11.23.2010

i haz sewing skillz again!

well, i mean, that's subject to opinion but really, but i'm pretty happy about my new dress. and freaking thrilled that i actually FINALLY finished a project and entered a burdastyle contest!


yeah, that's my face. but more importantly, please do check out the exposed brick wall behind me. avec long crack and old paint circa 1947. yes, friends, this is the wall from the infamous bedroom debacle. what a great job they did, eh? such attention to detail.

whatever. i've decided to embrace it and go with some sort of restoration-vintage-goes-mod combo. i think i'm going to shove flowers and little matchbox cars into the wall and make it a piece of art.

but i digress.

this party frock took me about a week. i was racing along when i realized (for the 73rd time) that it is almost impossible to drape without a dress form. i realized this where i always do, when i got to the back of the dress. luckily i've got a girlfriend at work with a booty.


as for my front, i've got many tiny pinmarks that made me scratch my head in confusion, until i remembered yards of lace falling off me while i cursed my hand for having the gall to stick my torso.


that's a lot of pin sticks.

i used the roses in the lace to line up all the pin tucks. nothing would really mark this lace, so the seams were all done by eye and with fingers crossed.


i decided to use vintage brooches from my grandmothers for closures, that way i can change it up for the occasion. i think i'm going all christmas-y with this one. BY THE WAY. where the hell did the time go? how are stores decorating for christmas?

to enter the contest, you had to make a mood board of the era you were inspired by. i did a mix of 1720 & 1980, via watteau and the one-and-only prince. google quite rightly will not let me upload my board, since the shots were swiped from the web, but you could always go check it out over on burdastyle, wink wink. and maybe even vote for me later if you like what you see!

i think the prince reference is pretty obvious. i was going for purple rain, but it even goes a little towards that 90s sexy MF performance...

anyone remember that? when ruggy (oh yeah, that's what i'm gonna call r from now on, more fun, yes?) saw the exposed sides, there was some brow lifting. at least i didn't go that far.

i really wanted a watteau back, but in the self-injuring semi-masochistic pinning, it morphed into a panel, which can be kept closed or open...

                                                    
and now it's off to work i go. i leave you with this parting shot. i'm pretty sure i'm looking at the mustard colored splotch by the baseboard in disgust. 


ah, contractors.

18 comments:

  1. This is amazing! The details are incredible, the fit is perfect, and I really really love the color on you. You inspire me yet again! And also? Ohai, pretty Oona face! Nice to see you :)

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  2. Oona, you are TOTALLY GONNA WIN THIS THING!!!!!!! I can't get over how great it is. So. Durn. Sexay! !Sigh! You make me want to haul ass to the gym and get the kinda bod to rock this kinda dress in. Of COURSE you have my vote. All those pleats and tucks. Clever, clever girl. And great to see your pretty, grinning face!

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  3. That's pretty amazing...and this coming from a generally non-lace girl. Good luck in the contest!

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  4. Wow! You are rocking that dress! Your creations are always so stunning. Great photo shoot as well. Good luck in the contest, not that you need luck with your talent!

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  5. I keep being amazed by your crazy draping skills... so not me, but so great on you!

    Also, welcome to the sewing world, and thank you for pushing the pins post down; it's been depressing me lately, because I ran out of pins while trying to finish my old old bobbin lace bookmark. I think that was telling me I had too many unfinished projects. :D

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  6. thank you, thank you SO much, ladies!!! i was inspired by all of your beautiful faces to finally put my mug on the blog.

    mick, thank you, i have been experiencing a nostalgic return to my school-years favorite color of late...

    emilykate, it's smoke and mirrors. note the saggy not-been-to-the-gym-in-months knees in the last pic.

    becky: whaaa? i could see you rocking a lace refashion!

    cc: thank you! where are you on burdastyle?

    hana: does this mean i should include some pins in that yet to be sent package :)?

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  7. Thganks for the offer, but you don't have to. I robbed some unfinished projects that have no perspective of ever being finished. :D

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  8. also, saw THIS

    http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/white-brick-133652

    and thought of you. I actually like your exposed brick as-is but filling in the crack and painting white might make it less noticeable?

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  9. thank you big daddy!!!! i made the top 50, but so far i'm in like 7th or 8th place... we'll see..

    emilykate, i'm seriously thinking about whitewashed brick. i'm just too stubborn to give up my dream of exposed brick... what i need is the looming fear of guests coming into town so that i'll get my decorating ass in gear.

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  10. Ok (very belatedly) this is sooo gorgeous.

    Also I love your wall. They dont make walls like that out here in the west... ;)

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  11. Ooooooh! So lovely! Awesome color and I love the brooch as a closure. :)

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  12. veronica, robin & alessa, thank you! WOW are those pics blurry though.

    robin: they didn't mean to make this wall like this, heheh... it's what's left after some very unhandy handymen sledgehammered our bedroom!

    alessa: the brooches were an invention of necessity, it couldn't figure out where to put a zip... but now i can change it up :)

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  13. Oh this is such a gorgeous gorgeous dress! The pleating is divine.

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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!