Julianne

RAINBOW CHANDELIER

4 January 2013 by Julianne

So we had this big, black, ornate light hanging in our dining area. It was extremely obnoxious. And hung so low that my husband would hit his head on it!

I painted it between working on other projects over about one month. I used the same acrylic paints as for my bike seat covers, although I didn’t bother to put a clear coat on the finished piece.

I also bent out the decorative arms, to give the chandelier more openness. The chain was ugly, so after shortening it I bound it together with a piece of trim, then covered the whole thing with a strip of fabric that my mom used as gift wrapping. Stash busting!

These gorgeous rocketships were a wedding gift from our friends Shing and Bender, awesome scientific burners who love beer just like us! I love having them flying above our breakfasts.

I’ve also been hanging up bright glass bottles and giant lightbulbs in one of our windows. I worry that it might look junky, but it casts rainbow shadows all over our apartment!

2012

31 December 2012 by Julianne

I’m not sentimental. And yet. Maybe it’s not a bad idea to review the year past and plan for the year ahead.

Year Past:

– I got married! It was a wonderful event with great projects, and has created so many wonderful new things. Our marriage, new friendships, better attitudes.

– On the opposite end of the spectrum, my grandma died in June. It sucks, and I still think “I should call Grandma,” but I’m not bothered by the fact that I don’t believe in heaven. I have lots of mementos and gifts given over a lifetime, and using her tools in my daily sewing has really helped me deal with it.

– I got fired. From a job that I didn’t really like anymore, but it was still insulting the way it was handled.

– I learned to knit! I’m still very new, but it’s exciting and I can’t wait to learn new stitches and make some really fabulous sweaters. My husband just got me a set of interchangeable needles, and I finally got a library card (for pattern books), so I’m ready to

– I turned 25, and with everything else that’s happened this year (see above) I feel like I’ve grown up.

I’ve posted 43 projects on this site, which has received 22,700 views this year!

Year Ahead:

– I will try to post more of my every-day projects. I’m always making little things, but usually don’t feel like they’re worthy of posting. I will also try to be better about documenting my process and even creating little tiny tutorials.
– I came up with this idea when teaching how to make coiled bowls at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club this month: save a strip of fabric from every single project for one year, and then make a bowl using all the scraps! Bonus points for keeping the fabric in chronological order.

– More knitting! I’m trying to add new skills with every project, and I’m itching to make a Fair Isle cardigan and socks. I like being such a beginner, staring at yarn with wide eyes full of hope and dreams.

– More stash-busting. Because I don’t want to feel overwhelmed or obligated by my sewing. Also, I need my space to work better!

– More home-work. We’ve been cleaning out our apartment, re-organizing, re-thinking the way we use our space. It’s changed a lot in the last year, and I’m looking forward to our home getting even better.

– Baby! Not mine, but two wonderful friends are having a baby in April, and I can’t wait!

GALACTIC COTTON CANDY DRESS

27 December 2012 by Julianne

This hand-made tie dye looks like a cotton candy nebula, which is exactly what I wanted. The vintage fabric was gifted from a friend of my husband’s family, and there was just barely enough to make this reverse pleated dress. It’s a lightweight cotton, and I love that the colors hide all those unsnipped threads and potential little stains.

The teal rayon was from my grandma’s fabric collection, so the only material purchased for this dress was the pattern ($5.40) and the zipper (~$3). Stash busted!

I started this dress one afternoon, wore it sleeveless and unhemmed to dinner that night, and finished it the next day. It was a great non-traditional Christmas dress, and I can’t wait to wear it for a bike ride!

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About the pattern (Burda #108B). I rarely use patterns, and find it difficult to follow someone else’s instructions. But I managed to make a dress that pretty closely resembles the original. The reason for the teal stripe is that I didn’t have enough of my tie dye, or so I thought, because it turned out that the pattern is huge! Following my measurements, I cut out a size 40/42, adding seam allowances. I had to remove about 8″ from the pleats and side seam (which was more towards the front of my body). I was able to do some shaping through the pleats, which are designed as unflattering straight lines on the pattern. Also, the back gaped horribly at the top. I lowered the sleeve cap and added some width to the back shoulder. Aesthetic changes are fine, but I was surprised at how many changes this pattern required for a comfortable fit.

I thought about leaving the dress sleeveless, because it fit so nicely and looked great, but in the end I’m really glad that I added sleeves. And I’m proud that I was able to get such a great fit with the woven sleeves!

The seams are finished on my serger, and I trimmed the pleats with pinking shears. The pattern calls for leaving the folds untrimmed, but there was so much extra fabric in there!

Aesthetically, I extended the pleats about 1.5″, so that the fullness was released at my hips rather than natural waist. Obviously there is that teal inset, which was functionally inspired but I totally love now. I lowered the neckline in front and back, replaced the facings with bias tape, tapered those dumb bell sleeves, and added the contrast band to the much shorter hem. Also, of course, pockets!

The pattern reminded me of Mad Men fashion, mostly Allison’s gorgeous party dress.

I was concerned about covering too much skin and looking frumpy or juvenile, but I also didn’t want to show too much skin or look too Molly Ringwald (not that she’s a skank, but I don’t want to dress like the decade I was born in). Luckily my husband was on hand to help me with design decisions, and it turned out great!

I made these stockings too, from a luxurious silk jersey. I’d cut a dress out of the fabric, but never felt passionate enough to actually sew it together, and so I cannibalized the dress for some new stockings in my favorite color.

made by Julianne

adventures in making

Julianne

RAINBOW CHANDELIER

2012

GALACTIC COTTON CANDY DRESS