A Gallery Tunic, + Giveaway!

HI PAST ME! YOUR HAIR WAS SO SHORT!!! 

I took these shots exactly one year ago, and I sure thought I was going to take updated ones (with my glorious, new, BARELY USED birthday camera) for this post. But, although I've gained more hair, I've lost two inches everywhere else (which I am completely stumped by). This tunic needs some alterations! Do you know how much I don't want to handle this gorgeous woven fabric again? I mean, yes, the fabric is delicious. Like, threaded through with ribbony-neon-satiny delicious. But those threads also want to come loose if you breathe the wrong way. So rather than mess around with this again, I might just wait and see if those mysterious inches come back. Enter dressform!

Ah, and my dressfrom doesn't pull wackadoo poses that alter the line of the stripes. Thanks Wolfie.

BUT WHAT IS THE PATTERN, you ask? This is my version of The Tunic from the latest entry on your sewing bookshelf: The Tunic Bible, by Sarah Gunn and Julie Starr. (Don't they sound like they should be a duo of sleeper spies in a Bond movie? Their weapons are their Ginghers.)

I met Sarah through the Mood Sewing Network, and have had the pleasure of hanging with both she and her squeezable husband several times. Lovely. People. She even let me break her camera when we first met, on her birthday, no less! When asked if I would like to contribute to a secret project, there was no question.

The reveal: a tunic tome! Admittedly, tunics are not the norm in these parts, but then again, nothing's normal in these parts. I jumped in. I never knew tunics could have so many OPTIONS. Choosing and making the placket was huge fun-- 

I added a trim made out of, I don't know, hay? I sees a rogue straw that needs clippin'!

The book shows you how to customize these to the hilt. My choose-your-own-adventure was: outside facing wide split placket, angled collar, side splits, short sleeves, side zipper, back darts, dress length. PHEW. My only addition was to add front darts (which, after I took the initial photos, I felt was a little unnecessary).

My heart's desire was maxi length, with a thigh high side split, but I didn't have enough fabric. I always think I have more fabric than I do. Funny story: I was trying to explain the height of Michael Jackson's concert stunt double to Rob last night. I was an unwilling audience member, and I was sneak attacked by his doppleganger afterwards. As I hollered at my cousin about how it was totally bogus that the last number was lip synched, the Man In The Mirror was suddenly floating by my side, looking exactly like Michael Jackson. You know, he just gets so tired, he exerts a lot of energy, he breathed in a weird lilting voice. I blinked at the alien creature. And you know this because...?     Oh. I'm his stunt double, for the magic trick when he disappears onstage. It's fun he intoned, approximately eight feet above my head. 

You understand Height and Distance the same way you understand Children's Ages, was Rob's response. Michael Jackson was short.

All this is to say, I always think I have more fabric than I do.

SO! Back to the book! Would you like a copy? If you just can't wait, you can grab one on Ye Olde Amazon (affiliate link), or, if ya feel lucky, leave a comment on this post and you'll have a shot at winning a free copy courtesy of C&T publishing. The lucky winner will be announced October 11! I believe there's a winner for every step of the book tour this October, so follow along here...

ETA! Giveaway will close on Tuesday October 11 at 9AM EST, at which point I'll close the comments. Though it's hosted by C&T publishing, I'll use a random number generator to choose the winner (and possibly employ some detective work to track you down. If you haven't got a web presence linked to your profile, be sure to check back here, or attach info to your profile. Good luck!)

3: C&T, Pattern Review

4: Cloning Couture, Generation Q Magazine 

5: oonaballoona ,Featherstitch Avenue

6: Allie J, Thanks I Made Them

7: Sew Busy Lizzy, Jennuine Design

8: Inside The Hem, Girls in the Garden

9: Sew Manju, My Love Affair with Sewing

10: Evolution of aSewing Goddess, Creating in the Gap

11: House of Pinheiro, The Tunic Bible