From petal skirt to Best Dress Ever

When I made my petal skirt (no.5) from Drape Drape 2, I was struggling to find appropriate tops to wear with what was otherwise a pretty rad skirt.  So, at the suggestion of the lovely Kristin from Skirt as Top, I transformed it into a dress!  Seriously, this was the best advice because I am in LOVE.

Literally, I was so excited to do this thing that the next day I returned to the store and got some more fabric.

For the top pattern, I knew I wanted a slim-fit, simple cowl top to complement the draped skirt.  The main key was that I didn't want to add bulk.  Thankfully, I had just the top pattern on hand--my own! A while back, I drafted a cowl top as part of the Britex guest bloggers series.  The blouse pattern was originally drafted for a woven fabric, so I took in the sides and armscyes a bit for a closer fit.  

The armholes and back neckline are finished with self binding, and the top is attached to the original sparkly elastic waistband with a simple line of stitching .  

From afar, I didn't care for the white background of the original elastic, so I sewed on a band of elastic sequins (hastily whipstitched moments before our guests arrived for a cocktail party!).  Perfection.

I wish I could convey what an awesomely comfortable dress this is and how great I feel in it. Such a rare treat!  It felt completely appropriate running around barefoot while making drinks and chatting at our party, but I can also dress it up for date-night dinner with strappy silver heels.   Now I just have to figure out how to wash it....

Thanks again, Kristin, for the stellar idea!

2015 Resewlution, August garment #4