We come to the end of the Year of Tabula Rasa. I wasn’t sure if or when I might get to the point of being complete with my Riffs on a Trusted Pattern challenge, but I think I have arrived. Maybe because it was the last riff or maybe because I just wanted to be outside all the time now that I was back in Florida. But this final version of the Fit for Art Patterns Tabula Rasa Jacket (TRJ), a silk top, was the most challenging in terms of energy and inspiration. ­­­I stalled and whined and thought seriously about just throwing in the towel. But hey, it was just one more. I had to finish.

Looking for inspiration

As it was December when I was doing this, I considered something holiday-ish. That idea left me feeling meh. Our holidays here in Key West are low-key (no pun intended), and a holiday outfit just didn’t excite me. I laid aside the TRJ pattern and pulled out a piece of striped silk I have been wanting to sew up for eons. I hoped it would get my sew-jo fired up.

Dress project diversion

The unrelated dress project I had in mind was fiendishly simple. Basically, it was a rectangle with a neck hole. The idea was to let the lovely drape of the silk do all the work. To get the length I needed, I added a yoke to the back and used a striped jersey to make the neckband. What could be easier? The fabric and the loose style are perfect for the balmy days in our southernmost place. Plus, it was a great project to ease back into my southernmost sewing space.

The front of this simple dress features a  jersey-trimmed V-neckline.

I designed the back…