Creative Sewing: a jersey Anna

Knit dress from woven pattern ahoy!

I bought this fabric back in January with a dozen ideas of what to do with it, which is basically the same as having no idea what to do with it. Once I'd made my first Anna I more or less knew that this fabric wanted to be a jersey version, but I kept putting it off because this fabric cost £12 per metre, which is four times as much as I'm usually willing to spend on an experiment. I almost made a wrap dress with this several times, ignoring the bit where I really don't want a wrap dress in this kind of print. With my August deadline looming large I eventually said "eh, screw it" and cut it up.

Experiment!

I cut the back bodice on the fold since there was no need for a zip, and I should have cut the centre back skirt piece on the fold as well, but it didn't occur to me, so there's a seam on the skirt which doesn't match up with the top. Eh. It's not going to bother me, it's behind me. It can bother someone else. Beyond that, construction was the same - I made the same size I do in the woven, which was basically fine, though it could maybe stand to be taken in very slightly.

Honest Review: This dress is super comfy and I will wear it for dancing, for hot days, and for running around London playing a murder mystery treasure hunt game, which was its first outing. However, I don't expect it to last very long. This jersey doesn't have great recovery (annoying, for the price) and the midsection is already behaving slightly strangely. I will get what wear I can out of it and then dispose of it. I still really like the idea of a jersey Anna, but I will need to rethink construction before I have another go - possibly using a slightly weightier jersey, lining it and elasticating the waist might help. I am considering an Anna/Sallie mash-up, but I've no idea which bits I'd be mashing together yet.

In conclusion, not an entirely successful dress, but a worthwhile experiment and a good first step.

I was in one of those moods. Sorry.