Animal Instinct
Are animal prints still trendy? I feel like as I’ve gotten older time seems to move more slowly for me- so it’s hard to tell if a trend is past, current, or recently been resurrected. Either way, I still like animal prints, and I had a small (slightly less than a yard) scrap left over from a project long ago, and decided it was time to free it from the scrap bin!
The Mama Catherine top/dress from Made for Mermaids seemed like the perfect pattern match. The Catherine is designed for stretch knits and has a variety of views, from an unlined lace yoke, to dramatic bell sleeves.
I chose one of the simplest silhouettes (since my fabric was already wild!)- the lined, curved yoke, with basic long sleeves, in the size “grey”, which matched my chest measurement. Since this design has so much ease at the waist and hips, I didn’t grade out, as I normally do in those areas. Since I didn’t have enough to self line the yoke- I used some bamboo knit scraps from Pretty Posh Prints- making this whole project quite economical!
I think the trick to a top or dress like this, with gathering above the bust and a loose fit in the bodice, is a combination of styling and fabric choice- whether it looks like a nightgown or an elegant dinner outfit is all up to you and the choices you make. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned about sewing and fashion in the last year- if i wear it with my yoga pants and messy hair, it’s going to look like pajamas. But if I style it with makeup, a statement necklace and decent shoes, all of a sudden I’ve got an outfit!
Anyway, fashion philosophy aside, this top is super comfortable, nursing friendly (the bodice pulls up easily and I usually wear a tank underneath), and comes together in an hour or two. I hightly recommned followin ghte tip in the tuturial for adding knit stay tape to the neckline edges of the lined bodice to keep it from stretching out- I also added it alone my hem edges to stabilize them for hemming (my coverstitch likes to eat thin fabrics).
At the end of my short sewing session I had a cute top to wear to work the next day, and an itch to make a few more!
Get the women’s pattern HERE
Grab the mama and girls patterns together as a bundle HERE
OR the mama, girls and doll bundle HERE (how cute is that?)
All Made for Mermaids patterns are on sale on their new website (aff link) for 30% off with the code “40Ksale”
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