5.15.2013

conquering heights



if i look self satisfied, IT IS BECAUSE I AM.  the reasons are twofold:

1.  i conquered this cotton.
2.  i conquered myself.

I CONQUER, YO.  I AM A CONQUISTADOR OF COTTON.  (that may not mean what i think it means, but i’m going with it.  i have a sazerac in hand and no desire to use my dictionary widget.)

last month, i decided to try my hand at what most of my fellow mood sewing network bloggers are old hat at: ordering online from mood.  within a minute, i stumbled upon this thakoon cotton, and these decorative coconut shells.  (update! it's sold out at the moment...but check this one out.  YUM.  don't grab too much though, leave some for me!)  it is almost certain that i would not have paired these two up had i been in the store– if only because the coconut shells are placed about 5 feet in the air above my head, and i rarely look up that high.  nothing of note is taller than my 5’3 frame, you see.


erm, except these rooftop shoots….


THOSE are taller.  the images don’t do the edge of the building  justice.  that’s a steep ramp right up to a free fall on a windy day.  FUN.  and, quite dangerous.  i thought the location fitting, considering the vicious way i started this garment.  one breezy saturday afternoon, ruggy caught me chopping– literally chopping-- into four yards of this luscious stuff.  oona, he said, don’t cut angry.   although i had to laugh in appreciation of his deductive skillz, i WAS angry– irate, in fact, for reasons which are boring and not worthy of telling.  suffice it to say the sound of my shears gave my mood away.

and he was right:  Don’t.  Cut.  Angry.  the reasons for this are twofold:

1.  you might hack off a finger.

2.  you will most definitely cut into what was an ample amount of designer cotton, forgetting that you needed six panels instead of four for the sweeping and carefully drafted maxi skirt.  you will instead insanely and wantonly cut three on the bias.  you will then spend the next five days trying every possible combination to make the five unmatched panels you eked out work in some strange jigsaw puzzle configuration.


but then of course you’ll be totally full of yourself when you DO... which is a bonus.

it was pretty windy up there, and impossible to get a shot of the hem.  it's curvy!  the side seams lift, the front and back dive.  i lurve it.


and hey didja notice those bust darts?  ME NEITHER!  i would say i planned it that way, but i don’t like to lie.  more truth telling: i have 7 extra coconut shells languishing on my table.  they were meant to be a statement necklace for this dress.  however, the statement ended up being: we'd make better earrings.


more truth be told, i’m even okay with the slightly wonky back, which was where the real jigsaw came in.  the bodice is vintage vogue 2970, and the six-come-four gored skirt is of my own drafting.   i used two bias cut panels for the center front and back, and two regular joes for the side panels.  however, the center back panel was sliced up the middle to accommodate the invisible zip.  in hindsight i should’ve done a slash zip opening, since there was no seam allowance down the center back.  but, i was still a little peeved and not thinking correctly…one might even say, still angry


i am nothing if not hard headed.  was counting on that fact, in case of a skyscraper fall.  by the way, does my dress remind you of anything?  any new yorkers out there care to hazard a guess on thakoon’s inspiration?  i don’t know for sure if my hunch is right, but let’s just say i found the city view… appropriate…


this maxi dress was made using my monthly fabric "allowance" as part of the Mood Sewing Network.

110 comments:

  1. love it, as usual. and you (and ruggy) are so right: don't. cut. angry. and remind me to listen to coconut shells more often - they definitely make amazing earrings.

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    1. i worked on that statement necklace for two hours. the earrings took two minutes.

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  2. Love! I'm intrigued by this mixing it up of the bias in the skirt. I will need to inspect next time we see each other:)

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  3. Gorgeous. I am very afraid of you! ;)

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  4. Awesome! Love everything about the dress, from the design to the colors and the graphics! Congrats! :)

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  5. Wow, that's really high up. And by the way, GREAT dress and coconuts. Have I mentioned that heights terrify me? I need to go now.

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    1. the standing shot was actually quite scary. my parents are gonna freak when they see this.

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  6. You are one incredible lady. Every post, you blow me away with your talent. That dress is amazing! Thank you for always inspiring.

    Mandy
    Nestled in Nostalgia

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  7. Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! It doesn't need a statement necklace the fabric makes enough of a statement. https://www.facebook.com/SassySewingBees

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    1. ah, thank you! you're right, you shoulda seen that mess of a necklace on top :)

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    2. Lol. Yeah I could guess. I love a funky fabric, keep churning them out.

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  8. You so crazy!! I'm peeing in my pants and my knees are knocking just looking at these pictures. Heights! Eeek! The dress is fantastic! The print is so fun!

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    1. how i haven't gotten a shaking finger call from my parents is beyond me. it really was fun, i couldn't stop smiling!

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  9. Legendary awesomeness!!!!! Oona, you are simply spectacular!

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  10. What an awesome dress! Great patterning, love the print. As usual your talent shines through!

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  11. Great dress. If I saw it in a shop I'd swear that nobody on the planet could pull off that print, but clearly you can. Even cooler attitude--in similar circs, I would have fed all four yards to the paper shredder after about ten minutes and then finished all the gin in the house on a bed of designer bias-cut confetti. But then I have a four-second fuse, and not half the talent (or style) you do to pull off the stuff you do.

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    1. this made me laugh out loud. no, correction, CACKLE. bed of designer confetti... i haz it...

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  12. I'd never have thought you are a 5'3" cutie since you carry off maxi dresses with LARGE. And BOLD prints as if you were Amazonian. But since you've admitted you are a conquistador of cotton, then that falls into place. You are a lion-tamer of loud such is the skill with which you bend these prints to your will. Awesomely inspiring and some valuable lessons too ( esp. Not cutting angry- good call!)

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    1. i always thought our petite selves would get on gangbusters. oh, the photo shoots...

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  13. Beautiful!!! I love the shape and fit!! And, I was already totally in love with this fabric, does that mean my inner Oona is trying to burst free?!??!

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  14. Also. I think your mood would be greatly improved by a sewcialist meet-up ;o)

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  15. Gorgeous! Your creations always make me want to explore the world of brightly colored fabric!

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  16. You are really setting it off :)

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  17. What a stunning dress, and I'm with Scruffy Badger above - would have never thought you are my height...you look soooo much taller (and leaner to be fair ;o))

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  18. I've admired that fabric for a while- blue and yellow is my favorite color combo. You've inspired me to TAKE THE LEAP- aaaagh! (That was me jumping from a tall building...it was funny when I thought it)

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  19. Very very pretty. And cool. The struggles really don't show! Good job not giving up!

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    1. thankya! sometimes i need to throw in the towel, but i couldn't do it on FOUR yards of fabric.

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  20. So Vivid, So Bold! You Have The Flair With Prints Oona! :) Am Off To Find One To Conquer :)

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  21. Girl this is amazing!! That fabric is so eye-catching and fun, I love it. I'm also loving that curvy hem! Also so loving these rooftop pictures. You're making me miss the city!

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  22. What a great dress. And your shoes, they are the perfect match.
    Don't. Cut. Angry. Those are wise words.

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  23. this dress is ace of base! Nailed it.

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  24. Lovin the fabric and the cool earrings! Btw, I saw you on Nurse Jackie this past Sunday which I've just started watching but knowing your on it makes it way more interesting : )

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  25. THIS IS MY FAVORITE PROJECT TO DATE. Seriously, Marci. No, I'm really serious. Whatever mistakes you made weren't mistakes - this dress was meant to be! Whoa.

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  26. Awesome dress! And I LOVE your hair :).xx

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  27. PS I'd love to see you upload it to Handmaker's Factory ;)

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  28. freaking perfect, sis! love the print! i want to walk the rooftops with you, wearing something equally fabulous

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    1. i think the power of our combined prints together would give us the ability to run and jump over rooftops, don't you?

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  29. You have EVERY right to look self satisfied! Bask in it because that is an outstanding dress.

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  30. Fabulous dress, and really great photos!

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    1. okay so i took ruggy's ear off shouting about your comment. thankya!!!!

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  31. Hi oona!
    Your style is amazing, I love everything about this outfit, so colorful and fun.
    Hope you have a lovely day.
    xo, Elba from live colorful

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  32. Love it!! Wow, this dress is really fabulous. : ) Love the NYC references too - it's my home, and I miss it!

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  33. GORGEOUS fabric, earrings, dress, you & pictures Oona!

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  34. Like Like Like!!! Killing it!

    And would like some sazerac, please. The place that had the best that I have tried closed down, might have to make some myself.

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  35. Gah you're amazing! This dress is just gorgeous! And the earrings - so cool :)

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    1. thanks stephanie! and i was pretty stoked about the SUPER easy earrings.

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  36. This dress is s.t.u.n.n.i.n.g on you ! You did a very great job ! I'm in love the fabric ! Too bad Mood doesn't ship internationaly.

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    1. thank you! i hear tell that will happen soon, so keep your eyes peeled....

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  37. That fabric is rad! Loving the contrast between the bodice structure and flow of the skirt. But those photos? EEK! Way too high for me!

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  38. Already commented on your BS page, now here - you area print genius - a adore this dress!!! should I also mention that you are an enabler!
    - craving to order it...
    - but got way to big stash
    - maybe for a circle skirt?
    - already got a nice ikat print for the skirt...
    - assymetric hem... oh, my preeeecious...

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    1. sorry for the typos, btw. My fingers are pushing all the wrong buttons - it's your dress! :)

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    2. the print is sold out - oh, lucky me, I mean my wallet!

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    3. you are SLAYING me, i love this stream of consciousness commenting! i put another link in the post to tempt you...

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  39. Adore it. I love that every piece you make absolutely oozes Oona. :)

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  40. What? You are only 5'3" This is important information. It makes your stuff all that more amazing because you never look short in your dramatic pieces. You are defying all of the fashion advice about big prints, etc. I am going to look at your creations with a whole new eye now. Thanks for sharing!
    Karen (5'0").

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    1. as, my five foot friend, those rules are balderdash! and actually... i'm more like five two and three quarters. but as we know, a quarter of an inch is a Big. DEAL.

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  41. Wow, this is so cool. I love the combination of sleek lines with the bold print. I would've had a hard time swerving away from that print if I saw it in a store. Your hair is gorgeous, too!

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  42. I love your dress - as always :) That fabric is delicious!

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  43. Completely awesome, Oona!

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  44. This is freaking awesome - as per usual! And your ninja like problem solving skillz leave me in awe - as per usual! Love that Thakoon cotton. Swoony swoonerson.

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    1. thanks sallie! it feels swoony on, this cotton is made of fairy dust!

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  45. God damn, you. are. the. business, that fabric is the business, the dress is s m a s h i n g and your earrings are perfect. I want to play dress-ups and hang-out on windy rooftops with you. L O V E!

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  46. You are the business, that fabric, that dress, those earrings *bites fist* LOVE!!

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  47. Ooooooo look at you! There's no way I could ever look that classy and collected while on a roof, seemingly a million stories off the ground! I'd be crying bahah! That dress is insanely amazing (no one should expect less of you) and no one would ever know you struggled with it if you hadn't said so. It looks perfect to me!

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    1. thanks girl!! i bet lucille would protect you on rooftops :)

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  48. Fabulousness in yellow and blue. I love the print with that simple but dramatic silhouette. Love, love.

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    1. thank you, i think it's one of the simplest silhouettes i've tried, and i'm hooked.

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  49. Fantastic dress as usual Oona dahlink! Really nice photo-shoot local, too - amazed that the wind didn't try and blow you away my petite friend.
    As a somewhat curvy-in-all-the-wrong-places 5'8" gal (*LOL*) I find that my size is way too popular - hence my thinking of becoming a veritable sewista like yourself (but never as good as you, mon ami!) and get stitching. And quit b*ing! *winks*

    Oh, and fighting the battle of the "over 40" bulge...

    Regards,
    Mugsy

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  50. I love it! Very you. And I had no idea you could buy Thakoon fabric online. Dangerous info. I'll tell my husband it's your fault.

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  51. wowee I love this print :) the dress fits you very well too. Fun photoshooting. I am now a big fan of your blog. now, because I am new, not because its grown on me haha. instant awesomeness!

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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!