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!  

Summer Goals

I really love summer.  My husband is in education, so he gets a significant and well deserved break during the summer.  This means more family time and more time for me to get some extra special projects done.

In addition to some exciting travel and missions opportunities we have planned for the summer and some household projects I'll have more time for I have some arts and crafts goals, as well.

1. Homemade Christmas 

Continue with my Homemade Christmas plans to make more items to be given away at Christmastime.  I am working on making these items every month, so that I won't be overwhelmed with how many people are on my Christmas list come November.

2. Begin to Learn to Crochet

I don't expect masterpiece skill level by September, but I would like to get the ball rolling in that direction.  I have always wanted to learn to crochet, and I happen to have some really cute yarn waiting for me to bring it to life.  I have a curriculum style program I picked up at a homeschool conference that I will be using for this.  It's called "Sew Teach Me."

3. Make Some Maxi Skirts

I have a hefty supply of fabric that I have acquired over the last few years or more.  One thing I would love to make with it are some cute, trendy, and feminine maxi skirts.  I love a good long skirt, so I have been collecting ideas, tutorials, and technique tips to do this.

4. Paint Big Blank Canvas in Dining Room

I got a great deal on a huge canvas about a month ago, and I put it up on the wall where I want it in our dining room.  I have some ideas, but haven't taken the plunge yet on completing it.  I really want this to be a great piece that represents our family, so I look forward to this project!

5. Paint Party!

I have recently noticed that there are several ladies at my church who paint and are great artists!  I would love to organize a fun get-together for us to paint and inspire each other while being refreshed and encouraged.  Wouldn't that be so fun?

What are your summer arts and crafts goals?  Check out our boards on Pinterest for some great inspiration!

My Favorite Piece (For Now)

People often ask me, "What is your favorite item you have made?"

That is an easy question for now.  My favorite, so far, is a painting I created for my own home.  I found the canvas by a dumpster after I watched one of my neighbors bring it there.  It was an old framed painting of a southwest landscape.

I had it for a couple of months before I finally knew what I wanted to paint on it.  I love sheep.  I love the imagery of sheep in the Bible and the description of Jesus as my Good Shepherd.  There are so many rich lessons to be found in the scriptures that describe sheep and shepherds, and I am always amazed and encouraged to learn more and more.

And so, this is what came out of me through my paints and paintbrushes:

So here we are in a lush pasture grazing by still waters trusting the Good Shepherd to take good care of His sheep each day.  I love this painting.

It was a free canvas that was going to be discarded unfortunately.  I didn't show a before here because I hope the original artist would not see that her painting was not only thrown out but also painted over!  It is a very large piece, and I get to see it and enjoy it everyday.

Now for an idea for the large canvas hanging up in my dining room...