Anna by Hand London – second (and the best) try

I have been sewing like crazy since May, and posting almost nothing on the blog. It is partially due to my BF photo strike, but partially by missing texts, as my free time is completely consumed by sewing.

And ok, I admit it, I have fallen down the Anna dress rabbit hole.

So I have made a second Anna dress. And probably the best one. The fabric is colorful crepe de chine which was just great for sewing and is very comfortable for wearing. I had already tested the pattern on the blue cotton, so no surprises expected and the dress just came out right. Should I say more?

The bodice is self-lined, no lining was necessary on the skirt.

I have finished it about a month ago and it got a lot of wear during the hot summer beginning we are just having.

No further modifications done, compared to the blue cotton one, apart from the fact that I cut out the back skirt 2,5cm shorter than I should have. I had to adjust the whole skirt which in the end is slightly shorter than I would like to, but that is fine for me. It is a summer dress.

Inspiration: motivation by my first Anna dress success

Pattern: Anna dress By Hand London

Pattern changes: shortened bodice

Technique: none

Fabric: coloured crepe de chine

Time to Complete: a week

Total Cost: 29 EUR

Anna by Hand London – the revelation

I have seen this pattern so many times in so many variations, I have the impression that all of the bloggers I follow have already sewn Anna dress in any of its modifications. I am also perfectly aware that I am getting my hands on it with a significant delay.

But I can now proudly say I have become a member of its fan club :o) and finally understood why this pattern is so favorite.

So, my first Anna was kind of a wearable muslin in basic blue cotton which was supposed to be worn with a linen polka-dot jacket I bought last year, but I am afraid, I will have to sew a different one for this jacket. But that is another story…

After a first quick muslin, the dress came out just right. That is somehow the magic of this pattern: it is nice in fine fabrics as well as in stiff cotton and it gives it a totally different look.

Looking at this version dress I would say I could have taken out 1-2cm more on the shoulder seams, but I am not sure…, it might have made the bodice too short, also....

I used HongKong finish on all the seams which means the unlined dress took me as long as if I decided to line it but I am really happy with the result. It is now so clean on the inside.

I was really wondering if my fabric was not some kind of linen-cotton blend after seeing how it behaved under the iron and how I managed to “print” the zip finish on the front bodice (during the last ironing before taking my pictures, grrrr).

I was so excited by how the dress came out that I immediately cut out another Anna dress, in silk crepe this time (already finished) and I am seriously thinking of sewing a third one :o) The silhouette is just so flattering, and the little kimono sleeves are just perfect for what I need: little shoulder coverage without too much fuss.

Inspiration: too many pictures on the web, like here, here, or here or even here 

Pattern: Anna By Hand London

Pattern changes: 2cm out of the shoulder, length

Technique: Hong-Kong seams

Fabric: blue cotton

Time to Complete: a week

Total Cost: 17 EUR