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...