2.24.2013

black and white but not so much "read"


this creation had a very quiet opening over at MSN a couple days ago, which tells me it might not be everyone's cup of tea...but here on planet kalkatroona the natives are digging it, even ruggy!!!   i LOVE it when ruggy likes something i've made!

que moody shots, eh?  i had no idea we could get such extraterrestrial light in our bedroom in the middle of the day.   weird, man.  the alien landscape must have affected me, think i could crack a smile?  inside i'm positively gleeful, i love this crazy dress tunic top thingamajig!


let me start at the beginning.  i was in the far left end of mood by the windows, in the back corner.  it seems to be inhabited by many designer bolts, and by denis, a much sought after, soft spoken breath of a gentleman.  i was hugging this bolt of caroline herrera wool & silk organza cacophony when he caught my eye.  ah, isn't it beautiful?  a pair of women tittered and fluttered behind him like groupies seeking attention.  YES.  how did they make that???  how would you WORK with it?  i whispered.  denis nodded sagely.  many have walked away from this bolt. 


i should have been one of the many, as i did my level best to destroy the two yards i walked away with.  i spent more time UNmaking it than making it.  my first thought was: maxi length skirt, which morphed into a circle skirt, which was poorly drafted and ended badly (truly, y'all, circle skirts are my achilles heel).  leave aside the fact that i underlined silk organza with two layers of polyester organza i had in my stash.   dude.  don't use margarine to cook a grass fed steak.  i looked like a holly hobby doll trying desperately to play designer dress up.


i amputated the herrera from the poly, and was left with bits and bobs, and two fairly large bias portions in the shape of drunken skirt panels. sadly, i said to ruggy i don't think i can save this without a dress form

let me remind you, i have only the very basic idea of how to drape.  as in, i know my ABCs up to about D.  but there were too many puzzle pieces in amoebic shapes to use for a pattern, and i thought if i could lay these pieces out on another (pinnable) body, i could save it.


again, here's where i ought to wish out loud for things more often, as a wolf form landed in my lap that very weekend (more on that to come...and possibly even another dress form landing today.  EGADS!).  the two skirt panels were turned upside down, becoming the main bodice piece and collar, and the other remnants became the long triangular sections at the sides. i repeated this equation on the back, and sliced up the middle for a zip.


note to self: get a cami that doesn't wrinkle. that's the cami fabric you see wrinkling like a pug puppy, the sheer organza, she lays nice and flat.


i also used up the remnants of my wool skirt to enclose all of the seams, that stuff doesn't fray, not one little bit! (oh, yeah, i'm in the process of refitting said skirt and haven't put it up in kalkatroona yet, but you can see it here on the MSN blog.)  the seams are on the outside, i placed a 5/8ths inch strip of black wool along all of the seams, and topstitched it down to enclose the raw edges.

a lot of careful surgery was performed on those seam allowances, i picked out every little bit of wool to make a flat edge.  lemme tell ya, this fabric was made by magical elves or something...


happy sunday, y'all.  i'm off to throw some lace and silk chiffon at a dress form.

this alien life form was made using my monthly fabric "allowance" as part of the Mood Sewing Network.

106 comments:

  1. You are fearless! I can't believe that this designer tunic top could have been a maxi or circle skirt! You've got a catwalk piece there, amazing. I would have given up ( actually I would have been one who walked away in the shop!)

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    1. ah no, not you!!! you would have stared it down and practically beaten it into submission!

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  2. This is AMAZING! I would wear this in a heartbeat. I'm so impressed that you draped it.

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  3. I LOVE THIS. :-) I would so wear this. Amazing top.

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  4. This is so cool! Think of all the things you could layer it with!

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  5. Absolutely beautiful! The fabric is amazing, and I love the way you've used it! The lines of the dress (tunic?) are gorgeous. I would wear it as a dress with a slinky black slip underneath, and I agree with Meli - the layering options are endless!

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  6. You are a god! A fearless, awesome, fabric manipulating diety! I never thought you (or anyone) would top your Anna Sui panel dress. Done. Right here, right now. Ruggy is right. Very cool, tres chic, extra special and versatile. I think I'm out of adjectives!

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    1. Would you please just get it over with and apply for Project Runway?! You'd be perfect. You are fearless and camera ready.

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    2. ah, my pinning friend, i love you. you know you'll have front row seats when i win PR, right? do you mind that the seats will probably be in dreamland? i promise it will be fantastic. probably including unicorns and fountains of chocolate.

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  7. Beautiful,edgy and very fashion forward.I'd be happy just to play with that fabric

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  8. What a fantastic journey to a fabulous outfit! I love that!

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  9. Um. Wow. Just... wow. I want one. You are amazing woman!

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  10. Bloody hell, that fabric is amazing. You created such a unique piece with its....uniqueness. I LOVE what you've done with it and the neckline and triangle hankerchief hem are just dee-vine. Nice job, missus.

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    1. thanks lynz! i almost made the hem even-- had enough remnants to piece it-- but i liked the triangle bits in the end :)

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  11. Wow, that's amazing! One of my favorite designs you've done so far.

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  12. You never cease to amaze me... How awesome

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  13. So cool that you actually made this from something that did not work out twice!!! Fabulous save!!! That fabric is pretty cool too. So glad you came up with something you love to make out of this super cool fabric.

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    1. i was bound and determined, and some might say certifiable...

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  14. I love it! It's unusual, and a statement, but it's wonderfully so. That fabrics demands such a unique construction!

    Perhaps a bodysuit (snap crotch!) is the best undergarment?

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    1. i indeed found a snap crotch yesterday... mais, i do not have the bust cups to suit. feh.

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  15. You are so crazy brave! Also, you're totally giving me dressform envy. The tunic is an amazing save!

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  16. i love it sis.. and love that magical fabric as well.. and kudos for you not giving up on it (i would just quit after circle skirt went south, caroline herrera or not)

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  17. Wow! What a creative piece! I would've had no idea what to do with a fabric like that. I really like the front hanky collar-y thing and the fit is really flattering on you. I would love to see a second photo shoot of this with a simple neon orange mini dress underneath. I think then it would be really Oonalicious.

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  18. That is amazing. And seeing fabric like that makes me even grumpier about what's for sale in my own country... I'd love to be able to fondle stuff like that in real life!

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  19. this is just soooo cool!...I love it!

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  20. I love this- ists textural, sexy, just wonderful!

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  21. I think you are the perfect person to wear this fabric. It seems to suit your personality and I really like it.

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  22. It's GORGEOUS!!! And yup, it's totally Oona.
    Can't wait to hear the dressform stories... I'm currently throwing out into the void 'I'd like a credenza!'

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    1. more story has happened today, oh my lord. i hope that credenza cane through...

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  23. That is madness. Think of of the different ways to dress it up! :)
    Good work

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  24. That's it. You've officially blown my mind beyond all repair.

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    1. no, but your mind is beautiful! i wantz it in working order!

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  25. Replies
    1. thanks faye, i figured out of this world was better than out in the trash:)!

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  26. i would love to see this with a slip dress under! and a wolf dressform?! cannot restrain my utter jealously... at least you will do amazing things with it!

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  27. Edgy and a work of art! I also think it will look fab as a dress with a slip under.

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  28. I love it. especially the way the back comes together.

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    1. it was scary to slice that back open, but i'm glad i did. thank you!

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  29. Very unusual and interesting outfit! But we did not expect anything usual from you ;)

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  30. what a gorgeous tunic (I guess that's what to call it!)
    It looks really great and the fabric is just amazing.

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    1. thanks girl! i think tunic is the right word. i may be happier with it over jeans than as a dress-with-slip.

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  31. What a transformation! Way to power through and create such a masterpiece!

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  32. It took some wrapping around of head (mine), but the more I see of it, the more I love it.
    Also, congratulations on new dress form!

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  33. Fabulously cool! And the title of this post reminds me of the best kids' song of the 80s: newspaper mama - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdom0hHRXjA

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  34. woohoo! TWO dressforms? It must be Christmas in Kalkatroona.

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  35. Holy moses that's an amazing dress! It will be very appropriate for when Great Gatsby finally comes out!

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  36. I can't believe you made this beauty out of your f*cked up scraps from a circle skirt! You mad, blessed lucky genius! I love that you always pick the scariest fabrics and make the magic the way only an Oona can. Also, guess who is cutting out that Victory pattern this week?! I should be done by the weekend! WOO HOO!

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  37. There will be much pawing over this fabric if I ever see it in person! This is so gorgeous and different - I love it on you!

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  38. All I can say is wow! Also, I salute your persistence...I would have given up after the first or second try :)

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    1. thanks elise! i hate to give up. might be a downfall of mine, actually.

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  39. Wow this is so cool, almost avante guard! You really saved it!

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  40. This looks AWESOME! I especially love the black trim. Amazing!

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    1. thank you, i was pretty stoked about that trim. i think in the end i had a square foot of waste from 2 projects. :)

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  41. This is HOT. Love that fabric and those seams. And the shape. You are rocking it.

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  42. Ooh, texture! You have a knack for finding and using such unusual fabrics (successfully!). Always inspiring!

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    1. i think i just head for the unusual stuff. like a bee to honey. then i'm an angry bee whilst working. interesting.

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  43. LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!! Whoever says differently is C-R-A-Z-Y.

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  44. Very Cool! Totally cool! Love it....

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  45. This is such a luscious fabric! I love what you've done with the bodice and well, the whole thing with artful sheerness. Big win on this one, gorgeous you.

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    1. ooh thank you amy. one day this should meet one of your works of art, and bow down before it...

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  46. I love this and love that fabric. The jeans aren't really doing it for me, though. I think it needs a pair of...

    oonapants!

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    1. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

      MATCHING OONAPANTS!!!!!!!!

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  47. I love it, Oona! I can't believe you figured something out like this of a bit of a mess. The fabric is, God, amazing. What does it feel like?

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    1. it's soft as hell with wool tufts and bumps. like wearing air :)

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  48. Now I have to start draping. Fab fabric!

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    1. i wish i really knew how to drape! but what's the harm, right? :)

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  49. So cool! I love this! Sorry for my tardiness-- I've been BANANAS busy, and my blog roll had 400+ new posts waiting for me (terrifying!). But yes, better late than never, right? Way to rescue a wadder! This looks so cool and fashion-forward!

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  50. Oona she's so arty, I love it. That fabric?? giddy-up.

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  51. A dress that makes you gorgeous and sexy. Rock on girl!

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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!