Greetings from the nation’s number one wedding destination spot, Charleston, SC!
Hubs and I are in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant, just across the bridge from Charleston. We’re staying in an inn above one of our favorite restaurants and attending a wedding in a historic home on the Ashley River.
So is there anything better to wear while strolling amidst the gentle breezes and tree-lined streets of this charming city than a white cotton voile tunic?
The tunic was a work in progress beginning with my own pattern and this delightful polka dot cotton voile from Mood Fabrics. After cutting the bodice I knew it needed to be lined or worn with a camisole. I chose to underline the bodice with a white poly-cotton voile from Mood found here.
The poly-cotton voile lining is light, sheer, wrinkle resistant, and provided much needed body to the giant polka dot fabric. Experimenting with the collar led me to try a light-weight linen from the stash, which provided a gentle contrast to the polka dot voile.
Originally I planned to use the polka-dot voile for the sleeves until I noticed a scrap of the lining lying next to the bodice. It was a much appreciated aha moment and the rest fell into place!
I anchored the sleeves with linen cuffs and repeated the linen in the lower bands to provide continuity. Since I prefer my tunics slightly fitted, I added an invisible zipper in the side seam,
but the original back darts were omitted as they interfered with the fabric design, leaving the back slightly loose.
It seems a lesson appears in nearly every sewing project, and this one was all about the importance of contrasts. I’ve always thought of contrast in terms of color – black/white or blue/red etc…. rather than texture, but no more! It’s time to wake up from the obvious and notice the beauty of subtlety at every juncture 
Until soon.
PS……. the polka dot voile also comes in turquoise!