Thursday 21 July 2011

Instant dashiki

I tried to do the Sew Weekly Challenge of two weeks ago (American Apparel), and again last week (Album Cover Inspiration) but I didn't get around to it.  First there was kid fever and vomiting; then there was a multi-departmental grant to be submitted, which meant lots of overtime and lack of sleep; then there was me getting sick because of said vomit and sleep deprivation.  You know how it goes.  

I did start a self-drafted knit dress like the one Karen Lynn Gorney wore in SNF:


but something went wrong with the neckline.  It was too loose and droopy, even after unpicking and altering twice.  Unpicking serging is seriously no fun.  It's gone into the magic alteration pile, where it is sure to remain until the alteration elves get around to it.  

I have a few things cut out, but nothing I really felt like working on during a heat wave.  Then my little guy tried on his beloved dashiki and complained that it was getting too tight, and he really needs something loose and cool to wear while the temperature is above 35.  Ah ha!

Easy to whip up in an hour or so, including tracing the shape, cutting, sewing and seam finishing.  And he actually wants to wear it, as opposed to little miss picky, who still hasn't worn her pillowcase dress.  


I used the 70cm end-of-roll giraffe-y wax print that I picked up in Cape Town for about $2.  It was just enough for the shirt, the facings and there is a little scrap left over that I could just about squeeze two tiny pockets out of, if I were so inclined.  I added size vents and left the selvages as bottom hem, partly out of sheer laziness and partly because I liked the writing on it:




The bottom of the front slit doesn't lie quite as smoothly as I'd like because I was trying to copy the way it looked on the original, rather than sewing and slashing to a point.  Lesson learned.



So let's just say, for the sake of argument, that my inspiration was Miriam Makeba; then I can add the photos to the Sew Weekly archive and feel like I've completed a challenge for the first time in a few weeks ;)



   And then I have an excuse to watch a bunch of videos on Youtube until I can find the perfect one:


If you're not shakin' it by the end of Pata Pata, there's just something wrong with you.  

Seriously, you should have that checked out.  


7 comments:

  1. What a wonderful post! Miriam is one of my favourite artists. I love the dashiki you made. Wonderful job. I too, will submit something to the SWC on of these days.

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  2. Oh, cute! I was thinking about this challenge but I can't seem to go from inspiration to concept to finished project in the space of a week, so by the time I had an idea it was long past. /sigh.

    Also I can't believe the heat-wave you guys are getting...

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  3. @Angela: Thanks! He loves it too, and I hope it will stand up to boy abuse so I can keep it for my girl too.
    @Tanit: I usually post something if it coincides with what I'm working on already. If you massage the theme, almost anything can fit ;)

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  4. Thanks for that post. Good to hear that lovely voice again too.

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  5. This is a cute top! I love that print.
    If your friend is from a maritime town she will fit right in here! since we are on the coast too. Although I agree the temperature range is quite a lot milder... I hope she enjoys it here!

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  6. This is awesome top. I like the orange print. Love his smile and I love the dashiki and bohemian style you made. Wonderful job

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  7. Dashiki Store sale white dashiki shirts and black dashiki shirts which suitable for dashiki for men and dashiki womens. dashiki womens

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