Stripes and Polka Dots

I love stripes and polka dots (and plaid).  They are such nice “non-pattern” patterns!  They work almost as a neutral…you can easily mix them with other patterns, especially in the same color family.

Over a year ago I saw this dress in Target…I loved the fabric, a substantial yet perfectly drape-y rayon with lots of fun, right colors but on a dark,neutral background so it didn’t feel like “too much.”

However, the shapelessness of the dress didn’t do anything for me and adding a belt didn’t help…I have no waist; I am a rectangle and while adding a belt is supposed to give the allusion of a waist, I think it just makes me look like two stacked squares…or a rectangle wearing a belt!  So, while I loved the fabric, I couldn’t buy the dress.

Then this past summer I stopped at a garage sale and I found the same dress!  Since I loved that fabric, I spent a dollar and bought the dress…just to remake into something else!

Here is my finished blouse.  It is super comfortable, fitted enough to look polished yet loose enough to be comfortable and leave un-tucked (due to the “no waist” thing…).

I used this free 2 Hour Top pattern from Sew Different.  I added some length and narrowed the sides a bit and finished the whole thing with French seams.

Love French Seams!

A quick and easy (to make and wear) top!  And it incorporated my two favorite patterns, stripes and polka dots!