Happy New Year! With a new year comes new things. And African Wax Prints are new to me. My Instagram feed is constantly filled with all sorts of African Wax Prints and Ankara Prints in the accounts I follow. I love looking at them. I’d never had a desire to try them out because I find a lot of the prints to be overwhelming since I’m not the biggest lover of big, bold and colorful prints. But when I saw the Black and Red Geometric African Wax Print from Mood Fabrics.com, I knew that was the one that would make me want to experiment.
When I received my fabric, it felt pretty stiff. I wasn’t sure if it would work for the design that I had in mind. But with research, I discovered that the fabric softens with washing. And as I was pressing the folds out of mine, I noticed that the steam was also softening the fabric.
While using a print like this, I didn’t want to look like I was wearing an ethnic costume. I wanted to keep my look contemporary. I decided to use Simplicity 8214. I love the style because I’m a fan of modernized 70s fashion. I felt this print and this design would be a good marriage. 
I cut the size 14. I lengthened the bodice by an inch and the skirt by 3 inches. No other modifications and alterations were necessary. This fabric sews just like any other fabric with a crisp hand, such as a dupioni or a shantung.
For interfacing, I used a medium weight. The necktie is made onto the blouse which is a really cute detail.
I added the cuffs to my sleeves and turned them up. I really like the way they look.
Pockets on a dress is always a winning detail. I rarely put anything in them other than my hands. But I love knowing they’re there.
I love the additional length I added to create a midi length hemline. It’s just perfect for wearing with over-the-knee boots.
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed working with this African fabric. It wears well and it didn’t wrinkle like I assumed it would. So in the future, I definitely won’t rule out this kind of fabric and I’ll be on the look out for more prints that work for my taste.
