Palm Trees in 0 Degrees

Hello! It’s blog post time!

I picked up the Bronte Top as part of the Perfect Pattern Parcel #6. I hope they’re bringing back the parcels soon because it’s such a good idea!

That shoulder detail got me excited as soon as I saw it. It’s comfy and satisfying to wear like a baby’s onesie but full of possibility for playing with the design.

I’d been wondering if I turned it into a dress whether I should use an A line or gathered skirt and seeing Sally’s gorgeous version clinched it!

This fun fabric is more of my cheap and dirty £1 cotton jersey from Birmingham rag market and the black contrast jersey is from Leeds market. I bought 1.5 metres of the palm trees and that was plenty. The trees sprawl in both directions. It’s like Miami Barbie meets Valley of The Dolls. And I love it.

Do you remember when you first saw a palm tree up close? I can. It was the first time I visited California as a teenager and they lined the streets. It was wonderful! So now palm trees make me think of America, rather than tropical islands. But as I’ve never been to a tropical island I think I need to go study some to make a considered comparison heehee.

I sewed this up on a miserable Sunday night when it was bitter outside. I made a quick muslin and then cracked on. It only took a few hours!

I mostly used my overlocker and then used a twin needle for topstitching. I only had one catastrophe where the overlocker ate my waist seam (there were tears) but I raised the waistline a little to cover this up.

As you can see I left off the buttons. I actually left of the topstitching around the bands too! I did a sample and it just looked rubbish, and the bands don’t flip out anyway.

So I’m sat here watching it snow again and praying it isn’t going to settle. Me and snow are not BFFs. We’re not even friends. Sunshine stole my heart a long time ago.

Oh and if you can’t tell, I’ve dyed my hair two shades darker and I’m waiting for my mum to comment on this post about it. She won’t be happy!!