sui-za sui-za

Sometimes I daydream: I'm designing an outfit for Pretty Grievances' Wearable Wednesdays. Have you read her roundups? They're amazing, I cackle at the witty repartee as much as I covet each insane design. In fact, the wacky looks often send me running to my sewing machine.

In this daydream, it's Oonaballoona Does Sui. SO MUCH SUI IN MY LEEETLE STASH! I had such great plans to go full on Wearable Wednesday with this yardage... I'd intended to make a matching crop tank top with the one flower I had left, but ran out of steam on the silk bias binding. 

I might still get around to it.... oooooh maybe if I do some witty gal out there will make my daydream come true! COMPLETE WITH COLORFUL AND/OR OFF-COLOR REMARKS! HUGE NUDGES AND WINKS AND OFFERS OF BRIBERY IN THE FORM OF LIBATIONS!!!

Of course, that would also require that I finish and/or begin ALL of the current Sui projects I have in mind.

By the way, are you shocked to see me in blue? With a black tank top, no less?! Me too. A warm toned gal, I am I am, so obviously the wall needed to bend to my fiery will.

This blue bolt of luscious linen positively leapt out from the shelf at Mood NY and punched me in the heartstrings. Of course, an inspection of the selvedge revealed The Sui. Over at MSN, LalaSews suggested that Anna Sui might be my spirit animal.

I THINK SHE'S RIGHT!!

If memory serves, I grabbed 2 yards, and immediately kicked myself when I got home and got to thinking. I wanted a maxi skirt to make the most of the print, but didn’t consider all those lovely shapes and lines and buds– I had just enough for a skirt, but not enough to cut side seams and leave the print undisturbed.

That is, not enough to cut proper side seams…

Where are my side seams anyway?! Those white chevron-y arcs descending from my waist have a pleat in the center, where the side seam would normally fall. After pleating the skirt on my dress form, I cut right down mid-booty to create my front panel. So instead of side seams, I have mid-booty seams! There are two of them, one for each cheek.

(I suppose you could also call them princess seams, but let’s face it. I am no princess.)

I cut those mid-booty seams, then used the remaining fabric to make up the center back panels. Three seams in all, and two slits up to the backs of my knees– the skirt doesn’t have a large sweep, and I’ve learned the hard way that walking ease is actually important.

Eating ease could have been considered as well. That exposed zipper does indeed close, but not after delicious pizza. Them’s the breaks.

Pizza and Anna Sui tho. Zipper fail. Life WIN.

this was made possible with my fabric "allowance" as part of the mood sewing network...enabling my sui obsession since 2012! yowza!!