I am Stacey from Margarita on the Ross, kicking off this month’s blog theme “Rejuvenation.” The summer heat here in Tennessee has been slowing me down, but there is nothing like a beach family vacation to recharge. Now I am ready to buckle down for the second half of the year in my new Shoreline Boatneck (affiliate link) from Blank Slate Patterns.
While packing for our vacation, I realized I have an abundance of ready to wear pieces that I do not actually wear. Apparently, you get really spoiled when you can create garments to suit both your figure and your style.
I purchased this strapless summer dress a couple of years ago, but it never really fit me well. It was always a little too big up top and a little too snug in the hips. Yet, I am still drawn to the geometric print and this gorgeous blue color. It also has a great feature with split hems on both sides of the maxi skirt. Did I actually take a good picture of the dress before I chopped it up? Of course not, but we will have to settle for mirror selfies.
The Shoreline Boatneck was a great starting point for rejuvenating my maxi dress into a cool, lightweight summer top. I love that the Shoreline can be sewn with either wovens or knits making it a versatile, but classic, pattern. With the different sleeve lengths, you can use this pattern through every season. However, my favorite feature of this pattern is the clean neckline achieved by using facings.
Split side tops have been popping up in the stores for a while now, but I am always a little late to the fashion game. I knew I wanted to use the split hems to vent the sides of my top. Plus, using the existing hem allows for a much faster sew! Because who does not include last minute sewing on their vacation prep list???
I would not have been able to fit the bodice pieces on the width of the skirt without the vents due to having to grade out for my larger hips, but I was able to squeeze the whole top out of the skirt portion alone.
Our trip to the beach could not have timed out any better with my blog post, because who doesn’t love beach pictures? I will probably layer this top with a white cami when I am at home (have you seen Blank Slate Patterns new Kirei Camisole???), but I feel comfortable enough at the beach to show a little more skin.
All in all, I love how I could recycle a fun print into something more current for my summer wardrobe. Make sure to come back all month long to see what the other ladies on the Blank Slate Sewing Team create to rejuvenate their own wardrobes.
Until next time…sewing and sipping,
Stacey
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