aaaaaaaaCHOO!

So, I did squeeze a couple of garments in before baby new year started screaming its wee jolly head off. This playful technicolor thing stowed away in my suitcase, and I had my heart set on shooting it in powder. On the day after Christmas, in the land of Ruggy’s birth, it snowed. And snowed, and snowed. I bid the fireplace and egg nog making adieu, jumped into my second version of By Hand London’s Elisalex dress, and ran outside to play.

I lost track of how many times I almost bit it. Holiday trip to the ER, anyone?

It seemed the perfect backdrop for Betsey Johnson’s technicolor print, from Mood. As usual, I was in the Jersey aisle, and I fell in love and snagged a yard of this beauty. The weight is perfection, the colors are edible. My intention was to make more leggings. BIG SURPRISE. However, when I pulled out my ginghers, the bright happy flowers screamed OONA! Are you really going to use us for ANOTHER pair of leggings? COME ON WOMAN! CAN YOU MAKE NOTHING ELSE?!

They are, as you can see, flowers of an outspoken variety.

My last network make came out okay (despite my best efforts to shoot myself in the foot) so I decided to give BHL’s pattern another go, this time giving this beautifully drafted pattern the respect it so rightfully deserves. I sewed up the princess seamed bodice exactly as intended, and it’s a perfect fit. HEY LOOKIT THAT OONA. SOMEONE KNOWS MORE THAN YOU DO. This version got the half circle skirt treatment and short sleeves, I think it really makes it a different dress altogether. And holy haberdashery, this sews up so quickly I want to make seventeen of them, so it’s nice to know it’s easy to throw new curves into it.

The only adjustment I needed was my PDA (posture du dancer adjustment. I am a pretty, pretty ballerina, with an upper back straight as Channing Tatum. Oh yes. I assure Ruggy of this fact constantly.) Just an inch or so out of high center back and I was twirling around the room.

The neck edges are serged, turned under, and topstitched. No rippling, no unsightly cling on le derriere, I love this fabric!! I used my magical fabric markers to color each little topstitched thread on the neckline to match the flowers. yep. I'm telling you, it's the next best thing to invisible thread. And now that I think about it, I suppose I could’ve cut the back bodice out on the fold since there’s no need for a zipper with this lovely stretch...

Alrighty! No chance to test that thought out, as I’m saying goodbye to the Jersey aisle! I have several New Year's resolutions, and one of them is to use a different and delectable fabric for each MSN make. I mean, there are corners of floors I haven’t even stepped foot in yet. In 2013, Mood shall be like a garden of fabrics, full of every flower imaginable…and I feel a seasonal allergy to jersey coming on.

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