July 21, 2014

Oonapalooza wrap dress!


Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here to today to honour our dear sage and guide, OonaBalloona of Kalkatroona.

IT’S OONABALLOONAPALOOZA TIME!!!!!!!!!

OonaPalooza wrap dress by Christine Jonson

Who else is there who whips up crazily patterned, eye-poppingly coloured and extravagantly swooshy dresses practically twice a week? Who else regales us of her drinking adventures and dresses up as a pink powderpuff alien overlord ? No-one, that’s who. There’s a special place in the world for our dear Oona.

Therefore, I felt it only fitting to combine the goodness of Cashmerette + Oonaworld (I believe the fashion world would call this Cashmerette X Oona) in an Oonapalooza wrap dress. And then to pull funny poses in an alleyway. FOR THAT IS THE WAY OF OUR FEARLESS LEADER.

Is this my best Oona face? Why yes it is. Hey girl!

If the dress looks familiar, you are not mistaken. It is my darling Christine Jonson pattern, smeared with my grubby fingerprints and rotary cut once again (it is no doubt getting slightly smaller every time, for my rotary cutting skills are poor, as my fingertip will attest). I used a fab quality jersey that I believe my dear Mum bought me last time I was in the UK, at John Lewis (please, America, bring John Lewis over here). I hope that Ms. Balloona finds it worthy.

For the neckline I have now perfected my technique: basically a t-shirt band, serged to the right side of the neckline, flipped over, and then “understitched” with a coverstitch.

And now onto the back.
Oh dear.
See the problem? Is it symmetrical over my spine? Not it is not. It’s like… 3 inches out. D’OH! I am mightily annoyed at this. However, I rarely (ever?) see my back, so the citizens of the world will just have to cope. I feel that this is an attribute OB will endorse. 
On the plus side: look at that amazing sleeve pattern matching! Entirely a coincidence?! Surely not. 

So that’s it! A fun little dress for wearing to the office, hanging out in alleyways, and otherwise painting the town red. I have no doubt it will get lots of use, back non-symmetry, be damned! So let’s raise a glass to our dear old Oona and wish her many more years of highly entertaining sewing.

45 thoughts on “Oonapalooza wrap dress!

  1. I like your Dress! So happy colourful!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thank you! I feel like a butterfly in it…. Oona must feel like that every day!

  2. Gillian says:

    Oh man, I would definitely buy that fabric if I saw it.It looks great on you! And nice work on the posing! I’ve finished an worn my Oonapalooza dress but not done pics yet… gotta up my game! 😉
    Don’t forget to put pics in the flickr pool if you want to be included in the roundup: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2155458@N20/

    1. Jenny says:

      Posing in an alleyway is A MUST. And I will head on over to Flickr now…

  3. Very stylish, a fab hybrid of both your styles! May I ask, with your neckline binding was this part of your pattern or did you draft it yourself? And do you use knit stay tape on your wrap dresses? I’ve bought a gorgeous 70’s wrap dress pattern and trying to decide how to finish the neckline – the pattern is a fold and stitch finish but some sort of binding is applied first, presumably to stabilise it…. Decisions decisions! 🙂

    1. Jenny says:

      That neckline binding is of my own creation, after trying out various different approaches. I do use knit stay tape, yes, on the shoulders and on the neckline – it works really well, although it’s best to keep it under the stitching as it tends to come away a little bit with washing. This is where I buy it from: http://shop.emmaseabrooke.com/product.sc?productId=34

    2. Thanks so much Jen, that’s the tape I’ve ordered so I’m very glad to know it’s good stuff. Fingers crossed it all works out. Stay awesome 🙂

  4. Debbie Iles says:

    Love your neckline binding strategy. I’m going to remember this. I think it’s a fab finish. Totally Oonatastic dress.

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks! I’m thinking about doing a simple tutorial at some point to show how it’s done

    2. JKW says:

      Yes please!?!
      By the by, what a great dress!
      And your exuberance is inspiring!!

  5. Heather Lou says:

    Oona meets Cashmerette fabulosity! This print is INSANE and I love this dress on you.

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Heather!

  6. Madalynne says:

    Oh this is surely an Oonaballoona make in all its finest. Bravo! Bravo!!

    1. Jenny says:

      Merci Maddie!

  7. L says:

    I want this dress NOW! I’m off to the sewing room to pull out my CJ pattern and start cutting. Our dear overlord will be proud. Love!

    1. Jenny says:

      Cut cut cut! Sew sew sew!

  8. blog1 says:

    Adorable and hilarious. I love it. The dress looks great on you, too.

  9. tanyamaile says:

    Love love LOVE!! You look fantastic as usual but this dress is perfection!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thank you Tanya!

  10. Heather says:

    Gorgeous! A fitting tribute and you did such a good job with the poses and faces!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Heather! I might always pose like this from now on 🙂

  11. Crab and Bee says:

    You look fab in Oona-style! Love that bold print and those bright colors on you!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks! Maybe I need to wear more crazy stuff!

  12. lisa g. says:

    i love this dress on you! totally oona worthy. that fabric is pretty stellar, i’d buy it in a heartbeat!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Lisa!

  13. gMarie says:

    That fabric is amazeballs! Love the poses and faces. You are totally rockin’ the Oona look. Would love to see a tut on your neckband.

    g

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks G! I shall do a tutorial when I make the next wrap dress… which is already cut out and ready to go 🙂

  14. Natalie says:

    What a fun post and dress! You are delightful and I loved all the pictures! I’d love to learn more about understitching. Great job on the dress – it is fantastic on you!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Natalie!

  15. girl the good thing about Cashmerette X Oona prints (that’s a brand name now, you know): if the back is off WHO CAN TELL. this is stunning, and so much freaking fun!!! i am falling off my chair over your pictures!

    1. Jenny says:

      Hurray! Glad you like it! If you hadn’t, I’d have had to burn it in a ritual fire.

      Also: taking photos the oona way is so much fun! I might just have to keep doing it…

  16. gingermakes says:

    This dress BELONGS on you. It’s so fabulous!!!! The colors are just singing on you!

    1. Jenny says:

      Why thank you darling!

  17. I actually think the lack of symmetry in the back is pretty cool! The print reminds me of funhouse mirrors for some reason, and so I think the slight off-centered-ness actually works to further that funhouse mirror effect!

    1. Jenny says:

      Hahahah thanks Nicole!

  18. Suze says:

    In my head, this instantly became Cashmeroona, and I now know that I need that CJ pattern. Gorgeous!

    1. Jenny says:

      Cashmeroona, love it!!

  19. Love the print, love the dress, love the poses. I am looking for a wrap dress pattern and have been considering this one since i read your review on wrap dresses.

    1. Jenny says:

      Thank you! Definitely worth giving this pattern a try!

  20. Caroline says:

    That is a great dress! I love the fabric.

    I put a link on my Oonapalooza! blog post to your Moneta maxi dress.

    It’s at: http://carolineparadigmdesign.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/oonapalooza-its-pleated-moneta.html

    Happy sewing!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Caroline!

  21. patsijean says:

    I love the dress. I am fascinated by your wrap dress and terrified. I expect them to flip open at the slightest puff of wind or when I sit.
    I have to say that the shirt dress is a life-long love although I don’t wear dresses at all right now. I started sewing in the 6/7th grade making the full gathered skirts that were very popular at the time (late 1950’s). My very first sewing pattern was a Vogue shirtdress pattern with a pointed, flat collar. I think I made a couple of these, but I remember the first was a dark green print.

Let me know what you think!