7.15.2015

sui-za sui-za

oonaballoona | a sewing blog | anna sui mood fabrics | linen maxi skirt

Sometimes I daydream: I'm designing an outfit for Pretty Grievances' Wearable Wednesdays. Have you read her roundups? They're amazing, I cackle at the witty repartee as much as I covet each insane design. In fact, the wacky looks often send me running to my sewing machine.

oonaballoona | a sewing blog | anna sui mood fabrics | linen maxi skirt

In this daydream, it's Oonaballoona Does Sui. SO MUCH SUI IN MY LEEETLE STASH! I had such great plans to go full on Wearable Wednesday with this yardage... I'd intended to make a matching crop tank top with the one flower I had left, but ran out of steam on the silk bias binding. 

I might still get around to it.... oooooh maybe if I do some witty gal out there will make my daydream come true! COMPLETE WITH COLORFUL AND/OR OFF-COLOR REMARKS! HUGE NUDGES AND WINKS AND OFFERS OF BRIBERY IN THE FORM OF LIBATIONS!!!

Of course, that would also require that I finish and/or begin ALL of the current Sui projects I have in mind.

oonaballoona | a sewing blog | anna sui mood fabrics | linen maxi skirt

By the way, are you shocked to see me in blue? With a black tank top, no less?! Me too. A warm toned gal, I am I am, so obviously the wall needed to bend to my fiery will.

This blue bolt of luscious linen positively leapt out from the shelf at Mood NY and punched me in the heartstrings. Of course, an inspection of the selvedge revealed The Sui. Over at MSN, LalaSews suggested that Anna Sui might be my spirit animal.

oonaballoona | a sewing blog | anna sui mood fabrics | linen maxi skirt

I THINK SHE'S RIGHT!!

If memory serves, I grabbed 2 yards, and immediately kicked myself when I got home and got to thinking. I wanted a maxi skirt to make the most of the print, but didn’t consider all those lovely shapes and lines and buds– I had just enough for a skirt, but not enough to cut side seams and leave the print undisturbed.

That is, not enough to cut proper side seams…

oonaballoona | a sewing blog | anna sui mood fabrics | linen maxi skirt

Where are my side seams anyway?! Those white chevron-y arcs descending from my waist have a pleat in the center, where the side seam would normally fall. After pleating the skirt on my dress form, I cut right down mid-booty to create my front panel. So instead of side seams, I have mid-booty seams! There are two of them, one for each cheek.

(I suppose you could also call them princess seams, but let’s face it. I am no princess.)

oonaballoona | a sewing blog | anna sui mood fabrics | linen maxi skirt

I cut those mid-booty seams, then used the remaining fabric to make up the center back panels. Three seams in all, and two slits up to the backs of my knees– the skirt doesn’t have a large sweep, and I’ve learned the hard way that walking ease is actually important.

Eating ease could have been considered as well. That exposed zipper does indeed close, but not after delicious pizza. Them’s the breaks.

oonaballoona | a sewing blog | anna sui mood fabrics | linen maxi skirt

Pizza and Anna Sui tho. Zipper fail. Life WIN.

this was made possible with my fabric "allowance" as part of the mood sewing network...enabling my sui obsession since 2012! yowza!!

40 comments:

  1. The rear end seams are quite brilliant. Love it.

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    1. i like "rear end seams"-- makes it sound like i'm draping a car's tail lights!

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  2. That fabric is sooooo amazing! Great design to show it off!

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  3. Love that skirt! The pleating is superb!

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  4. Amazing skirt and great idea about the pleats. You are the queen of garments not princess!

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    1. HAHAHA! i think i'd like to be the OverLordess of Garments. just imagine the size of the tiara.

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  5. The back seams on this are so perfect, you have such amazing style. I envy your boldness!

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    1. thank you ashley! it's easy to be bold if you just laugh at yourself along the way :))

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  6. It's gorgeous, straight out of top end 1970 fashion as well, which is a compliment coming from me!

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    1. i will most definitely take that as a compliment! the other day i was thinking, i seem to live in the 70s in summer and 50s in winter.

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  7. Look at all the Sui-ness! I die. Plus, the multicolour brick walls are making me jealous. Really.

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    1. photoshop, baby! the original shade of brick just couldn't hang with that skirt ;)

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  8. I really like the seams as well! Not only a clever fix, but a brave and cool design choice.

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  9. Replies
    1. i wish i had EVERY SUI FABRIC! could you imagine a cave full of that ?!

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  10. You look so cute in Sui!!! Really this is a lovely skirt and how you designed it to showcase the lovely fabric was brilliant.

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    1. thank you linda! i just couldn't bear to cut that fabric more than i needed to ;)

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  11. I would have been all over that print too, even with the pink bits. Lovely skirt!

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    1. right?! there was no way i could walk away from that print!

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  12. That fabric!!!!!! You did a tremendous job and, let's face It, who need pizza with such a beautiful fabric transformed in skirt on?! Amazing!!!

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  13. Life win indeed! You have made a killer skirt here.

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    1. ;) i should have mentioned that i took the photos solo, in the most unpopulated corner of NY i had ever seen. the killer skirt was my bodyguard.

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  14. I love the skirt :)) You look amazing! xo Sophia
    www.littlesewingmachine.blogspot.de

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  15. Awesome! Magnificent! Inspirational!

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  16. Super!

    You keep winning :-)

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  17. I think it is totally within the realm of possibility you could combine Anna Sui, Michael McDonald and the draping of various fabulous things IN REAL LIFE. I have faith.

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  18. See, you make it work! I like that layout a lot.
    I've never even realised that blue wasn't your colour, although I'm fairly well aware of the profusion of yellows and oranges and reds. But it works! Must be the Sui. :D

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  19. This skirt is a stunner! Gorgeous back seaming!

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  20. This is all kinds of fierce! Though not pizza friendly? Those are tough decisions a lady has to make- look epic or shove carby cheesy goodness in one's face. I do not envy you these upcoming dilemmas ;)

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  21. Sui-oon! Love those colors and the folk-art look of that skirt!

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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!