I made this outfit for my cousin Holly's wedding which took place a few weeks ago in Bonnie Scotland. I'm not very good at knowing what to wear for special occasions so I knew I wanted to make something specifically for the wedding that I really liked. I set myself the challenge of sewing something from fabric I already have rather than buying more. This was also a way of helping me decide what to sew - i.e. I started by choosing the fabric and then deciding what kind of style I wanted to sew, rather than the other way round.
I bought this fabric a few years ago in a shop in the Montmartre in Paris. I absolutely love it and I'm so glad I finally made something with it! It's quite sturdy and I think it is perfect for making something look a bit more formal.
After much deliberation I decided to make a two-piece outfit and make the skirt from the Deer & Doe Belladone dress and the Tate Top from Workroom Social.
For the skirt I lined the waistband with some soft denim and added a lining. I'm really pleased with the overall finish and think it might be one if my best ever invisible zips! :) One of the things I love about the Belladone pattern is the slip stitching required for the hem facing. I think a hem facing is such a good way to finish any garment.
For the Tap top I made quite a lot of changes: I adjusted the length to make sure it stopped just before the skirt. I moved the front neckline darts to the underarm position - and I moved the back darts so that they are in line with the front darts. I decided to use this wonderful video tutorial from Sew Over It and do an all-in-one facing as I think this gives the cleanest finish. I used a hem facing for the outer fabric and I finished the all-in-one facing with some red bias binding.
It wasn't my intention when I started but the top is actually fully reversible and can be worn both ways! Result!
Overall I'm really happy as I made two garments I enjoyed wearing for a special occasion but they will also get lots of use in everyday life worn separately!
Thanks to my patient Mum for taking these snaps! :)
