Susan Starts a Blue Linen Baja Dress

It’s hot here! In fact we are heading into what my beloved calls Summer Hell, the fifth season of the year here in Southern Baja.
 We have a luscious pool, and insulated and air conditioned house and gentle breezes at night and in the morning.
 But  moving around the rest of the day is misery. You go from air conditioned car, to searing heat, to air conditioned cafe, or store, then back to the car which is now an oven.

 What do you wear?
 Well at home, nothing at all. And it is bliss to swim nakey.
 In town I wear gauze clothing, as loose and light as possible.
 Shorts are hot, too much skin exposed, and then there is the waist band  and and the top tucked in and underpants…too many layers.
 So I have decided to break out this pattern again:

Two years ago I made this dress in black linen and embellished the neckline and high waist with a lovely bead trim. It is my standby dress up dress and I always get compliments.
Here is the 2 year old version:

So now I am making it from a gorgeous, turquoise  very light weight, almost-tissue linen. The
linen has silver threads shot through it here is  the fabric:

 Look closely, that is not a pin-stripe it is a silver thread.

Here is the bodice with a purchased beaded trim. I HAND SEWED that trim on there. It is backed by tulle, and I cut it away, then sewed around  each set of beads to anchor them.

  The top is lined with a soft cotton. The pattern calls for a self-lining, but I wanted something softer next to my skin.
 I have lengthened the bodice by  one inch, and widened the skirt so it can have soft gather and blow in the breeze. I intend to finish the dress to wear tomorrow night. It will be calf length.

Here is a picture of Paradise: