sew weekly sunday: move a rubber tree plant

someone went blind making this.  but look how preeeetteeeeeeee!  the pink and red lines are strands of thick yarn stitched down with metallic thread, the coarsely woven fabric is hand stamped in blue, the base is embroidered and there are several yards of handstitched lace and ric rac, just for kicks.

no, i did not make this. sis-in-law wore it to le park today, which was fortuitous as this week's sew weekly challenge was all about embellishments taking center stage.  she bought it years ago in the village, and now that i understand what went into making it... DUDE.

i wore my completed project.  i have promised not to compare it to the above fabulousness, but let's just say there is not quite as much embellishment.  big ups to the maker of this skirt.  sis-in-law has sworn never to give it away (except to me, of course).

i had high hopes for this challenge.  braided yellow gold trim, twine, and silk.  yeah, silk.  ten bucks a yard.  since i rarely do a muslin, i try to cut wide seam allowances, baste, adjust, all that jazz... but somehow the perfectly adjusted pattern was two inches too slim after i put the tiny for reals stitches in.

it's currently in the ICU.   i'm trying to save it with an exposed zipper.  but it could go at any moment. 

grabbed the man-made you see pictured above next.  this poly-osity has a border print, which i cut away and used for the waistband & bottom panel of a tiered gathered maxi skirt.  should this have been easier than making a silk pinafore?  yes, one would think.  one.  would.  THINK.

it had a nifty fringed selvedge that in my mind was its own embellishment.  lucky that, because after six hours of sewing this shiny shit from east hell, i abandoned my idea of rickracking each of the four tiers. instead i threw some piping in at the waistband and called it done.

SLACKER.

you can't even see the red piping for the flowers, but i'm seriously pleased with it.  it feels like summer in a skirt. i'm pretty sure you can click on the pic to enlarge, should you so desire a closer look.  but, you know, just imagine a five foot chick covered in flowers from le waist down.  the sales ladies at sephora loved it (did you know they call each other cast members now?  what the fa is up with that?).  

did i say sephora?  that must mean i'm buying TRAVEL SIZE!!!  we're flying to the mountain top next week, hence the recent oona-free zone, but soon!  more posts!  more sewing!  more wise ass comments on your blogs as i slurp a cliffhanger and catch up on y'all!  and... a very cool announcement! 

fabric: something flammable. ($5 yd)
pattern: simplicity 4420 from miss magpie shinies. thank you kimberlee!
year: i love the 80s. and so do the cast members at sephora.
notions: invisible zip ($1), piping ($1 yd)
time to complete: six hours
first worn: today
wear again: yeah yeah yeah summer skirt!
total cost: $12.  i gotta get me back to that five dollar sweet spot.