1.14.2015

Waldo In Winter

oonaballoona | vogue 8773 pencil skirt & self drafted sweater | sewing blog

Yeah, I know. I kind of went Sgt Pepper's on these photos. January will do that to me. Lack of light, lack of warmth, lack of photographer. The trifecta. But let's play Where's Waldo and find my garment in this riotous, out of focus, ham handed, amateur photoshopped collage!

oonaballoona | vogue 8773 pencil skirt & self drafted sweater | sewing blog

Can you find the rectangle of sweater knit above? That's my "self drafted" H&M knockoff, made with some novelty knit. I succumbed to Black Friday and bought a couple of drapey sweaters at The Beast, and upon further perusal, found they were really two large rectangles with two smaller rectangles attached at "midarm" (top corner of the large rectangle) for sleeves. Four rectangles. I CAN DO THAT MATH.

oonaballoona | self drafted sweater | sewing blog

The RTW sweater has ribbing, but my neckline is self faced, hems & such turned under and carefully catchstitched. I went on a catch stitching bender for this January MSN ensemble... it's such a fun stitch. I don't know that it's the right stitch for what I wanted, but fun usually beats out right in my book. 

Oddly enough, the color of the sweater is washed out here. In this field of neon flowers, GO FIGURE.

oonaballoona | vogue 8773 pencil skirt & self drafted sweater | sewing blog

But the skirt is literally this bright in real life! (I also walk in fields of giant moss under a sun made of godzilla sized petals IRL, it's pretty awesome.)

This super nubbly tweedy tactile boucle was swooped up at Mood Fabrics NY, top floor, during a trip with Devra. We shouldn't be allowed in store together, we enable each other into all sorts of insanity. I obsessed over my yards for several weeks before deciding to give it a try with a virgin pattern, Vogue 8773. No muslin no waiting. Luckily for me & my boucle, an instant TNT pattern! (And it hails from the pattern stash of another homegirl, Clio... HEY LADIES THANKS FOR THE OUTFIT!) 

oonaballoona | vogue 8773 pencil skirt & self drafted sweater | sewing blog

Let's go find Waldo again! Can you spot the flowers inside my skirt? No, that's not a clone stamped technicolor rose petal, that's some Oscar De La Renta silk organza underlining.

oonaballoona | vogue 8773 pencil skirt catch stitching | sewing blog

YIKES. I spy some missed stitches on that seam binding! You get the gold if you can spot them...

This louder than life organza gives the skirt a wonderful weight, and helps the loose weave hold the shape of this six paneled pencil skirt. A great anchor for my catchstitching bender, too. Again, since I have no plans to line this, surely not the right finish.

It's a faced hem, I used the selvedge of the boucle. And speaking of misappropriated techniques...

oonaballoona | vogue 8773 pencil skirt & invisible zip | sewing blog

CHECK THAT FRONT SEAM THIGH HIGH SLIT INVISIBLE ZIPPER!

oonaballoona | vogue 8773 pencil skirt & self drafted sweater | sewing blog

It's held up so far, unlike my non-focusing camera... then again, I didn't drop this skirt on its head. So there's that.

this wintry rainbow was made using my monthly fabric "allowance" as part of the Mood Sewing Network. no fabrics were harmed in the 'shopping of these photos.  some psyches may be harmed by the viewing of them.

56 comments:

  1. Love both of these makes! Love your insides and the shape of that jumper is just super !!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know I had to take a long pause after reading "Can you spot the flowers inside my skirt" NOPE!

    The fabric of that skirt reminds me of my childhood, for realz. I wish I could recall what item had that fabric.
    The sweater looks crazy cozy. Really nice out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HAHAHAAAA.

      also, you had a great childhood closet if this stuff was in it!

      Delete
  3. That skirt fabric is just devine! I love it so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you jenna! i'm anxious to see what devra will make of it.

      Delete
  4. Do you intend to enter the sweater into Pattern Review's Bargainista Fashionista contest, or would it not be bargainist enough? Because it's definitely a piece of clothing that really demands to be knocked off and you do it with style. :-)
    (I considered entering the contest for about fifteen minutes, maybe, before I realised practically all my January sewing plans are historical and everything I make takes twice as long than I predict.)

    I see the missed stitches. They're reassuring, in the neighbourhood of those perfect catchstitches and everything. *friendly wave at missed stitches*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hmmmm... well.... considering the fabric cost more than the H&M sweater (a Black Friday 5 dollar deal) i think i can't claim bargainista status. plus i'd have to hide under a rock after admitting it's just a bunch of rectangles! HA!

      perhaps you can enter with a knockoff of historical proportions-- marie antoinette?

      Delete
    2. I think it should be H&M who's hiding under the rock, for various reasons lined up in that paragraph.

      And No. Way.
      A) I don't have anything like that in the works (and if I did, it would be Anna Maria Frederike, based on a portrait of a Curonian lady we snapped a photo of in Latvia...), B) you really have to calculate the cost savings for this one, so that kind of renders the previous point moot, anyway.

      Delete
  5. Love your Waldo impression especially the outfit Oona!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This silk organza is something! I love that you can see it throughout the slit (and your beautiful legs, of course)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i sat on this organza forever-- it's actually been in my stash for several years, a happy coincidence that i got it at mood. i don't think i could've used it this way when i got it, not being as concerned with guts back then!

      (and my gams thank you :)

      Delete
  7. Gorgeous photos!! I love this outfit, you look so snuggly and beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks heather! i do snuggle myself in this sweater, i must admit.

      Delete
  8. I want all my pictures to have that fun bright background. Brilliant outfit Darling

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you should see the before, ugly gray carpet and beige walls. i couldn't take it!

      Delete
  9. Ah, I love it all! The photoshopping is awesome and the inside of that skirt is especially fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gorgeous outfit and beautiful photos. I love the sweater and skirt combination.

    ReplyDelete
  11. No one would ever know it was dreary January! I am in love with your skirt - the fabric is just so happy and textural, and also - hurrah for showing leg! Love them boots too and your hair looks fab… this is all over just a really perfect outfit!! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you symon! it is nice to flash a little skin in winter, feels rebellious :)

      Delete
  12. That's genius to put the zipper in the skirt slit! You always have THE BEST textures in your garments. How do you resist petting your clothes all day long? lol I don't think I could resist.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The skirt is super sexy with the high slit and the invisible is a nice touch! the sweater does look very cozy though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks sharon! i thought the oversize + slit would balance out the crazy. or add to it....

      Delete
  14. This pullover is genius! I just bought some frighteningly orange (hunter's orange, what was I thinking?) from Fabric.com, and this is the sweater it should be made into. THIS!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you were thinking RIGHT. that sounds delicious!

      Delete
    2. It's winter fleece, so it should sew up in this pattern in no time flat! And it will ensure I don't get shot or hit by errant traffic on the streets of Minneapolis!

      Delete
  15. This is the best thing my eyes have seen today - hurray for laughter (and wine) after a shitty day! That invisible zip thigh split action is inspired. If anyone needs me, I'm off to find out what catch-stitching is and study it intensely. Sounds like it may possibly be another way to super-perfectionise my sewing. If so, I am in with both oversized boots!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. always wine after a shitty day, always. glad i could provide some laughter to go with it!

      catch stitching is addictive. i got into it while tacking some boucle down that was head for lining, and i think it's usually meant for hidden stitching. but it was so fun i didn't want to switch to fell stitching!

      Delete
  16. BWAH HA HA! That is the best eye melting photoshop _ever_! Epic win on the skirt- the zipper move is all kinds of crazy awesome- boucle and invisible zippers have been my joint nemesis since a 2012 skirt incident *fist shake*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh yeah, i'm sort of ready to lose the zipper battle at any moment...ALWAYS wear good undies with this one...stitching on the zipper line and stabilizing with interfacing helped!

      Delete
  17. You always crack me up! Your photoshopping is yums and your skirt is most accurate! Well done girly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha thanks dei! this one was a little more off the photoshopped wall. HOW I HATE POST HOLIDAY WINTER!

      Delete
  18. Lol I love the background in your pictures. I was like that's a nice location. Lol. You do amazing work. In love with the fabric and the inside.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love the sweater and the skirt! You're so creative. Can you show us more on how you can that boatneck aka bateau neckline so perfect?! I want to make one!!! And the skirt! Hell, I think we all want to BE you ~
    Erin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i basically extended the edges of the rectangles up a bit and folded them over... hrm. i think a drawing will explain better...i'll put something up!

      Delete
  20. Oh my gosh! That skirt and it's super sexy slit is so perfectly paired with the sweater. You're a genius..

    ReplyDelete
  21. Love the outfit!!!!! And love the play on photos! So beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks nickia! the photo play was almost as fun as the sewing ;)

      Delete
  22. I swear that I see Michael Jackson's face from Thriller in the lining when you are sitting on the stairs! I am so twisted some times!!! Love the skirt, and the sweater too!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Gorgeous, as always. I've been reading here quite a while now. I admire your outfits as well as the photos. Life is fun - your blog proves it!
    Greatings from Germany, Softwearing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. what a delicious compliment!!! thank you, lovely softwearing!

      Delete
  24. 1. Give me that sweater. 2. Oscar organza as underlining? Are you in some kind of organza fetish group? (Not that I would know about anything like that...even though my stripper name is Silk Organza) 3. I'm planning to catch-stitch my way through Armageddon, as it can fix anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1. no. 1a. unless you give me your sister's dress. 2. I KNOW I WAS SLAPPING MYSELF THE WHOLE TIME! insanity, to hide the great oscar! 3. i'll bring booze.

      Delete
  25. Merhaba,çok coolll :) Sevgiler

    ReplyDelete

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!