Here are two very summery projects I completed over memorial day weekend.

First is a seersucker suit. I've had this fabric since last summer, always earmarked for a suit, but I finally got around to it this year. Its a light green and white stripe, a little different from the standard blue. The jacket is the now OOP McCalls' 5477. I thought that the circular side panels cut on the bias would look great with a carefully matched stripe and I wasn't dissapointed. The buttons are vintage, part of a lot I bought on etsy last year. The pencil skirt is the HP pencil skirt pattern I love so much. I was so dissapointed that its being discontinued! I traced mine so I have the original intact if/when I change sizes, but I feel sad for all the people who won't get to try the pattern! The 3/4 sleeve shirt is J Crew.

Second is a HP Weekender Monaco shirt and top. I made the dress (obviously). I wanted an easy, more modern dress to wear walking around on weekends, and I wanted to try a shorter hem length than I usually feel comfortable with when wearing my traditional more fitted dresses. The pattern seemed perfect. I was a little worried because I didn't check pattern reviews until AFTER I ordered, and what was out there was not very complimentary.

I made it up without the fish eye darts in a blue linen/rayon blend. I didn't have quite enough fabric so I used a scrap of vintage printed rayon for the facings.

What I liked: Its a good pull over dress, and the belt gives it a nice shape. It was very easy and quick to make. No zippers! I made the slit too low, but that was my own fault for failing to mark position.

What I didn't like: In the pattern illustration, the yoke seams are across the bust, with the points at the bust apex. In reality, the yoke is much lower than that. I don't mind so much when I do it all in one fabric, but I don't think a contrast fabric would look too good with the low yoke. Also, the pattern picture makes it look like the bust darts extend to the corners of the yoke, making a neat zig-zag which could be graphically very interesting. This is not true, at least in the size I made (size 6).

That said, it was very comfortable, and because it wasn't as fitted as what I usually wear, I was able to go outside my comfort zone and go pretty short. I have another one (in plain black linen/rayon) half made, and might also try it as a blouse. I don't try new patterns very often (not nearly as often as I buy them anyhow) and it was frustrating that key details were so different.