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
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.
ReplyDeleteWOW! 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?
ReplyDeleteI can't get over how great these look on you. Fantastic fabric choices, too!
They all look great! Do you remember what fabric you used for the Anne of Green Gables dress?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yeah - the fabric is a swan print cotton poplin from Mood Fabrics. I bought it back is April.
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