Palm Print Jersey Dress

This is a dress made from two different knit patterns, I've shown exactly which ones below, but really you can consider mixing up any of your favourite patterns.  Since this one has an elasticated waist casing and it's in a knit fabric there isn't any special drafting to do as the bodice and skirt can easily be made to fit together.

I used two patterns I have made before, the top is from BurdaStyle 08/2011 - 126 which I've made several times as a top with a peplum band and a raised neckline.  I also eliminate that centre back seam.  You can see a couple of versions here.

08/2011 - 126 Link to pdf dress pattern

The skirt is from McCall's 6744 although I changed the length to midi.  I'm finally coming around to appreciate this length now, maybe in a few more years I'll be wearing flounce sleeves and jumpsuits!

McCall's 6744 (out of print)


I used a green and black palm print ITY jersey - this didn't even get to live in my stash, I just knew what I wanted to do with it and bought and sewed it within a week.  Often I can get a bit paralysed by procrastination so this felt good!

The elastic casing at the waist is around 1 inch wide as I had that sized elastic to hand.  I also had enough fabric left over to make a self fabric belt so I have an option of wearing it both ways.

Part of the reason I made this up so fast was so that I would have it to wear on a short trip to Singapore which is where the photo below is from.  I always seem to decide at the last minute that I need something new for any trip, but at least I've learned to make something quick and easy!

Style Arc Summer Cover Up

It seems that cover ups and kaftans/caftans are popping up around the sewing world at the moment.  Closet Case Patterns have just released one and Goodbye Valentino recently posted how to draft your own.  It makes sense, they are pretty easy to make and you can go quite wild with prints and trims!  I made this one a few weeks ago for a short resort holiday to celebrate my birthday.

Style Arc Summer Cover Up Link to Pattern

I know I say this a lot, but the fabric was another "oh my gosh I must buy it and figure out what to do with it later" purchases.  It is a silk printed with a sunset and palm trees with an ombre effect.  I actually decided to use the reverse side which is more matte and with more intense colours.

I know that silk is probably not the most practical choice for a cover up, but the reality is it won't get worn that often and it just felt like this was the perfect use for the print.  I would like to make it again in the shorter version in a more practical cotton someday.

Reverse side

Right side

I made a couple of minor changes to the pattern.  I raised the neckline around 2cm at the base of the V tapering to nothing at the shoulders.  I know I'll be wearing it over swimwear so it doesn't really matter if it shows, but that's just my preference.

I also eliminated the centre front and back seams on the bodice, but getting a nice sharp point on the front neckline would probably be much easier with a centre seam so I will leave it in next time.  I also didn't want any stitching showing round the neckline so have just secured the neck facing at the shoulder seams.

The waist seam of the bodice has a 2.5cm seam allowance to form the casing for the drawstring so unfortunately I lost some of the ombre effect and there is quite a difference between the colour of the bodice and skirt.  It's not quite how I envisaged it, but I still like it.

Here I am wearing it swanning about at a resort in Vietnam - hopefully it won't be too long before I can pull it out again!

Style Arc Imogen Maxi Knit Skirt

I really need to stop making sweeping statements on my blog.  A couple of posts after saying I always wear knit dresses all summer long, lately I have only been making skirts!  Here is one of them, a knit maxi skirt from Style Arc.  I am fairly sure I received this pattern as one of the monthly freebies with a purchase of any pattern.  I mean, I do really like it, but it's such a simple pattern I doubt I would have paid full price for it.

Style Arc Imogen

I had quite a lot of fabric left over from my black and white knit dress and I didn't want another dress in the same fabric so it seemed like a good opportunity to try out this pattern.

I didn't have quite enough fabric for the folded yoga pant style waistband so I just made a regular waistband with elastic inserted in it to fit my waist and making sure it would stretch over my hips.   In reality I will probably always wear tops untucked so this may be a better choice of waistband for me anyway.

Construction is very easy and very fast, it's one skirt pattern piece, cut 4 times and sewn together.  However the cut is lovely and I really like how it is quite sleek at the top and satisfyingly swishy round the ankles.

The fabric pattern and folds created a pattern that my camera did not like at all, but anyway....

My cats were obsessed with getting under the skirt which is sort of helpful for seeing some of the flare I suppose.

At full price I admit this is quite an expensive pattern for how simple it is, but I do love the drafting of Style Arc patterns if you don't need much in the way of instructions.  There must be similar offerings out there from other companies - among the big ones I found McCall's 7386 , a similar shape, but without the centre front and back seams and McCall's 7130 with even more seams.

I will definitely be making this skirt again soon, it's perfect for summer which is well and truly here in all it's humid glory!