03 September 2015

Don't rain on my Anna Parade

I am hooked on Anna. She's quick, she's flattering, she's casual, she displays fabrics well. She's everything I want from a pattern. By hand London produced pattern gold with this pattern. And I hit the pattern jackpot when I decided to re-visit here this year.

It wasn't love at first site for Anna and I. She liked a little boring (shhh pretty baby first impressions hurt I know I know...) but after a barrage of Anna's hit the blogosphere my opinion slowly started to shift and I gave in (as I easily do when buying patterns). 

She arrived and I squealed with joy and did a little dance; what a pretty little packaged pattern you are sent all the way from London UK into my loving arms! 

I unfolded the tissue with care and traced off my size at the time (16/20). And I started to make her using some orange-hued cotton poplin I had. Easy fabric - should work out right? oh so wrong...

Why are you so cruel dear Anna? This first attempt was all sorts of wrong....the shoulder-bust height was almost double, the width was tight, the facings just WOULDNT stay down and my not-so-invisible zipper drove me bonkers. I threw that hideous Anna into the corner in a fit of beginner seamstress rage and proclaimed a hated for her and shunned her pretty packaged self into the "bad pattern" pile. 

It took me over a year and a half to pick it up again and reconsider. I'd shrunk as a Human down into the size (8/10) category and felt maybe my new size and my more advanced sewing knowledge would help with the fit. And to my extreme pleasure it has! 

And without further ado I give you my Anna Parade:


The Yargggg Sailer Girl




The Antelopes-a-Prancing





The LOOK AT HOW COLOURFUL I AM!! (+ V Neck Back) 




The Hipster Anne of Green Gables





And don't you worry....this parade may never end..... 







4 comments:

  1. Very pretty! I love the ombre yellow-blue version with the V neck back. I have not tried any of the by hand london patterns, but seeing all the pretty anna dresses makes me want to make my own.

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  2. WOW! I had a bunch of fit issues with my anna but this might prompt me to come back to it. She was showing so much promise, too, but I just couldn't get the adjustments I needed to work. Maybe I have more skills, now, too?

    I can't get over how great these look on you. Fantastic fabric choices, too!

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  3. They all look great! Do you remember what fabric you used for the Anne of Green Gables dress?

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    1. Thanks! Yeah - the fabric is a swan print cotton poplin from Mood Fabrics. I bought it back is April.

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