This was written by Cherie from you & mie for nani IRO month the Miss Matatabi Makers series.

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Ahhhh, nani IRO month. I actually tend to think of nani IRO as a way of life, but I won’t bore you with another proclamation of my love for nani IRO – you can read all about it here along with a round up of my previous nani IRO projects. And today I’ve got another one to share with you.

I’m a sucker for Naomi Ito’s dots and florals, but this time around I thought I’d try something different. And not just a different type of print, but a type of fabric I’ve never worked with before! This is Shine Many Ways – A in sateen.

I love this print. It’s available in several different colorways (my favorite is pink diamonds on double gauze, but is currently out of stock). I love the brushstrokes, the varying shades of blue (it’s my favorite color) and how unique it looks – you know that this print wasn’t designed at a computer. I just love how much all her fabric designs are real artwork.

The sateen is very lightweight and has a nice drape. Before I had the fabric in my hands, I somehow imagined it would be thicker and heavier, so I thought I might make some shorts or something. But it is definitely more of a top/dress material, in my opinion. Or it would make an awesome slip, pajamas or lingerie. It has a slight shine to it, which makes the material seem a little fancy or dressy, but it is super easy to sew – no slipping or excessive fraying or anything.

The pattern for this top is the Bianca Dress & Top by Rae Hoekstra. It’s a very simple design and comes together very quickly. This pattern, like all of Rae’s patterns, is really well designed and the directions and diagrams are super clear and easy to understand. The main modification that I made was playing around with the shape of the neckline. I also used the front interfacing pattern for the front facing, so it is not attached along the waistline as directed.

I don’t really think the shape of this top is the most flattering for my body type, but I still like the top and will definitely wear it to work. I’m definitely happy to be adding more unique, but wearable items to my wardrobe (I’m actually wearing my Freedom Garden tank top as I type this)!

Now excuse me as I stare off into the sunset and ponder what nani IRO project I will tackle next. I just can’t get enough!

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Thank you, Cherie! Connect with Cherie on her blog, instagram, facebook, and pinterest.