Skirt/Dress from Panamanian Fabric

During our trip to Panama, we took several opportunities to support local artisans and buy handmade items for gifts and also some goodies for ourselves.  I was looking to buy a skirt or something fun to wear when I stumbled upon a fabric store!

Even better!

I had a great time with the ladies who worked there as I tried to speak Spanish and pick out two lovely prints.  One of them is a traditional print that is used to make the large and beautiful skirts they use for traditional Panamanian dancing.  So I bought two yards of each (although now I wish I would have bought more!) and starting thinking about what I would do with them.

It wasn't until I was packing for a trip to California for a wedding that I realized exactly what I wanted to do with the traditional print fabric.  I would make a dress to wear to the wedding!

And so it began.

I also thought it would be fun and cute to make a little skirt for my youngest who is coming with me, as well.  Here is the fabric cut out and ready.  I used skirts we already had as a pattern, and I cut out the long pieces to become the ruffle at the bottom.

I have a lot to learn when it comes to proper tailoring techniques, but I like to jump in and learn as I go sometimes.  Occasionally that results in some trouble shooting, which happened on this day, but eventually the final product comes out great in the end.  I like to experiment on things that will be for us anyway.

I worked on the little one's first thinking that would be a good way to practice for the big one.  I love making little skirts.  They don't require much fabric or experience or skill really, and they are so cute!  Here is what I cam up with for her.

I had to redo the seams a bit because I actually made it too small at first.  However once it was done, I was very pleased with the outcome.  So cute!

So then it was my turn.  I had a couple of different ideas for it, and I tried to get a few of them going, but then I realized it would be great to have a dress that could also be worn as a long skirt, and a skirt that can also be worn as a dress.  I did put some elastic in the waistband/top band which happens to work for my size.  This allows it to be more secure either way I am wearing it.  The ruffle at the bottom was made by using twice the length of the bottom of the skirt/dress.

 

I love versatility, so I love that I can also dress it done and wear it as a fun maxi skirt.  And all of this for just $2 a yard!  I love the brilliant blue and the little red and yellow pops in the flowers.  They had this fabric in yellow and orange, too, and in the markets I saw skirts made with it out of teal and red with the same pattern. 

Maybe next time I will get enough to actually make one of their native skirts for traditional dancing!  It is so much fun with tons of flowing fabric.  We had the chance to see some of this dancing at a rehearsal we found out about, and they were gracious enough to let us come in a watch!  It was beautiful just like the country of Panama and their people.  

And now I have a wedding to get to where there will be lots of latin dancing and rejoicing because of the Lord bringing together two wonderful people to unite in a covenant of marriage.  

I should have added some pockets for tissues!