Palm print is by far one of my favorite fabric patterns. By now I have made so many different things with palm print fabric it’s bordering on obsessive. It started with this skirt, and then I moved on to this skirt and then these pillows, and then these pillows. Have I convinced you I like all things palm print? Anyway, this blue and white palm print dress is my newest palm print creation and I am love how it turned out.
The backstory on this dress started with the bodice. I have tried multiple times in the past to make a bodice and it is hard! I’m talking like trying to make pants hard! However, I decided this summer is going to be the summer of the bodice and this it’s game on! So I started with this blue and white palm print dress and haven’t looked back!
Fabric – Navy Palm Print Dress
Do you have fabric in your stash that you like more than other fabric? Of course you do. Just like you have certain pieces of clothing that you like better than others.
That is how I felt about this fabric. I bought it at Joann’s last summer. I loved it when I bought it, because hello palm print! But when I pulled it out this Spring, while digging through my fabric bins, I felt kind of meh about it. I can’t explain why because I just professes how much I love palm print above, but I think maybe the colors weren’t bright enough? I don’t know, so I set it aside.
After a few attempts making a muslin for this bodice (which took a lot longer than I imagined) I finally decided I was ready to make the real deal. However, I was torn about what fabric to use. I didn’t want to use any of my favorite fabric because if the palm print dress didn’t turn out the way I envisioned I wouldn’t have been to bummed out about using any of my favorite fabric.
So I opted for the navy palm print fabric. While I did like the fabric I wasn’t going to be too upset if it didn’t work out.
Needless to say this dress turned out better than I could have imagined, but it took a long time to come together. The bodice and the skirt are two different patterns and both had to be hacked for the dress to come together.
Bodice – Navy Palm Print Dress
Let’s start with the bodice. It’s Mccalls 7602, view A with the peplum removed, the bodice shortened, and I made the straps adjustable. I have another post coming just on making the straps. I spent more time on the bodice than on the skirt, but I was so determined to “make it work” that I didn’t really care.
Now I will say I think I could have used the next size down for the bodice. It does look like I could use a little more “filling” up top. Even with a padded strapless bra it still looks a little flat so I think I have going to sew some bra cups in to make it fit a little better.That being said I still think it turned out great for my first try.
Skirt – Navy Palm Print Dress
Next came the skirt. This is Mccalls 8097 view B. This pattern is for a skirt with an elastic waistband. In order to attach it to the bodice I needed to alter it and put a zipper in the back. I altered it by extending New Look pattern 6193, which is an aline skirt with a zipper, and attaching the ruffles from McCalls 8097. I really this McCalls skirt pattern I have already made three other versions using view A.
Finishing Touches and Styling – Navy Palm Print Dress
Last but not least I added some navy piping around the waist and the ruffles. The dress just needed a little something extra to make it stand out. I keep the styling simple. White strappy sandals, navy earrings and a red Roxbury Place clutch for a pop of color are all you need. I think the dress makes a big enough statement on it own so it doesn’t need to be too jazzed up.
It turned out wicked cute! I get some side eye when I wear it walking the dog, but for now it’s the only option I have to wear it. Oh well as least my dog likes it.
Thanks for reading. I hope wherever you are you are safe and healthy. See you next week!
Photos – Chloejane Photo + Film