By Hand London Anna, version 4

With version 4 I think I'm finally tired of working on Anna.  This version was supposed to be the summary of everything I learnt: V-neck is better, size 6/10 is better, lined is better, and short is better.  Plus pockets!

Fabric: silk-cotton blend from emmaonesock, lined with Bemberg.
Zip: too short, more on that later.
Technique: Did everything for each bodice, then sewed the neck and sleeves together.  Understitched, and the pulled it through, and sewed the sides shut.  I added the skirts after that, then the zip using the Cambie method of applying it to the outside, then sewing the lining to the zip tape in between the layers.

Honestly, it was a straightforward make...

The caveats:
-The lining changes the way the sleeves and neck drape.
-Because of the lining, I forgot to take that v-chunk out of the middle back, and so it slides off my (broad) shoulders in an unflattering way. I look like a pear!
-I didn't make any attempt at pattern matching and I'm disappointed in the results. 

I have made this so many times but I was never able to assess whether I just simply *liked the style.*  I do like the pleats in the bodice, but I think a big part of my trouble fitting the dress is that I hate how tight it is on the upper abdomen in order to create this effect.  I guess that's an area I don't like to have emphasised.  My first Anna was the most creative, and in some ways still my favourite even though I couldn't breathe in it.  (I gave it away, and sort of wish I hadn't. Who cares about breathing?)  The third Anna, my first v-neck, was the one that fit the best but I gave it away when I moved because I was too lazy to cut the skirt off.  The length was too much for me.  (Hm, sort of wish I kept that too, sigh.)

Sorry for photo overload, I tried to get some with hands in pockets and some without, but I look like a zombie despite my best efforts. 

As for the zip: I just happened to choose the shorter instead of the longer zip.  It goes about 2 inches past the waist seam.  Because of it I can barely get into the dress, it gets hung up on my shoulders.  I'm still trying to debate whether to fix it or give it away.

This project has made me think about the comparative joys of sewing things I planned a year ago (when I could have worn this dress) versus now (when I am unlikely to keep things I don't need due to space constraints.)  The projects planned awhile ago don't have much sense now, and as a result I don't put the same effort into them.  I tend to assign a pattern to a fabric and then write it in a list, where it becomes fixed - lately I've been attempting to undo the list and reflect on whether I actually want the item that might result - and take things off the list if the answer is no.

Long Liberty Anna, at long last

I have no idea what my problem has been with fitting Annas.
I cut a size 6, and measured so carefully so that I would make it bigger than my last size 6 Anna.
I did 3/8" side seams with that in mind, even though I was sad to forego the french seams and clean inner finish.

Result?  ARG!!!!  My Anna is still big!  It's not terribly big, mind you - not as bad as my recent flowered Anna.  But it is definitely not very formfitting.  So whyever was my first Anna so much smaller?  I will never know...

This was my first v-neck Anna.  The facings went in ok and I understitched them with a vengeance.  By this time around there were no construction surprises and all of my seams matched up when I attached the bodice.  I cut 8 inches off the hem when cutting out the dress - no sense wasting fabric - and that was spot-on so I could do a normal 1 inch hem.

Since my dress is striped and is dark I didn't see any sense in hand sewing the slit.  I did hand sew the facings down at the zipper and I'm really pleased with the result.

Overall I love my Anna!  Next one will have to be a miniskirt Anna!  Also, I think that silk is a better choice for the long flowy Anna (or rayon) because mine kept catching around my legs since the cotton sticks.  I know that usually I wouldn't wear tights with this but an unexpected cold front came through.  Silk would behave better...

By Hand London flowered Anna

Time for another Anna. Size 8/12 this time.  I luckily only had to trace/guess at one piece because I had mostly traced out my size 6/10.  Construction pretty straightforward.  I lowered the front neck slightly, and skipped the facings to try out self-bias tape instead. I waited to put that on until after the zipper, since I was anticipating some gapping at the back.  There wasn't!  I guess that in this rather loose variant of the Anna, when there is no pull inward below the bust, it doesn't pull outward on the back??

My size 8 Anna is pretty loose, and the pleats are the only thing that give it shape.  I'm feeling rather frumpy lately with my loose Belladone, and now my loose Anna.  But I do love breathing...

This was my first attempt with the invisible zipper foot.  Which is apparently not a Janome specific foot, or my needle is not centred in my machine.  I could only use the left side tunnel.  Then I realised I hadn't matched the waist so I had to redo it.  I used the normal zipper foot on the second side.  The invisible zip foot also isn't creating a very invisible zip.  I wonder if I'm doing something wrong...anyway it's still been a much nicer zip installation than usual.  I was very tempted to take out an inch at the centre back but finally restrained myself. 

I actually love this dress!  It may be loose and frumpy but it has no facings, no loose threads, no sticking out funny bits...it's about the best construction ever, and makes me love Anna all the more!  I have one Anna left to do...my long, sleek, v-necked black Liberty Anna. So...is this size too big and frumpy for that??

By Hand London Anna dress

This will be my last post for a few weeks as I am going on a desperately needed holiday.  Well, "holiday" for some high-angle rescue training, but so so much nicer than sitting in an office.  Not to mention I will have a few hours stopover to spend in Los Angeles in the garment district!  And the training is in Utah which means it will be hot summer!  I am soooo excited (as I sit here next to the fire in my merino baselayers) just thinking about wearing shorts. 

I only traced the skirt and the bodice front, since I expected to do the longer version as well as the V-neck.  I had high hopes for this dress!!  Unfortunately I should have traced the whole thing...

I cut this dress opposite the grain because I wanted the pattern to be vertical on my dress.  That was my little bit of creativity here and I am pleased with the result.  I also used french seams for the first time!  How exciting to have such a nice clean finish : )  I'm already imagining that a lined Anna would be awesome since then it wouldn't have any flappy facings...unfortunately I'm still scared of linings, especially linings that I have to figure out myself, so that seems like a distant prospect.

It took about two and a half evenings of sewing to complete this dress once I had cut it out.  Fast!  With the french seams it also means there was not a lot of finishing that needed to be done which is always great.  Since I recently went back and finished the seams on my first few Lisette dresses, I've started to realise how much nicer it is to do all that right away and not when things have started to fray and wrinkle...and since handmade garments so far do seem to be more fragile than their store-bought cousins, it seems smart to do everything I can to make them last.

Like every project there came a total disillusion moment when I was totally sure the bodice wouldn't fit.  The pleats mean that there is a very very generous amount of space for the bust and that initially looked like way too much for me.  Yet again I had a massive discrepancy when it became time to put in the zip!  One side of the skirt was about 2 cm wider than the other...but they do match quite well on the front and sides so I guess my french seams were slightly less than 5/8" overall and led to some extra.  I ended just cutting this off to match the other side of the skirt back.  Less hesitation with it than on the Lonsdale dress (I dithered for days on that one!)  and overall this felt like a super stress free construction.   I only did one french seam backwards...oops.  I usually don't lap the fabric over the zipper, but keep it to the sides so the zipper is visible - my zipper techniques are pretty neanderthal, I think.  I was so high on how well this dress went that I lapped my zipper properly.  The result of that extra half inch?  I think I should have cut a size 8/12.  My boyfriend likes it but I can't take a breath.  Total letdown!  Of course I didn't trace enough of my pattern pieces to still be able to cut out the 8 so I'll reflect while I'm on holiday and see whether I'm ready for another try.  BHL do say their fits don't have much ease, and I would agree with that.

 Just barely warm enough to be barefoot for a photo shoot...but not a minute longer!

This is a super pattern for the wide-shoulder problem because the sleeves fit my shoulders so nicely.  However, like most people I had gapping on the back along the zipper.  I see Ginger has come up with a nice way to fix this, here.

Overall my Anna experience has been mixed.  Maybe I should have sized up, but the flappy facings also really irritate me.  I would want to use a slinkier fabric so the facings would stay in place, or line it, if I made this bodice again.  But I do love the bodice!