue mulitcolored photoshopped holiday vintage glow. I guess I should have gone red and green. But I'm often running in the opposite direction of my original intention.

And you? Do you stay the course? Or run where your whim takes you?

the wool cape was made using my monthly fabric "allowance" as part of the Mood Sewing Network.

74 comments:

  1. I've never wanted a cape before, and now I feel I must own a cape! Incredible job as usual! :)

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    1. that's exactly what happened to me. i highly recommend falling prey to that trend!

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    2. Me too! *Never* wanted one, but now I desperately need one!

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  2. So, en su casa, Marce goes barefoot on Thanksgiving and yellow and blue for Christmas. Noted with thanks!

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  3. Oona, you are a goddess! I pink puffy heart this ensemble. As a Canadian, I applaud your choice of fab florals!

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    1. now, if only i could've got some hot pink in the mix :). thankya sarah!

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  4. OK, the coral stretch cord...this is so out of the Mac Berg sewing book of tricks (She's a Vogue Fabrics instructor here in Chicagoland)...and there's a whole shelf of that stuff here. I've tried it with other projects, but this dress trim? Shazam, I need to try stretch cord trick again. Sewers, you need the right foot for this trick, specifically one that has a tunnel built in underneath the foot. Examine what you have to see to what works. Btw, also like red latch on the cape, it **so** pops out.

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    1. I NEED THAT BOOK! i didn't have the right foot, just a wing and a prayer and the Pfaff IDT, but i went super slow. i'd imagine having the right foot would help immensely!

      i'm on the fence about the red latch. maybe i just need a couple more...

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  5. I love the cape. I love King's Textiles, too. Us Toronto sewcialists would have loved to meet you! Next time! :D I have to say the printed knits aren't that great there. Another store down the road has WONDERFUL and GORGEOUS sweater knits with designs. A houndstooth I am in love with is calling my name! Excuse me while I pop on the streetcar and go get it. I'm so broke from the stores in that district. ;)

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    1. next time for sure! it happened so fast there just wasn't time, and i didn't know if i'd have any free time... tho i was secretly hoping i'd randomly run into someone on my fabric hour!

      i could see going broke in King's easily. you'll have to hip me to that sweatery knit store!

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  6. This cape with that amazing houndstooth is so awesome!

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  7. I do have a cape, I made one a couple of years ago, I need to pull it out. Of course it is just a wool tweed, nothing as spectacular as your houndstooth, oh, my that is stunning and that red lining. Now onto the dress, love it and the cording for trim - brilliant.

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  8. Mondo would be proud of that cape. And I am too. <3

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  9. I switch directions kind of often on projects lately! I have a stack of fabric I've been intending to turn into blouses, but some of them look like they need to be dresses instead.... I'll have to see how I feel when I cut into them!

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    1. wow, you can see how you feel and change course AS you're cutting?!

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  10. I can't imagine that fabric as anything else but that cape. It's fabulous!!!! I love your cape!!

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  11. Marcy - I would wear that cape! However, I would add some solids to it to chic it up a little and a lot of pearls but love, love, love the cape! The dress isn't too shabby either!

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    1. haha! i guess a little navy dress would class the joint up:)

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  12. Love the cape. I never needed one before, but now I do. It is so pretty!

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  13. Awesomeness! I've got a pattern for a cape, but I've yet to commit to buying the fabric for it (currently veering dangerously towards rusty orange coating loveliness). I'm also yet to acquire the skills I presume I'll need. Oh, and I don't have room for another coat. And excuses...

    I'm glad at least one of us has a cape :)

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  14. A beautiful combination! I love the cape, it's really awesome! The colors you used for the pictures is great too, I am of the opinion that you best follow your intuition!

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    1. thank you! i enjoy my amateur photoshop mucking around time :)

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  15. OMG - what a rad version of piping that elastic trim is! Just sends the dress to the next level. And you can never go wrong with houndstooth ;o)

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    1. i swear, i keep buying that neon elastic, it drives me NUTS. one day i'll just have to make a garment out of it.

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  16. SO AWESOME! Love the GIANT houndstooth! And the floral.... swoon! I am feeling super inspired to make something out of some large (or so I thought) print houndstooth fabric I recently acquired :)

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  17. that giant houndstooth is just oh... so... beautiful. it looks perfect as a cape!

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  18. OH. MY. LUSCIOS. FANTASTIC. GOODY-GOODNESS! This is like the outfit of my dreams (besides your pink birthday dress, that's another dream). It's so svelte underneath and rad on top, it's like you're showing that there's more than one side to you... ;-) I'm seriously outfit-crushing right now. It has nothing at all to do with half a day spent on ebay looking at sheath (shift?) dresses, vintage dresses and vintage shift (sheath?) dress patterns. It's like you knew exactly what I wanted to see. Seriously, I don't know how you're going to get any cooler now. :-D

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    1. well THANKYA!! i do the same thing with sheath/shift dresses by the way, i can never get the definitions right. and thank you for reminding me i could wear my birthday dress with this cape :)

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  19. I've wanted a cape for years. I bought two patterns last year but didn't do anything with them...now I think your post may have pushed me over the edge!!

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  20. Thanks for the recommendation for Toronto! We're going there in the new year as an extended layover, and now I know where to shop. Love the cape!

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  21. You are wonderful, your makes make me smile and laugh and sing, such joyful exuberance. Bless you!

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  22. This is much too much awesome for my eyes!! I will drink to you and your incredible vintage Christmas droid defective ponte party neon elasticated self! (I'm currently trying to increase my fruit intake through cocktails. I figure go with it).

    And as for whims, I'm generally against any kind of running in any incarnation so I can't say that I've run with one yet. To my own fault, I probably more hang out in the over-thinking corner. It sure as hell looks more fun in the whimsy corner though!

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  23. Now that is an inspired cape! Love it!

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  24. That cape is glorious! And a painted on flower dress?? Where do I sign up?!?!

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  25. That is one fabulous cape! I've actually had that houndstooth wool bookmarked for months now, and of course now it's sold out. :) I'm with Mary Beth, the red latch is the perfect touch as well, and would be even better if you added more!

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  26. Gorgeous, both the dress & the cape! Capes will be popping up everywhere now! And that topstitched elastic cording. Brilliant...and BRAVE! It's fantastic! I must wonder though...did you just so happen to be booked at a hotel 5 blocks from that fabric store or was it planned? *wink*

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    1. HA! right?! i have zero control over that aspect, so when i googled mapped it the night before you can imagine my ear piercing exuberant shriek.

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  27. Brilliant! You look lovely as always and the prints give you a vintagey glamour. No one mixes prints or drinks like you. I would never be able to pull this off. Never. Back to my blacks.

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    1. you can pull off anything you want to, especially with cocktail in hand.

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  28. Love the dress! Oooo... the colors! You are my top real life fashion heroine! (I have some fictional fashion heroines but never mind them right now.) And the cape... the red lining is perfect.

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    1. I LOVE IT! and your fictional ones? i think nightcrawler is a pretty snazzy dresser. but of course he'd be a her-o.

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  29. This is so 70s fantastic! And that oversized houndstooth--is this Canadian too? Wow--I would've bought 10 yards of it just because when you put auburn colors and houndstooth together that's it for me. I love how the hem just does a big ploof! You find the coolest fabrics, Oona.

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    1. i totally should have! the houndstooth is mood, and they're sold out :(. i was pleasantly shocked by the hem when i turned it up!

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  30. I just lurve this outfit!! The dress is smashing and the houndstooth deevine! So you!

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  31. Oh my. I LOVE that giant houndstooth. Love it.

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  32. That cape. That caaaaape. Epically played!

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  33. That dress is pure Oona! And the cape...not to copy Amanda, but it is EPIC!

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  34. Ah...the Canadian connection! Your outfit is a brilliant synonym for us, your neighbours to the north...a little reserved on the outside, with the large hounds tooth appropriately hinting at our playfulness and love of humour...then...BAM....looky those insides, all wild and crazy Canuck! Well played Oona! Now, let's hope your top secret mission puts you squarely in the spotlight, hint, hint...we do love and respect our actors, nudge, nudge.

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    1. love your description sue! there's an awful lot of filming going on up there, so who knows...

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  35. After seeing you and Clio make capes this year I'm cape convinced. It looks amazing. Also, I think you've just conducted an unofficial experiment proving that Amandas like capes. By my count I'm the 4th Amanda to comment! Funny.

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  36. Holy crow, this looks amazing! I love the whole look, but especially the cape! The oversized golden houndstooth!!!!! SWOON!!!!!

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  37. Too much gorgeousness in one post! I don't know which I admire the most...your cape or your dress! Together, they make one heck of a stunning outfit...great skillz lady!!!

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  38. I run when my whim takes me. Life is short and I don't give a care. Also, I think you need some wrist length gloves for your Vintage Christmas.

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  39. Your cape is both sophisticated and fun! Now for a practical question as I just happen to be finishing up my own cape, which is a similar bell shape and length. Can you wear a shoulder bag with a cape? Would you wear it underneath or simply go with something else? I am taking my cape along on a trip to London and will need to have something more than a clutch.... Linda

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    1. thank you! i may be too late to help in your packing, but i use a purse that i can carry in the crook of my elbow or hold in my hand with this cape. feels very ladylike;)

      i'd definitely try a small shoulder bag underneath if i had one--but all of my shoulderbags are NY sized!

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  40. Fab everything! That houndstooth is Amazing, so are your perfect stitches. I used to live in T.O. and gosh I miss King Textiles........ I am definitely a "whim-er", otherwise what's the fun?

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  41. Oh totally know that gut-sinking feeling when you second guess a fabric purchase as they are putting scissors to it, (or after you hit "finish order" on PayPal LOL) - fortunately my fabric radar rarely leads me astray - those weird pieces always find their way onto my table when the time is right, and I think you are pretty darn savvy with the cloth as well, my dear - you let that fabric speak to you & it shows - you look amazing as always :)

    Side Note: If you ever decide to come to the West Coast of Canada, hit me up for some fabric shopping and cocktails!! ^_^

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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!