In my constant pursuit of clothing that fits my fascinating lifestyle of work, television viewing, sniping and planning Disney trips, I have revisited the tunic zone. Lord know I hate having to suck in and these are so perfect for the lazy abdomen’d!
Mr B and I drove into Greenville on saturday to take in some culcha’. Ok, no. We drove in so he could gorge on paneer and goat briahni. We happened to see a sign for an art exhibit on Russian Icons and Faberge. The above was not from it. No pictures in the icon exhibit, I totally understand- this park was much more photo accomodating….. **Camera tip- you don’t need a flash if you have these legs** 
You know, when I think William Morris textiles, I think……algae green cheetah! Yes, I think somewhere in a well-tended crypt area, William Morris is doing some serious sit and spins inside at the idea of combining one of his textile prints- lovingly recreated in quilty cotton and paired with a cheetah spot print. But by the power of greyskull, it works! Ok, it works for me.
Now about this pattern- are you tilting your head and saying, ‘Lisette?’ it looks totally in that wheelhouse. Where I should have stayed. The yoke on this is lovely in theory, but I found the attaching to be so annoying that I ended up putting the dress on Twiggy, building the collar and then sandwiching the dress into it and then top stitching it together.
Yes, I feel dirty! I know it was a horrible technique! I know that there are artisan nuns wailing in horror, but I got a wearable dress and it has no exposed edges on that yoke. Other than adding french seams to the shoulders and side seams, I kept to the straight and narrow directions-wise. Oh, I left off the front patch pockets. It was starting to get a geriatric toddler housedress look. My penchant for ballet flats and disney jewelry can get a little silly quickly if I add too much festoonage- so I avoid matching bonnets no matter how much extra fabric I may have! No ma’am. I have standards. make sure that all of my foolishness is age appropriate. Ahem…whatever.
photo credits: meadhawg, pattern review. Sculpture is Aria by Michael Jacobsen, 2007
Keeping the foolishness age appropriate is such a challenge, isn’t it? Love your tunic. It’s a great shape on you and the two fabrics together are very fun.
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It is my cross to bear!
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tut tut… outshining public art. Whatever next?
And as for dirty techniques… do whatever works! Unless you plan stripping to show people the inner workings of the dress I think you are safe…
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Maybe thats why they wouldn’t let us take pics inside!
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clearly they don’t recognise true art 😉
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Not only would William Morris be upset at the animal print pairing- which oddly does work- he’d be appalled that his print was recreated using modern techniques & not handspun, handdyed & handwoven using all natural materials. But I’m sure he’d appreciated that you made the dress yourself, although he’d thoroughly excoriate you for using a sewing machine instead of handsewing everything. The guy was a major zealot.
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Did I say I used a sewing machine? I meant to rant about my last whalebone needle getting a burr at the tip…..must have lost it in the editing process!
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Love the result! I’m of the ‘whatever works’ variety too. 😉
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I always get puckery awful corners if I do the facing the way the instructions called for- William and his cheetah deserved better!
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Until I saw your fabric combination, this pattern didn’t even blow my skirt up. The “Con” is that you’ve dashed my hopes that this neckline effect is an inside-out facing. Bah, dammit!.
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You’d probably sew circles around this facing- you’ve done more- I just knew it would be a textile wrestling match for me!
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Just for that, I’m going to have to at least look at the inside of the pattern envelope. Oh, my, just what I need: another excuse to go into JA’s!
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Wow, what a great summer dress!
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Oh, thank you so…
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so I avoid matching bonnets no matter how much extra fabric I may have!
…here all this time I’ve been trying to come up with scrap projects, when I could’ve been making bonnets! Thanks for the laugh…and another super cute dress!
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The husband is very indulgent- I think my oddness gives him liberty, but a bonnet may cross his line style-wise! I’d hate to see the eye brow raising on that one!
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I think it looks great. William Morris can just put a paper bag on his head if he feels otherwise (or wear his bonnet backwards).
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I think he should just be happy to be invited to our party, right?
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i love your fabric choices!
i will always heart the tunic, regardless of how much i resemble mrs. roper when i wear them.
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Mrs Roper always got her man- I think secretly Stanley loved the look!
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Great tunic. Gee?! I thought I was the only one who wore tennis shoes with dresses (skirts)! Yes, it is true! My most comfortable pair of shoes begin with K and end in Swiss. What would I do without them? Never leave the house 😮
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I am always on the look out for perfect ‘dress sneakers’!
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This is super cute, it has an essence of lisette (of course!) I was thinking that to myself and then you mentioned it yourself. Lisette and lisette knockoffs are da bomb! I dig that awesome button, fancy schmancy! Have fun running in your new tunic and working your amazing job 🙂
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I still need a chicken assistant!
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Tunics are a girl’s best friend! It’s pretty cute, and I agree with those kinds of tunic-y necklines..every one I’ve ever done drives me crazy!
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I must be missing the non-pucker trick to them!
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Your clothes are just so damn cute!!!!!!!!!!!! I love tunics as I spend 90% of my time crawling around the floor pinning up hems and bustles and don’t need to expose any of my backside. Love the fabric pairings and any technique that works and is fast and holds together through washings gets my vote. You look divine in green!
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I am such a tunic gal, it’s ridiculous!
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Love the tunic! The fabric is perfect and it looks fabulous on you!
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Why thank you! The sculpture was very minimizing!
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The sculpture was very minimizing? It sounds like a new trick that I just have to try!
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Really, really cute! Love the leopardy bits!
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You can’t have too many leopardy bits!
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Wow! Great fabrics together and blended into a cute tunic that shouts you all over. Who cares about ‘proper’ technique if you find a way that works for you. Lovely!
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There will be no tutorials from my hands this day! I will not anger the established sewing gods!
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William Morris eat your heart out! What gorgeous fabric! Great dress and a great pair of pins too if you don’t mind me sayin’! 🙂
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I don’t think that William was a leg man- maybe that the problem!
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What a perfect combination of prints! I love it.
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oh, thank you so much! Picking out fabric is half the fun, isn’t it?
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That fabric combination goes together so well that when I read your description of William-Morris-paired-with-cheetah I had to go and take a long, hard look at it to see that yes, indeed, the pairing is that odd. In an oddly perfect way. (Heck knows if that made any sense whatsoever, but oh well.)
As for age-appropriate foolishness – I am of the firm belief that there is no such thing. Thumb your nose at that concept girl, and just wear whatever tickles your fancy!
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Words to live by- especially from a soon to be parent!
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Love the fabric combo – I had to look closely to see leopard, had thought it was a cute green floral print at first! Great tunic, and fab length for showing off your legs!
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thats exactly what the predator wants you to think! An innocent floral area…bwhahahaha!
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I can’t tell that you had issues with the yoke at all. The dress looks super great. Man, you can never go wrong with tunics. I need more of them!
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tunics are indeed our friends! They give us excuses to by fancy belts, too!
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Love the tunic dress on you! And you have great legs. You should show them off more often!
Beth
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Oh please- I have the pink knees of a Campbells soup kid- more Grace Drayton than Vargas! But I thank you!
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But the picture says otherwise!!!!
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Love the fabric combo! This looks great on you.
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I swear picking fabric is the best part!
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Lookin good!! 🙂 I think your collar/neckline thingie turned out just great, and who cares how you did it as long as it works, right? ^__^ Definitely NOT getting the geriatric toddler housedress vibe 😉
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Oh, you should have seen the patch pockets- just sooo wrong!
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The prints go perfectly well together so really you have William Morris a favour because any form of exercise is good for you ( even if you are already dead ) .More seriously this dress is cute and looks pretty cool.
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Oh , one of your comments said you are to be a soon-to -be parent – congratulations.
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Oh, oh, no! I meant Kat! Oh Lord, oh, thats scary! But thank you for not immediately calling the authorities!
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How cute is that? I have to say not one part of that would have caught my attention, I’m not a fan of wearing green myself, but I really do adore your finished dress. Blogs are great for pointing out what my imagination lacks.
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I get so inspired by other peoples work- we are all just textile enablers, aren’t we?
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I like it! All of it! Oh, and thank you for ignoring the silly silly pockets…. lol
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Just too Holly hobbie Couture!
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Great combinations of colours!
I wouldn’t have added the pockets either as most of the time patch pockets on patterns are too small for your hands or they’re insanly huge to accommodate giant elephant mitts. Daft.
The yoke sounds scary! but I think you did a cracking job on it. Can’t even tell that it’s been sandwiched in any way 🙂
And my final (and most important) point is that paneer is scrumptious. I had paneer balti last night so am right there with you on that. Bravo
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Love! One of my favorites so far. And it even has pockets! Score!
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Very pretty! Lovely fabric combination
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Oh I love love love all of your vintage patterns! And the colors on this dress are just tod die for! They are so bright and cheery! You did a wonderful job on this one…. as usual! Congrats!
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I have this pattern–may have to actually make something with it now:) So cute…
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Thank you! It is such a comfy thing!
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