Tag Archives: fabric

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MAMI AFRIKA

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I’ve worked with Wawi Amasha for a few years, and now she’s starting to get really serious about her clothing design. These looks are all hers, but I sewed them for a gallery opening this past weekend. They were presented under the name Mami Afrika.

Wawi dresses, made by Julianne

Sewer, designer, tech designer.Wawi dresses, made by JulianneOf course I made my purple miimii dress, as well as the blue halter dress on Inobe. Wawi is on the left. Wawi dresses, made by Julianne

Wawi was showing her paintings at Hamilton Gallery in Santa Monica, and it was a fun party! In our gallery was the artwork, models wearing dresses, wine of course, and African drummers who inspired some fancy dancing.

A neighboring gallery was also hosting an opening, where there was more wine, plus vodka, couscous, gift bags, and a hyper little German man who began our conversations with “I like the look you’re experimenting with on your outfit,” because that’s what you say in Santa Monica. I don’t remember your name, but you were kinda crazy, but also fun.

Wawi dresses, made by Julianne

The fabrics were collected on Wawi’s recent trip to Kenya, and the patterns were drafted by Inobe Nicole, who also made the fabulous geometric necklaces.

I made ten pieces for the show in 4 days, and eventually developed a rhythm for the layout and construction. Sample patterns rarely come with instructions, so it’s up to be to figure out a smooth and efficient technique.   Wawi dresses, made by JuliannePrint matching! The finishing on this sleeveless jacket includes french seams, bias bound, double turned hem, and folding seams under.

Wawi dresses, made by Julianne Wawi dresses, made by Julianne

This purple skirt was my favorite piece, and that amethyst necklace Inobe made is insane!  IMG_2349

Mami Afrika designs, made by Julianne

This dress was another personal favorite.

Wawi dresses, made by Julianne

It was a week of marathon sewing, but the team was very pleased at the outcome. I’ll be doing more work with Wawi soon (like tomorrow!).

Thanks to Sam / Docta Sez for the additional photos!

 

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ANIMAL COLLECTION TEE

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This is the first project I’ve been really excited to share since Burning Man. I’ve been working the whole time, but on little things that aren’t necessarily that interesting to others. So finally, a new post!

Animal Collection teeI made this shirt for the Animal Collective show at Hollywood Bowl. I can’t even tell y’all how excited I was to finally see them! We took our friends (and PNF campmates) Matt and Marisha out for an evening of adventures and delicious beverages.

Animal Collection tee

The original idea of the shirt was much more simpler than the final product, and based on this gorgeous embroidered and beaded Hmong shirt I found on Etsy:

hmong shirt Animal Collection tee

When browsing through my Pins last week, I saw this shirt again and realized that I had recently picked up 5yd of a cotton jersey with a similar print and color scheme. (I’ve already made leggings and hotpants from the fabric too!)

The striped yolk seemed like an obvious choice, and then I noticed the orange pompom trim collecting dust on the corner of my desk, and from there it snowballed. Gold neck binding–definitely! Faux-epaulettes out of blue lace–of course! Teal and gold sleeves, left over from a dress–sew them on!

Animal Collection tee detail Animal Collection tee detail Animal Collection tee back detail

Jason was egging me on the whole time, and when I thought I had finished he suggested a little bling for the front. We sorted through every appliqué and finally landed on the gold studs for the front and silver vinyl shield for the back. He said they make the shirt difficult to describe, which is just what I was going for.

Animal Collection tee

Added bonus for all the materials coming from my supply stash. The shirt was perfect for the show and I got lots of compliments, but mostly I just felt good.

You can see more about the rainbow boots here.

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MUSE DRESS

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I’ve found myself reconsidering commercial patterns over the past few weeks. There are so many nice Muse Dresses, although it was Kristin from Very Prairie who finally inspired me to reintroduce that pink tissue paper into my life. Despite (or because of) its popularity Butterick 5130 is no longer in print, but I was able to find a copy on Etsy.

muse dress

As lovely as this dress truly is, it’s a little more romantic than my style. Although all the reviews mention how clever the pattern is for using the seam allowances as casing for the elastic, I threw that whole concept out the window and opted for highly visible exterior casings.

muse dress

I decided to use a bright color, and this red cotton jersey from Fabric Planet is perfect. Not too orange, not too pink. At first I was hesitant, because a red dress is very A Red Dress. Like, “I’m a fabulous WOman and I wear red dresses out for brunch with my gal pals!” I do not need to get my groove back, but apparently I have room for a singular red dress in my wardrobe anyway.

muse dress muse dress

I wanted the two colors to coordinate without matching. I was aiming for a slight clash of colors, and I think the purple/red combo is a perfect juxtaposition, rather than head-on collision. Obviously, aqua stitching was a must.

Like nearly everyone else, I added a waistband to make the dress less like a nightgown.

The pattern calls for a moderate-stretch knit fabric, but since the dress is made to be about three times the size of the wearer, I don’t really think the stretch is so necessary. I bet the dress would look nice in a woven silk/cotton blend, and I think it would totally work. I’m also considering a maxi length. Although I normally consider that style to be too much dress, I have an intriguing image in my mind. Maybe with shorter sleeves? And a printed skirt?

muse dressThe dress was very comfortable for a long day at work, although the lack of pockets was a problem. Of course I’m smart enough to add pockets, but the weight of my phone would make the dress pull and sag in a very strange way. This probably wouldn’t be a problem for a less-stretchy jersey. The pattern instructions were very easy to follow, although I didn’t really follow them. To allow for the gathering, the pieces are all insanely wide, so you can’t really skimp on the fabric requirement.

If I hadn’t done all those fancy casing and top stitching, the dress would probably take 3-4 hours to make. I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon.

Honestly, I’m not sure if I would make this pattern again. Husband-in-training Jason likes the dress, but I don’t think I need more than one of this very distinctive design. And looking at these pictures, cute as they are, I’m not in love with the dress. I felt very aware of the dress all day, and I didn’t know how to accessorize it (if you consider shoes to be accessories). If I were to repeat the pattern, I think I’d feel compelled to give away this first dress. Doesn’t that sound promising to all you bloggerellas?

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