Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Tropical Paradise Summer Top and Maxi Dress

"One Love, one heart,
Let's get together and feel all right!"
Lyrics from Bob Marley song!
.
The melodies of one of my favorite songs from Bob Marley replayed in my head when I came across two beautiful fabric; a solid yellow and tropical print. They both screamed Jamaica, Caribbean, cruise vibes and summertime fun in the sun. I instantly fell in love and had to select them for my May Fabric Mart blog post.  



When I saw this sun yellow polyester/lycra crepe techno fabric, it reminded me so much of the Jamaican flag.  I knew I had to  grab a few yards before it was sold out.   
My first choice was to make a wrap dress but fearing that I would look like a yellow highlighter with my hips, I decided to go with a top instead.  I always wanted to create McCalls M7812 and knew it was the perfect fabric for this style based on the texture. 

I cut the small and used view A bodice with view B sleeves and made no modifications.  The next time around I will definitely lengthen the bodice by an inch as this is a great pattern for summer.  This was a quick and easy sew as I did sewed up most of it before heading out to work at 8am.
I am in love with the front gathers and found the perfect drawstring in my notions pile! 

1 INCH elastic for the sleeves
This beautiful tropical floral double brushed jersey knit screams paradise vacation. This fabric and print hit the nail and is perfect for Mimi G's Simplicity new summer pattern S8915.  I fell in love with the booty gathers the minute Mimi shared as it is perfect for the curvy girls.  I love a great maxi especially if it has a great drape and length.
Typically, I do not sew a commercial pattern more than twice unless it's TNT but I do plan to make this again using lycra, and the other view using a jersey as it is an easy sew and great fit right out of the pattern envelope. 

 I needed an extra 1/2 yard based on the bottom back piece and instead of cutting it on the fold, I decided to join 2 pieces creating my own fold as I did not have enough.  It worked out just fine and yes, I am satisfied with the look.
The two modifications to fit my curves and my height are: 
 - Graded the waist from a size 12 to the 14 hips. 
- Added 1 inch to the length.  

 It came out absolutely perfect to my taste when I tried it on and I was floored with the fit.
Another minor tweak that I will make next time is removing 1/2 or 3/4 inch from the back bodice piece.


I am happy with both looks and can't wait to sew down my stash of knits purchased from Fabricmart.

I am counting down to summer break which starts on June 7th, and can't wait to rock both makes in Jamaica this summer.  

Thank you so much for reading and for always showing love! Don't forget to check out my latest makes on the blog and my Instagram page.

Photos taken by my daughter Arielle (10 years old)!

One Love,
Marica - Overdriveafter30

Comments

  1. Irie vibes, the Bob Marley quote had me singing. Really love the top. The đrawstring in the front is great, the gatherers can hide my tummy a bit. Lololol. That dress just sits on you chica, beautiful! The fabric is pretty too. Question: why would you remove 3/4inch Thom the back? Is it that it's too large and not true to fit or just your personal preference to have a more narrow back bodice? All in all, great job as usual. Loving the island vibes in this post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The bodice is longer and gathers. Not sure if this is a design feature.

      Delete
  2. Both of these pieces are stunning! Love everything about them!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! You look stunning in both outfits. And that dress is just perfection on you! Enjoy your trip to Jamaica. Arielle is a fantastic photographer!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Both are GORGEOUS on you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is simply beautiful...both give the tropical feel for an island girl vibe. Always love your contributions!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Summery Chambray Linen Mini Capsule

Hello all! With summer on the horizon, I'm gearing up for the heat with some fabrics and styles to carry me through weekend trips and general running around in hot weather. No matter the temperature, I still aim to appear stylish and put together, at least, you know, most of the time. Fabric Mart's exclusive linen chambray is superb for this exact use! I requested two colors of the glorious lightweight yarn-dyed linen chambray. Putty is a cool-toned light gray that leans toward purple and taupe tones and the Medium Sky Blue is perhaps a little more self-explanatory. I have sewn with this base before, and I was just as delighted and impressed with these two colors as I have been in the past. I can't recommend them more, these are quite lightweight and very finely woven. They are sturdy with a very smooth face and have some body, but still maintain nice drape for linen. Despite being lightweight, they have enough structure to support the rounded curves of the pant seams an

Made By A Fabricista: Rayon Challis Separates for Me!

This month I decided to take a minute to sew something for myself! Knowing that I was about to move house (I'm excited to be getting a nice big sewing room!), I opted to use some tried-and-true patterns that I knew would be quick and easy to sew: Jalie Michelle and Jalie Geneviève . I've really loved seeing garments made in crinkle challis lately, so I selected a solid mustard yellow crinkle challis with a plan for either pants or a skirt ( Geneviève is a skirt, but there's also a culotte option available for it), and two sateen challis prints for a top (Michelle can be made either as a top or a dress). I considered making a reversible top with both fabric prints, but upon playing with them in real life, opted for two separate tops with a facing. Given that challis tends to be a bit shifty, it's best to starch it before you begin cutting out your project. It's also best to cut it out on a large surface with a rotary cutter so the fabric doesn't get distorted.

Made By A Fabricista: A Mother’s Day Gift - Making my Daughter’s Prom Dress

Happy Friday All! As a mother and sewist, I am always planning months in advance for any special occasion dress. Due to the pandemic, my daughter missed all the activities at the end of her elementary journey and I was truly heart broken. She did not have any promotional ceremony, field trips or activities for the last few months of elementary school. I made a vow to myself that in Middle School, no matter what life throws us, I would make the perfect Junior Prom dinner dance dress even if she had to twirl in it at home. When I came across this beautiful blue lycra sequins fabric, I was thrilled. My daughter Arielle and I spoke a few months ago about the perfect Grade 8 Junior Prom dinner dance dress. She found an inspirational photo on Pinterest back in December which was a one shoulder maxi dress that sparkles and she was excited about me making her special dress. At the time she wasn’t quite sure of the shade of blue she wanted but after our trip to Jamaica during Spring break, she