I finally got around to making Anna Maria Horner’s Socialite Dress. I made a sample for remnants:fiber[culture] out of her new Hand Drawn Garden Fabric.
My biggest beef about this pattern is the sizing and fabric requirements. The back of the pattern has the FINISHED garment measurements (not something we are used to seeing on a pattern back, and definitely not something seen unaccompanied by the body measurement chart). I was also a little annoyed that all sizes require the same amount of fabric (I am cheap, I don’t like to waste fabric).
Back to the sizing. If you cut this pattern thinking that these were the body measurements not the finished measurements, you may be in a bit of trouble. I decided that I should measure the pattern. Technically, with minimal seam allowances I could get into the XS. It would be a tight squeeze, I may have to dislocate my shoulders to get in there, but technically It could happen. This dress isn’t meant to be skin tight so I decided to go with the medium.
After the fact, I discovered that the website has the pattern sizing guide. I guessed correctly. This pattern should have about 3 or 4 inches of ease. This dress is for lounging, not clubbing
Anna Maria Sewing Pattern Size Guide:
(actual body measurements)
XS: bust 32/33”, waist 25/26”, hip 34/35”
S: bust 34/35”, waist 27/28”, hip 36/37”
M: bust 36/37”, waist 29/30”, hip 38/39”
L: bust 38/39”, waist 31/32”, hip 40/41”
XL: bust 40/41”, waist 33/34”, hip 42/43”
For the most part, construction of this dress was pretty easy. The one thing I did differently was the armhole binding. I closed the armholes then bound them. I also hand stitched the binding instead of top stitching. I figured that I had to hand stitch the yolk, so I may as well take care of the binding at the same time.
I am in the middle of a shop sample-a-thon. You will have to wait for new pictures of the Socialite, and some remixed Laurels.