WATERCOLOR SEPARATES // MEGAN NIELSEN EUCALYPT & CASCADE

I got married this past August, and sewing and planning my "Handmade Honeymoon" was something that kept me (relatively) sane while planning the wedding. Even though most of the outfits are out of season, I'll be posting them here from time to time!

One of my favorite outfits from my Italian honeymoon (and the whole summer) was my combination Eucalypt/Cascade.

In March, I bought this rayon challis at Angel Textiles in DTLA with my sister, and in some sort of fit I bought 8 yards of it. What can I say - it was gorgeous and $2/yard!!!!

I had the idea (I'm not the first, I'm sure) to combine Eucalypt with Cascade to create a dress out of the two separates. I actually made an Elisalex in this fabric too, but it turned out to be too similar and I like the skirt/top combination more, so I gifted that to my other sister when she came to visit over the summer.

Pattern: Megan Nielsen Eucalypt Tank
Size: Large
Alterations: Used a 1 1/8" seam allowance - explained below
Fabric: Watercolor rayon challis from Angel Textiles – 846 S. Maple Avenue, Los Angeles

First, I'll talk a bit about the Eucalypt.  Unfortunately, I don't have any solo photos of it, but above there's a link to the pattern page. This is such a great, basic tank pattern, and I actually bought it last year when Megan was selling fabric/pattern kits after the release of the Breakwater collection.

I made three versions of this tank (why not more?!?!), but I struggled a lot with the fit. I probably need something like an FBA, something I discovered I should do with most patterns. My measurements match up with the large, but it resulted in armholes that were too wide and a very baggy middle. The medium fit was just a bit off everywhere. So what I came up with was to sew a large, then remove a 1/2" from each side for a total seam allowance of 1 1/8".

Pattern: Megan Nielsen Cascade Skirt, Option 2 (back ties)
Size: Large
Modifications: None!
Fabric: Watercolor rayon challis from Angel Textiles – 846 S. Maple Avenue, Los Angeles

This is my second version of the Cascade skirt, seen here with a Deer and Doe Plantain. It's such a pretty skirt, and in drapey rayon it's so comfortable to wear when it's hot.

My first version of this skirt, which I also took on the honeymoon (seen here), is the button front option, while this one has back ties. I much prefer the ties for this skirt because eating big Italian meals makes the button front rather uncomfortable.

Both skirts are a straight large, and the only real modification was to shorten the back hem to be more even with the front as I'm not a huge fan of hi/low hems.

The hem was finished with a sort of rolled hem/narrow hem using Andrea's awesome method with the serger. The hem is about 3000 miles long, so it takes quite a bit of time to sew all the way around 3 times - but it's worth it!

The skirt tends to blow open a bit when you walk, so I added an elastic "stay" as shown on Megan's blog.

I'm hoping to make Cascade again this winter in either a cobalt rayon or a dark gray knit ala Cut Cut Sew.
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These pictures were taken on the Amalfi Coast. We stayed in Ravello, at the best hotel ever. More pictures from our trip can be found (if you're interested) here:
http://jeremyjacocks.com/honeymoon
http://katie-day.com/honeymoon-in-italy
http://instagram.com/keday (#handmadehoneymoon and #jacocksinitaly)