When I was deciding what to make for my vacation to Italy, I knew that the Paradise Patterns Plumeria had to be included! It’s the perfect style for a beach vacation. I almost always stick to basics when I’m sewing for everyday wear, so I wanted something a little bit outside of my comfort zone stylewise. I ended up making View A in one of my favorite floral fabrics and it was perfect for galavanting around the Amalfi coast.
Choosing fabric and sizing
I’ve had this beautiful floral fabric in my stash for a while now, just waiting for the perfect pattern. It’s a really lightweight cotton rayon blend and it was perfect for the style. It’s super lightweight and has a great drape so I knew it would be perfect for this top. Because the pattern has a slight ruffle element at the bottom, I think a fabric with a nice drape works well. It’s not a super bra friendly top though, so opacity was important to me as well.
For sizing, I went with a size 2. My measurements are slightly larger than the size chart suggests for a 2 – but the garment measurements seemed to have enough ease. For reference my measurements are 34, 26, 37. I’m probably closer to a 4, but it worked out just fine sizing down.
Sewing the Paradise Patterns Plumeria
I have never sewn a Paradise Patterns pattern before – and everyone knows indie designers can be a toss up – but it was great! The drafting seemed to be really well done, I had no issue getting notches and pieces to match up. The directions are super easy to follow as well. There aren’t too many difficult techniques included, so I’d say it’s a pretty beginner friendly pattern. It turned out to be a really quick sew probably taking me about 4 hours (and I don’t consider myself a quick sewer at all).
Final thoughts
I really love this pattern! I wish I was able to wear tops like this to work so that I could make more and wear them all the time. For me, it’s really the perfect beach or vacation top. I will definitely be making more the next time I go on vacation!
