Rea Top - dress version!
Hello everyone,
I hope you are all well and finding precious creative moments in your busy days. My husband and I were fortunate to escape to Italy for a week and I was able to put to the test most of my new Rea Top, Tia Skirt and Hattie Bag samples, alongside other trusted me-made pieces, like the Minnie Bag below, a couple of sleeveless Martha Dresses, a Ziggy Skirt, a Rome Weekender, and enough Lulu Knickers to last the week.
I also made a Rea Top dress version specifically for the trip, which has served me amazingly well and was worn on repeat either on its own out and about or over a bikini by the lakeside. It was perfectly fit for purpose with just enough sun coverage when needed, but beautifully loose and floaty to catch the breeze. A make to be repeated for sure!
I used a fabric I bought from Bornella Fabrics at Thread... a Festival of Textiles in June. Although I'm not a big fan of the colour brown, I fell for the pattern on the fabric and the beautiful drape.
Click here to view a little video of the dress in floaty action:
The process of turning Rea Top into a dress couldn't have been simpler. I cut view A and due to insufficient fabric purchased, I had to shorten the sleeves by about 8-9cm. This required a little adjustment of the underarm curve, but was otherwise perfectly fine. Instead of hemming I added a ruffle to the raw edge of the top, which measures 25cm deep when finished. The length of the ruffle is 1.5 times the circumference of the hem. For example, the flat measurement at waist/hip on size 12UK is 71.5cm, x1.5 = 107.25cm. The final measurements of your ruffle piece once you add seam and hem allowance at 1.5cm on all sides would be 110.25cm x 28cm. You need two of these - one for the front and one for the back.
I would suggest adding about 60cm to the fabric amount you purchase if wanting to replicate this version. Highly recommended, and not just for holidays - I've been wearing it happily at home, town, market, etc! Although, I have to be careful when windy ;)
Would love to see your versions, so do share them please.
Happy sewing, Dhurata x