9.30.2015

BACK IN BLACK + giveaway

oonaballoona | a sewing blog by marcy harriell | marimekko midi skirt | back in black

Guys, we have every AC/DC album ever produced, and it is GLORIOUS. I can throw on the dulcet tones of Bon Scott at ten in the morning, and still be slam stitching to Brian Johnson's serenades at ten in the evening.

That bit of information has nothing to do with this skirt. Except that, considering the amount of horrifically wrong turns that I took in the making of it, one would assume I was imbibing Bon Scott levels of intoxicants.

oonaballoona | a sewing blog by marcy harriell | marimekko midi skirt | back in black

Hey, easy pleated cotton midi skirt! Look how simple you are, with your six equally spaced pleats!

Record needle screech. It took me roughly 30 days to make this skirt, during which time, said skirt was shoved back into the bag it came in, for some truly furious time outs. Sometimes, the bag hid the remnants of a dress. Sometimes, a cape. Before the final product, the bag held 8 pieces of ripped cotton rectangles, all trued up and waiting for a reincarnation.

Why would I work so hard to save a print that was obviously trying to kill me? Well, like Sonja of Gingermakes, I was contacted by Always Mod with the tempting offer to play with some Marimekko yardage, and like Sonja, I screamed yes.

Unlike Sonja, I did not pick a a pattern perfectly suited to fabric, I did not consider that the iconic black and white print I chose was not comprised of perfectly aligned ovals, I did not, I did not, I did NOT.

oonaballoona | a sewing blog by marcy harriell | marimekko midi skirt | back in black

Hey, easy pleated midi skirt! Why, you don't even have anything going on in the back save for two flat panels! WAY TO BAIL!

Yeah. As much as I hate it when the back is an afterthought, I actually did put quite a lot of thought into the derriere region. The carefully pleated ovals created the super pleasing effect of Baboon Ass. Away they went.

Oh wait, there's more! I also intended a super chic, colorful little motorcycle jacket to go along with the black-n-whiteness! And then switched to a vintage 50's cropped cape coat! Made out of PVC! PVC IS SUPER CHIC! 


If this isn't a candidate for What Was I Drinking, I don't know what is.

(I invite you to picture that jacket with Baboon Ass skirt.)

oonaballoona | a sewing blog by marcy harriell | marimekko midi skirt | back in black

The PVC coat, she is still folded up, and awaiting rebirth as a giant purse. But I soldiered on with the skirt, and I'm glad I did. I wish I'd had the foresight (or the strength) to take a shot of the giant box pleated monstrosity I tore up-- when I left the print as designed, the off centered ovals created some very unpleasing shapes, and not just in the behind.

It seems completely ridiculous to rip up fabric, only to rejoin it to create, essentially, the same length of fabric, but my god, it worked out so much better. You'll just have to trust me.

oonaballoona | a sewing blog by marcy harriell | marimekko midi skirt | back in black

And I do love how each side reveals a different form of hacked up print. Kind of M.C. Escher-ish!

oonaballoona | a sewing blog by marcy harriell | marimekko midi skirt | back in black

Or it could be that I'm just relieved to have escaped with a wearable skirt, free from baboon ass.

Okay, are you scratching your head at my machinations? Would you like to try some Marimekko machinations yerslef? Always Mod is offering up a giveaway of one free yard of your choice of fabric! Click here for the (very official looking, kind of scary) giveaway page (ETA: as mentioned in the comments, fine print says US peeps only. Sorry international friends, I'll be on the lookout for ways to show you some love!), enter your email address, and you're in. The contest closes Oct 8 and they'll announce the winner Oct 9ish.

Just, please, when stitching, remember the cautionary tale put forth here. Remember the Ass, my friends.

Always Mod supplied the fabric in exchange for this post. I'd like to thank them for letting me ruin some really beautiful stuff.

42 comments:

  1. I like the final skirt. The giveaway is US only or at least the official bits with the entry say that.

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    1. ah, bummer. i'll keep my eyes peeled for a collaboration with an international vibe!

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  2. The skirt looks great and it is good to know that sometimes things don't work even for an excellent sewist like you. I have plenty of wadders and sometimes I wonder why I don't have more wearables. It makes me feel better about my attempts to sew when I see that even the advanced sewists have trouble.

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    1. this would've been a wadder had it not been for the promise of a post! turned out to be a good "make it work" situation in the end. but i certainly wore many of my fails with pride for years, after all, it's a lot of work ;)!

      (and thanks for the compliments. at times i feel like Godzilla Sewist, at times i feel like the city he's stomping on!)

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  3. Love love LOVE it. Those pleats are perfect too. Gorgeous! X

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    1. thank you charlie! i imagine you'd rock the HELL out of marimekko!

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  4. Oh my gosh, awesome sauce, you look amazing! Large scale prints are tricky beasts and you tamed the wild, just enough! Brilliant!

    I entered the contest. I guess I should the read the small print.

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    1. damn, i'm sorry sue! i just updated the post :(. and they are tricky beasts for sure. this one almost ate me.

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    2. Oh, no worries Oona. I should have typed LOLOLOLOL after I wrote that...it just makes me wonder about all those other 'I didn't read the small print and signed the dotted line' entries etc. that I gleefully sign up for, LOL.

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  5. I love the skirt, a lot. Despite your trials with this fabric I think it turned out great!

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  6. I love this skirt! Also, mad props to Ruggy for managing to get BELOW ground level for this pics! And those shoes? Can you walk in those? How far?

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    1. HAAAA!!!! I saw this little driveway and exclaimed, if I stand on that rise you won't have to get on the ground!

      And, I can walk from the curb where I changed my shoes to the rise of this driveway. Actually, I've worn them out several times-- including racing to subways and walking all over the east village-- but I wouldn't recommend it! ;)

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  7. oh, how i love seeing you in black and white. this is so chic! love everything about it.

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    1. it's a departure...one day you're going to have to show me how to make a chic LBD that I'll actually keep ;)

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  8. I love black and white. Jacket into a purse! So clever!

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  9. What an amazing skirt! So glad you shared.

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  10. You persevered and now you have an amazing skirt!

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  11. It's a great skirt! I couldn't tell at first that it was pieced together; I thought that you'd found a print graphic and funky enough to be Oona-worthy as is! Honestly, after seeing the original print on the site, I like your repiecing better for garment form, so you should just tell everyone it was completely intentional and you're just that good. Because you are.

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    1. teehee! I guess if I hadn't ripped it into rectangles, those pleats wouldn't be so pleat-y. Okay. I'm changing my story.

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  12. Ha ha, definitley worth the effort! Amazing pattern placement. And I think it was the soundtrack that helped you persevere..... you were caught in the middle of a railroad track, and there was no turning back! ...Sorry couldn't help myself ;)

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    1. one should NEVER try to help oneself where AC/DC is concerned! there's simply no denying them.

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  13. You wouldn't believe I found ACDC beer in Aldi today, as if I needed another reason to love Aldi!

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  14. Wow this skirt is gorgeous:)) And the shoes!! Where did you got them? I always love to check out your blog, it inspires me every time! Have a nice day, Sophia
    www.littlesewingmachine.blogspot.de

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    1. thank you sophia! i got them at a mall in dallas, on DEEP sale... i've worn them twice, so the price tag of 17 bucks is just about perfect ;)

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  15. I love it!! So pretty! So cool to hear you are an AC/DC fan too - there's just something about that band isn't there. Maybe it's Angus Young's super cool school boy style. I've seen them in concert twice and they always put on an amazing, energetic show!

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  16. gorgeous skirt! i really need to copy you and make b&w midi skirt too.. also, i wish i can steal that pvc jacket, to me it looks freaking awesome!

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  17. I love it! Sometimes the pressure of a promised post is a great thing...it would be a dying shame for this skirt to be lost in wadder land! Gorgeous as always!!

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  18. I love it I love it I love it! The chopped-up print makes for a cool optical illusion... so rad, dude!!

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  19. Who wouldn't scream YES at some Marimekko yardage? I've got a remnant that's still waiting for the perfect batiste dancing partner to waltz into a dress... You totally do scream yes and slashing is forgivable when it lets the print shine in the end. I plan to do the same. Eventually. When I have found the perfect batiste companion. Oh, and look, you've made me write rather poetically. That's what you do. Have fun with the giveaway, US residents.

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  20. Gorgeous! ooo if only I could get my hands on some marimekko... it looks amazing1 Actually I freaking LOVE the multicoloured moto jacket too. Too cool!

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  21. Lovely skirt and great shoes. Is that a SILVER wall? Sx

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  22. Thank you for the pictures of your very glamorous skirt and the laugh as well. Your shoes are amazing!

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  23. I'm impressed that you stuck with it when so many would have given up. The result? An amazing and unique garment that is magnificent! Keep sewing girl!

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  24. Oh I am so glad that I am not the only one who shoves projects away in the back of the cupboard when they annoy me. The skirt turned out gorgeous in the end. Love it!

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  25. It looks fabulous - I would never have guessed that you had so much trouble with it. I love how the print looks in the front. Congrats on persevering and finishing it!

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  26. I love your outfit...you are always put together so well. I wish I could sew like you. I dabble a bit, but nothing fabulous like you. Love, Love, Love your style and choice of fabric.

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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!