0

COUSIN PUPPETS

by

I had so much fun making these guys! It was the first time since January I made puppets (our car was so packed for our road trip that I had to leave my box of supplies in Los Angeles).

cat puppet, made by julianne

I made these puppets for two babies coming in June. One is for my friend’s sister, the other is for my friend’s boyfriend’s sister. So they’re kinda cousins… who will probably never meet.

It’s pretty amazing to make something for a kid that hasn’t been born yet. So many possibilities go through my mind as I construct a toy that I hope will entertain them for years. Will they ever realize that before they were born, someone who never even met their parents and would probably never meet them spent a few hours wondering what their lives would be like?

Lots of friends are having babies right now, so I get to spend lots of time making special gifts for their mysterious lives. I’ll be posting a lot of those creations soon!

cat puppet, made by julianne

cat puppet, made by julianne

There are many traits they share. Both have yellow vinyl ears, pink colors, fringe, and tails to match the body of the other.

cat puppet, made by julianne cat puppet, made by julianne

By the way, this is not foreshadowing my own future. I can enjoy spending time with kids without wanting one of my own.

These puppets are already at their new homes, but you can order your own puppet in my shop.

0

ZIGZAG DRESS

by

I made this dress for my birthday this year, and it was perfect for my bayou birthday party.

yellow zigzag dress, made by Julianne

The dress had to be lined, and since the seams would have been slightly visible through the white areas of the print, I felt like interlining was the only option. Well, sewing two layers of swishy fabric together while keeping the print centered and the grainlines even can be a pain in the ass. In the end it turned out well, but it was a process to get there.

It’s a very basic shift (or sheath) dress. Easy to make, versatile to wear, and simple design lines that allow the fabric to take center stage. I have a few fabulous fabrics that have been patiently waiting in my sewing cabinet, and I think this new pattern will match perfectly.

yellow zigzag dress, made by Julianne

I bought the yellow printed rayon as soon as it came in the door at Fabric Planet Downtown for $3/yd. The dress is lined with a blush pink rayon, which also came via Fabric Planet (from the Venice store, and was the same price). The invisible zipper and TIffany blue lycra I used for the binding were rummaged from my fabric cabinet. Total dress cost: $12

yellow zigzag dress, made by Julianne

I just love the bright lemon yellow! The crisp chevrons are actually composed of tiny triangles. This print is hitting all my buttons.

I didn’t really think about how prone to wrinkles the finished garment would be. Not that I generally look freshly pressed, but I do like to show off my clothes to their best advantage. I must admit, I’m a little disappointed that despite the care I put into constructing the dress, it will always look a little sloppy.

yellow zigzag dress, made by Julianne

Although I’ve only worn the dress once before, the fabric is starting to pill at the underarms. It’s certainly not a disaster, just another disappointment to overcome. This dress may not have the longevity that I was looking forward to as I began to put it together.

yellow zigzag dress, made by julianne

I drafted the basic shift pattern with a muslin (and 2 sleeves with different cap heights!), and the meticulous fitting on the muslin isn’t quite obvious in the shifty doubled rayon. Oh well, I think that attention will pay off in other iterations of the design.

yellow zigzag dress, made by Julianne yellow zigzag dress, made by Julianne
And yes, I am on Instagram now.
 

1 2 … 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 … 95 96