Sunshine Paradise

Hi Everyone,

I am back as promised with another piece that has captured my eye and heart all at the same time. I hope you are enjoying the introduction of my self-drafted patterns. The combination of these exclusive fabrics is taking these designs to the next level and highlighting some classic silhouettes for fun wardrobe memories.

Today I share with you the “Duchess” the story behind the name will be for another time. This piece is part of my handmade collection and the version created with this cotton sateen is something special. I knew from the inception what this project would be and ran with that from start to finish.

This cotton sateen was most definitely a love at first sight for me. The print combined with the border design is another unique print. The uniqueness of the print forced me to consider a design that would highlight the border while complimenting the garment. I am sure you will agree that they both go hand in hand when you see the final product. This sateen is also super soft to the touch with just enough sheen that makes it stand out in quality but also enhancing the presence of the garment. I have made this design before in a brocade but the cotton is giving us a whole new dimension of versatility and style that I don’t think I originally imagined for this combination. I love it nonetheless!

Yes, I hear you say another two-piece and you are correct but don’t be weary. The two-piece is versatile and captures my motto of functionality in my wardrobe. Without losing its allure and detail this two-piece can be a great base for a summer capsule wardrobe. So many possibilities to pair together and separately.

Let’s get into the details.

Prewashing is a must these days. It is automatic practice now on my end to pre-wash on a gentle cycle no matter the fabric. The optional and sometimes flexible option is the dryer versus air drying. In this case, given it was cotton I opted for the medium heat in the dryer. There were no issues.

This is one of my self-drafted patterns elevated so I was ready to cut out my pieces and get to sewing. With all cottons in my opinion, it sewed up well. I was mindful that this fabric is a bit delicate so when pinning I was careful to avoid any snags from dull pins. (I realized this when I was prepping the pattern pieces). The final garment includes a box pleated midi wrap skirt and a dashiki neckline tunic with two side slit and a ¾ length sleeve. Unfortunately, there are no pockets on this look.

There were no added notions to this pattern. The major detailing was the yoke on the top and the pleats. I paid close attention to the pleating as well as the detail at the end of the sleeve. In the past I added elastic but, in this case, I wanted the sleeves to stand out naturally with the border. This was left alone.

Can you tell how pleased I am with the final product? Very! It’s beautiful and offers so much as a design.

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and feel inspired to do something different with some beautiful cotton sateen in your wardrobe or just something fun with the various exclusive fabrics from Minerva.

Thanks again for stopping by and reading 🙂. It is always a pleasure. Here’s to the month ahead.

More exciting makes are in progress! Feel free to stop by again or check out some of my previous makes to be inspired.

Utamika

@amshina

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