10.01.2013

on a mixed denim kick


i don't know why i'm looking away in all of these pictures.


(i mean, this one doesn't count, as it's the back view)


seriously, i'm not exactly what you'd call shy.


hey there i am!


nevermind.

the notes

pattern: a mix of by hand london's anna (bodice), plus my own draped skirt
notions: metal zipper from pacific trimming, $6
fabric: embroidered stretch denim from it's a material world (that janky store on 39th, which apparently is "closing") $5 / yd
cocktails: french gimlet
time: about 2 days of sewing

pattern tips

  • well, by now y'all are very aware of the wonder that is the anna.  can i just say be VERY, VERY careful when tracing & cutting out your size?!  the uk/us gets me every time, i've traced it for four versions now, wrong twice, and it's highly likely i swerved to another line here.  to wit:
  • for this one, i tried sonja's back alteration to reduce the slight gap there.  unfortunately, my slice was a whole inch of overlap, and i think that was too much-- it threw the front neckline off.  this dress has been road tested, with the help of tiny safety pins as bra carriers... i think if i add those permanent like, that will solve the front neck.
  • do you spy a back princess seam?  i do.  same thing happened here as in my silk chiffon anna...excess upper and mid back!  this is interesting, my raw silk anna (yet to be blogged) and my polyanna (HAHAHAHA) do not have this issue, just two teeny upper back darts solved the slight gap.  maybe this extra backage is due to the fragility and/or the stretch of the fabric used? maybe it was a UK swerve?  mebbe it was the gimlet.
  • have you ever tried to take two rectangles and make a skirt out of them with nothing but pleats for shaping?  you can't just pleat two rectangles and expect the best (at least not with an ass like mine). you have to angle those pleats or add a dart to help it lie right.  this is the first time i think i've done that right-- no side seam stress at the hip!  i always used to pleat the front and back until it equaled my waist, with no regard for curves. i didn't realize what was causing stress on this type of skirt until i had a dress form to look at, and those lovely laurence king books to assist me. this might be common knowledge for most of y'all, but i likes to ramble.  
  • i wish i would've added double pleats to mirror the bodice, but c'est la vie.  the wide selvage hem eases my pain.
  • you don't have to use facings on the anna iffn you don't want to.  one should always do what one wants.  i like to use self made bias tape (oh be quiet it's not that hard), about an inch wide.  sew right sides together at neck & arm holes, understitch, grade seam allowance, press tape to the inside, and get to blindstitching.  (OH BE QUIET, IT'S NOT THAT HARD.)


    one more sideways for the road.  oooh...sidecar...there's one i haven't tried...

70 comments:

  1. This is LOVELY. I might have to hop on the denim bandwagon.

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    1. once i thought of another use than jeans (seriously, i don't imagine i shall ever. want to make jeans.) all sorts of ideas popped up. get some with a little stretch!

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  2. well, that's one rather cute dress.. love the fabric, too.. envy you on bare arms (weather here is atrocious for days.. boy, do i hate autumn)

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    1. thanks sis... and now it's summer again here... i think we're officially done with "seasons".

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  3. This is PERFECT! I 've got a border print that I want to use for the Anna skirt that won't work in the panel version, but didn't want to do a gathered skirt so I've been trying to think how pleats would work - and now I can see!! You mention darts in the skirt and I can't see them - and when you say 'angle the pleats' do you mean toward sthe side seams?

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    1. ooh, a border print anna would be lovely! i was playing with two teeny darts in the skirt back, but i ended up decreasing the width of the back panel, so the pleats were enough. they're angled just a bit away from the side seam--like, they lie in the same line as the curve of your hip, on just a very slight diagonal. does that make sense? playing with it on a dressform reeeaaaalllly helps.

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  4. Pretty dress on a pretty lady! I love that you include which particular cocktail was instrumental in the creation of this dress :)

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  5. Love the dress! And love Sidecars even more . .. be warned, they can be wicked!!!

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    1. thank you! and it seems a lot like a toronto, have you had?

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  6. Gorgeous! That exposed zip looks fierce and I love that you left the raw edge on the hem. Also the length is totally "on trend" ;)

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    1. teehheeee i THOUGHT my length was on trend! but i'm so clueless about that, i figured i was wrong :)

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  7. I am so happy to see an Anna in a heavier weight fabric. I am behind the curve on this one, just getting to it now, as the cold approaches. Would hate to have to wait until May to wear this make.... Lovely! Thank you!

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    1. as long as it has some drape, i think the heavy stuff is fine! i could even see this in a wool....hmmmmm....

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  8. Oh I love it and since I just ordered and received my anna I love the fact that I can sew it in a heavier fabric! I don't have to wait until next summer or my winter vacation to the tropics to make this dress :) Love your dress. Gorgeous as always ;)

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  9. Dig the Anna bodice in a burly fabric--I wonder how it would do over a straight skirt? Apparently gimlets are no deterrent to your genius. (Have you tried aviators? Gin--lots of gin--lemon, maraschino, creme de violette...it's lavender. I thought I was the only person who knew it existed, and then it turned up on tv the other night, so I no longer get to pretend connoisseurship...)

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    1. oooh i think it would rock over a straight skirt, pegged, mais oui. and um, aviator: YES PLEASE. that sounds amazing, i must have creme de violette in my life!

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  10. You and your amazing print denim lately!!! Love it,

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  11. Oh your glorious hair. I could write a sonnet. I'm gonna do your bias tape trick next time (OKAY ITS NOT THAT HARD, I'M LISTENING). Also jazzed that the Anna works in stretch denim! I always assumed drapey but our Anna, she is a versatile lady.

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    1. i wear i'm suddenly finding more ways to do my do than ever before.

      wool anna. she must be done.

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  12. Gah that denim is fabulous... But your HAIR! Oh how lovely, I just love it like this. And those pics with the sunlight streaming though it, so hot! Your lovely dress is gorgeous too, I'm just having trouble getting past my hair envy at the moment...

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    1. ha thanks susan!!!! i was pretty pleased with my wash n go that day. i actually took notes on how i did it!

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  13. Another Anna to crush on. There are so many. Love this version too.

    I think It's a Material World has been closing for the last 4 years. Meanwhile the ladies in there last week wouldn't bargain with me. What the heck?!

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    1. was the janky owner there? if he's in a mood, everyone's on lockdown. that place, i swear.

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  14. This is another great Anna dress ! I love the skirt border print !

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    1. thanks threadie! and the border is actually the selvege, the embroidery just starts way far in. i was stoked about that!

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  15. Oh I love this version, it's just wonderful and you look absolutely gorgeous in it. And you manage to make the $5 fabric look supremely classy too, X

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    1. i like to class the cheap stuff up! like homemade brandied cherries in old overholt :)

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  16. fabulous fabrics. The Anna is so versatile, love your zip detail!

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  17. Love this. Anna is so on my Christmas list... except I'll be making it so far behind all the cool kids...!

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    1. naaaah, you just have to be the first to make it in a winter weight :) that said, i may do that next week. i'm obsessed.

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  18. Hrmm thinking about doing the bias tape on my silk Anna, but so scared lol

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    1. there is no fear in sewing!

      yes, yes there is.

      but do it! you'll love it!

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  19. Gorgeous! You've got great hand-made style, no wait, great style full stop. You obviously know what suits you. Love your work.

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    1. ah, my favorite music director ends with that exact phrase. if i didn't "know" you, i'd think he was posting in disguise :) thankya, lovely lady.

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  20. You are a wonder at using the fabric perfectly love the matching at the back and the border at the bottom. Cool as usual... oh and yes, I'm always veering off the lines when tracing..

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    1. well thank you!

      i've got to check that last tracing again...

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  21. Gorgeous job on your version of Anna, I love what you did and love our fabric.

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    1. thanks lori! your typo made me think you had some too :) i'd LOVE to see what you'd make with this.

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  22. Love this! You have a great eye for fabric. Bravo!

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  23. ARGH i love that fabric. and excellent cocktail choice.

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  24. That denim fabric was seriously SO killer! I love all your Anna variations (still dreaming about that raw silk one! feel so lucky I got to eye bang it in real life!) And taking your suggestion of omitting facings to heart on my Anna...

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    1. i gotta snap that one! can't wait to see your anna, Dominatrix of Dyes...

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  25. Ooohhh Oona. That was it, that was the one. Want, want, WANT! Will now have to persuade my very patient dressmaking nightclass tutor that we do have time to finish the raspberry pink boucle pencil skirt (which, can I just say, I'm making from a personally drafted block for the very first time) and an Anna, all before Christmas. Hmmmm....

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    1. you can TOTALLY do both by christmas, the anna is a breeze!! big ups for the personally drafted block. math is HARD.

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  26. I am seriously in love with this fabric! And your draped skirt is perfect! I love how the pattern ends at
    the hem. Thanks for all of the Anna advice, can not wait to give it a go. Cheers!

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    1. thanks girl! this stuff is right up your alley, i wish i could teleport you some.

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  27. Every time you post pictures of yourself, I just get more and more upset that I don't look exactly like you. Life is not FAIR.

    Also: French gimlets yesssss. LT needs a drinky.

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  28. It's beautiful, and suits you really well!

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  29. That fabric is awesome! I love this neckline on you. It's so flattering. Gorgeous dress! I really do need to get onto sewing up an Anna.

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  30. As always, lovely work my dear! :) Great, now you've got me thinking Gimlets too! *lol* Drat, must look them up to see if they're gluten-free (SUCKS that being Celiac has limited my drink choices - boo!)

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  31. This is so, so, so, so cute! I love the fabric-- it's perfect for fall-- and the length looks great on you! I'm loving it!

    Isn't it weird how much fabric affects fit? That's really obvious with knits, but it's totally the case even with wovens. Oh, and the US/UK sizing always throws me off-- I can never remember which size I'm supposed to be making and which line I'm supposed to be tracing. Madness, I tell you!

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  32. This has got to be one of your best ever. The color and shape are just so perfect. Does the Anna work for the less-curvy?

    -Penny

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    1. thankya penny! i must say, i have not seen an unflattering anna yet. it looks absolutely gorgeous on every shape.

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  33. Ooh, lovely dress, you did so well with the skirt!

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  34. LOVELY.
    It's a lovely fabric made into a lovely dress.

    BTW, I have successfully pleated two rectangles into a skirt. About 2.4 m worth of rectangles into 72 worth of skirt... :D

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  35. Sigh.... in front of the fabric,the dress, the sewer and her skills,the model and her hair!.... and the belt

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!