Tag Archives: neon

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INTER-GALACTIC SPACE ANOMALY

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You may remember my friend the Pink Lion, but he has another identity: IGSA! Formerly known as the Inter-Galactic Space Assassin, IGSA was in need of a new uniform for Burning Man 2012. I honestly don’t remember quite how this design evolved, but it was glorious.

Tying into his other incarnation, I just love that long gold zipper. It’s magnificent against the silver fabric of the suit! And could that suit be any tighter? The fitting sessions were hi-larious, and as an honorable lady my own Jason was present (and laughing just as much as I was).

Inter Galactic Space Anomaly

Inter Galactic Space Anomaly

The main idea of this suit is IGSA’s heart chakra. It’s represented by green in the middle of the chest, and we found nebulous inspiration on the internet. The pink star was omitted, and I really enjoyed recreating this idea.

heart shakra

Inter Galactic Space Anomaly Inter Galactic Space Anomaly

First I blocked off the zipper with painters’ tape, and then sprayed a mist of fluorescent green paint over the chest. Once that was dry, I pinned Solvy stabilizer to the area, and marked the points of the lightning bolts. I used zig-zag stitches of various lengths and widths with my black light reactive green thread to really get some pupils bouncing. The final step was the wavy lines, which I made using glow-in-the-dark puff paint. Texture and visuals! Anyone else hallucinating?

To contrast with the green, I put a glittery orange trim on all raw edges, instead of hemming. You can’t tell in daylight, but I used a neon orange thread for this step, which really glows in an ultra-violet environment.

IGSA needs his supplies, so I made this fabulous fanny pack for him. I happened to have the black/silver glitter vinyl and wide elastic belt in my stash, which matched so perfectly with the lycra of his suit. I LOVE the vinyl pouch; the construction is just sexy. It’s got a giant snap on the back, for easy removal and re-attachment under most inebriated circumstances (and beyond those, helpful bystanders would easily be able to figure out the system).

The last step was a cape. Mint-green minky dot on one side, and black-light reactive matrix fabric on the other. Pimpin’ green color, and you got yourself a cape! I hear that it was very warm, and I can attest to the fabulousness of it.

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NEON ZIPPER MASKS

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Nothing’s cooler than a black light, especially when you might already be losing your mind for whatever reason, and so I created a collection of zipper masks for just such an occasion. These materials were carefully selected for an awesome neon experience.

You can check out these zipper masks in my Etsy shop. If your heart is set on a design that’s already sold, contact me about a custom order!

 neon zipper mask, made by Julianne

neon zipper mask, made by Julianne

Burning Man is held out in the desert, on a prehistoric lakebed. The ground is covered in a powder-like dust and strong winds off the mountains can create dust storms, possibly leading to whiteout conditions. It’s essential to be prepared and carry some sort of respiratory shield, and there’s nothing more fabulous than a zipper mask!

These masks are sewn by hand, and each one is a unique combination of fabrics. Clearly I love playing with colors, and I love making these!

neon zipper mask, made by Julianne neon zipper mask, made by Julianne neon zipper mask, made by Julianne

neon zipper mask, made by Julianne

neon zipper mask, made by Julianne neon zipper mask, made by Julianne

I created this mask custom for a friend. She’s totally got the personality of a puppy who loves to chase a neon party.

neon zipper mask, made by Julianne

I really love the elements of this mask that don’t glow. It’s positive and negative space, in light!

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NEON RAGLAN

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One thing I love about Burning Man is the wide range of costuming. Bikinis in the daytime, and sweaters galore at night! My neon fleece sweatshirt was perfect for the playa, and has been essential to my survival in Monterey this winter.

neon raglan sweatshirt, made by Julianne

Even with a Disaronno-induced hangover, it’s impossible to be cranky when I’m wearing this. Now where are my damn french fries?

neon raglan sweatshirt, made by Julianne  I used a charming vintage pattern from 1972 (mine was bought at Fabulous Fabrics, which sounds like a delightful business model). The previous owner copied the pattern onto interfacing in order to make fitting changes, so I did the same.

Copying patterns (rather than making marks and cuts on the original printed piece) is a new step for me. I enjoy the meditative preparation, and my tracing the design onto fresh paper makes me feel really free to make all sorts of changes.

Like all recent projects, this was made entirely out of stash fabrics. Isn’t it convenient that I have yards and yards of neon fleece just sitting in my closet? Having not bought fabric for the past few months really helped me realize just how much fabric I already had. Ridiculous!

neon raglan sweatshirt, made by Julianne

It’s sewn with all neon threads. It can be worn with the seams on the inside, but I rather like all those perfect lines of serging. It adds to the whimsy, and we gots to have that.

The bright neon fabrics make me feel like a kid, but wearing a sweatshirt while many of my campmates head out into the night wearing a single pair of tights and a lace corset makes me feel kinda like a mom… a warm mom. Not that marriage = end of sexiness, but yeah, when it starts to get a little chilly I start piling the layers on.

neon raglan sweatshirt, made by Julianneneon raglan sweatshirt, made by Julianne

I keep playing with the idea of puff-paint decoration, with a clear memory of picking at the pointy dots on my mom’s reindeer sweater in the 90s. With neon or glitter paint, it could be quite hipster-ironic. But what image? Lithium is always a good choice, but maybe I should do something stranger. Suggestions?

neon raglan sweatshirt, made by Julianne

There is another coordinating shirt, left back in LA for the time being. This top also inspired an awesome snugly onesie, but that will have to wait for another post…

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