Kicking off the week (yeah we know it's Tuesday but the weekend still seems waaaaaay off, so) we have the pleasure of a virtual visit from possibly the world's most ballsy, hilarious and loud sewing blogger of all time. Yup, you guessed it - none other than Oonaballoona from Kalkatroona! Grab yourselves a stiff one, girls (drink, that is!) and read on for the adventures of Oona & her Elisalex's...

The girl - Marcy, aka Oona

Her blog - Oonaballona from Kalkatroona (see Oona's original posts here and here)

The pattern - The Elisalex Dress

What inspired your choices of fabric, and did your dresses live up to the image you had in your mind?

a piece of jersey knit must have lodged itself in my soul when i was on my leggings makin' frenzy, because both of my elisalex dresses are born from the jersey aisle at mood. (as part of the mood sewing network, each month i sew a garment using mood fabric and post about it on MSN and my own blog.) the pink wool jersey went into my bag with no particular thought in mind, but i came home that day to find my BHL pattern had arrived and i couldn't wait! however, pink wooly didn't live up to my delicious dreams...the fabric was too floppy. seriously, it's better suited for pajamas!

the technicolor betsey johnson jersey was meant for round eighty seven of leggings. i am SO thrilled i went for round two of elisalex instead, this dress exceeded all my most rabid expectations!

Tell us a bit about your making process, any tweaks you made, and how you infused the pattern with your own inimitably sexy Oonaballoonaness?

ah, you make me blush like a fine rose. coming from you sexy gals, that is indeed a compliment.

well, the pink wool process was perturbing, to say the least...and ALL MY OWN DAMN FAULT. i'm not really one for muslins, most of the time i eyeball the situation and try to head fitting off at the pass. turns out i created double the work for myself-- i ripped out pretty much every seam i made in favor of doing it exactly as the pattern said to.  good times. smackdown: drafting skillz of by hand london.

pink wooly's skirt was shortened quite a bit and "pegged" at the bottom to enhance the gams. you gotta enhance the gams when you only have just shy of 5’3 to work with! i also serged the neck & sleeve edges with a bright chartreuse thread to rough up the muted color palette a little.

as for the technicolor flowers, i only had a yard to begin with. after cutting the bodice with laser precision (pink wooly flashbacks looming) somehow i eked out a quarter circle skirt and little short sleeves.  on the sleeves, i pinched the bottom together to create a small gather. it's a bit hard to spot with that crazy print, i'm thinking of adding a button for embellishment...

Are you planning any future elisalex dresses? if so, can you give us a clue?

i have ABSOLUTELY got to do one up in upholstery weight!!! the bodice is so perfectly poured on, i would love to see that skirt standing all stiff and up at attention. good in men, good in dresses. maybe with some tulle peeking out underneath... i'd also like one in something silky, three quarter sleeves, with the skirt at a drapey maxi length.

hmm...excuse me, i think i hear my stash calling...

Go go! We won't keep you from the call of the stash! Thank you so much for stopping by, and let's hope one day the hangout won't be virtual and the cocktails won't just be cheap innuendos...