Hello all! I've just come home from a week of gallivanting around England, visiting uni friends at various destinations. This photos were taken on a gorgeous beach in Wales.

I signed up to Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow's sewing dares again this year, as there's nothing like a challenge to give you a bit of sewing inspiration. Last year I made a quilt which is one of my most used things ever.

This year my challenge was to make something inspired by an artist. I took this to mean something worn by an artist and as Frieda Kahlo's style is fantastic I thought I'd take a leaf out of her book. After having a bit of a Frieda browse on Pinterest I chose to make an off the shoulder top inspired by this picture.  I love love love the off the shoulder trend that's happening at the moment. I said I wasn't done when I made my jumpsuit and I'm still not done after making this top.

I started off with the raglan tee pattern from 'Sew U Home Stretch' which is made for knits, but was a good base. I folded down the neckline on the front, back and sleeve pieces to make it off the shoulder and I added a great deal of width to all 3 pieces, so the top would be nice and full. I added more width to the front than the back so I'd have a bit more coverage.

The fabric I used I think is a georgette, which is a bit heavier than chiffon. It was a caftan that I inherited from my Grandma. I had originally cut a Zeena dress out with it but never sewed it together. When I looked for fabric for my top it was perfect so I cut the front and back out of the skirt pieces and the sleeves out of scraps. 

The fabric is a bit sheer but is decent enough with nipple covers to hide the important bits. I looked at white and clear elastic to thread through the channels at the sleeves, neckline and hem and in the end went for the clear elastic because the white could be seen through the fabric. Clear elastic is invisible through the channels but it isn't the best. I think a navy elastic would be stronger and have better give than the clear elastic I used.

The insides are all finished with french seams because my overlocker was broken but also because it makes me happy to look at. I love this top a lot and it wouldn't have existed without Gillian's sewing dares so thank you Gillian and thank you to Regan Louise for coming up with a fab dare for me.

Thanks for reading, to Paul for being my photographer this holiday and to MK for her fab beach.

Lauren xx