put a bird on it and call it SUMMER.

Ruggy's back behind the lens, y'all, and wonder of wonders...he covets this insane fabric for himself! I AM FINALLY RUBBING OFF ON HIM!

How glorious is this print?! Everyone, but EVERYONE, at Mood Fabrics thought I'd already snagged this fabric. Maybe the NY staff is creeping into my dreams, because before I stumbled upon this linen rayon blend on the magical top floor, that's where it existed.

I snatched three yards from the delicious Kway, who did a burn test for me on the spot. (I mean…peeps, if your eyes ever need an afternoon pick me up, run on up to the top floor and have Kway do a burn test. You're welcome.) 

He posited that he'd already cut this print for me weeks ago, which led to our usual highly enjoyable banter ("What time of the day was it? Is it possible I'd had a cocktail at lunch?"). On the way down the stairs, three Mood peeps said they were "glad I was getting more of it." Diane greeted me at the counter, wonderful Diane, who loves fabric as much as we do, and she too was certain she'd previously bagged this for me.

Do I have a twin out there? Surely I would remember stomping home with this stuff! It has the most incredible silky hand, but not watery silky, more like windswept hay silky, know what I mean? No? When they invent the app for tactile screens, I'll update the post. Surely, in a world where this fabric can exist, that app is not too far off.

The birds, however. THE BIRDS. The birds were positively Hitchcockian in their efforts to wound me. Kway jokingly deemed them Vultures Of Death, and THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRUTH IN THAT JEST. The fabric repeat made the pleated draped skirt a lesson in insanity. I actually painted a few of those yellow beaked parrots black down center front, under the box pleat, so that the wind wouldn't reveal a glitch in the matrix.

In the end I finally gave myself a pass on the repeat-- for some reason, summer sewing feels more enjoyable, less need for perfection, maybe? 

However, I went nutso on making perfect piping. Can you spy it round the cups & front waistband? My first crack at making it myself with actual cotton cording, and not whatever crazy neon round elastic I've got on hand. The proper material is more mushy. Fun and slightly dangerous. Self-made piping: Let's sew through a finger together! 

No, let's don't.

I used the reverse of the fabric for the piping, so it's barely noticeable, but I love what it does to the bodice, which is fully lined with fashion fabric-- thankfully so, since it gave me multiple cracks at which feathered breasts would rest on my own.

Some pattern info: I used Burdastyle's Danielle dress, bodice portion only, as a starting point, hacking the pattern until I had what I wanted, then draped the skirt on my dress form. Then, when I went a little too close for comfort on the fit, I abandoned the invisible zip and installed an exposed gold big toothed zipper. 

It's like I've got a mac daddy pimp on my back.

Speaking of mac daddy pimps, photographeur Ruggy got some good close ups, no? Truthfully, this wide angle shot is where he spent most of his time. RUGGY, I pleaded, YOU DO ACTUALLY NEED TO GET THE DRESS.

This is an often repeated cry, usually answered with a grunt and maybe a don't bother me I'm composing a shot. This time he let me in on his madness: But you're going to love this, you can tag the wall with OONA ROCKS.

?!

WELL OKAY THEN.

How bout y'all? Do you loosen up the rules for summer stitching? Letting a bit of perfection go seems easier in the warmer months: relaxation is the rule...

this bird brained frock was made using my monthly fabric "allowance" as part of the mood sewing network.