pattern tester roundup
Luana Dress Pattern Tester Roundup Part 1
Hey everyone. Ann here from Designer Stitch. Sending you much love today.
Are you ready for the up-coming PARTY SEASON my friends? as it offers a great opportunity to get all “frocked” up.
Our new Luana Dress – Mix and Match Party Dress – is just the perfect celebration dress for you all.
Whether you are celebrating Hannukah, Christmas – and of course the New Year – the abundance of design and styling options of the Luana has you covered for whatever occasion you will be celebrating.
The styling of the Luana offers a choice of 4 neckline styles, 4 sleeve choices, 2 skirt styles including 2 skirt lengths.
This timeless silhouette of the Luana makes it the perfect cocktail or semi-formal dress.
To help you with your fabric choice ideas – or your own personal styling ideas – we have our first round of our every fabulous Luana Pattern Tester Roundups.
They would like to share with you the following:
1. Your name and where you live?
2. What fabric combinations did you choose and where did you purchase.
3. What sewing tips can you share when sewing the Luana?
4. What was your style choice for the Luana?
5. What fit alterations did you have to make to the Luana?
6. Have you worn your Luana yet and what compliments did you receive.
7. Any plans for future combinations of the Luana?
And the finer details; (AU/UK) 6 – 30 (US) 2 – 26 (EU) 34 – 58
Cup Size Choices – a, B, C, D and DD
On Sale for a limited time only – $10.95
Very Confident Advanced Beginner and Above Sewing level.
Luana Dress
Hello I’m Ashley R from London.
We are sharing the beautiful Luana dress that comes with many options. I used this lovely ditsy crepe fabric from @abcfabric which my our group. I wanted something with drape but still hope its shape.
My sewing tips would be to read the measurements chat to make sure your making the right size but also make a trial run in old fabric but same weight as your good fabric. My Luana style I went for was the sweetheart neckline with pleated cap sleeves and the flounce with the shortest length skirt. I paired mine with some black heels and a little black belt.
For all Designer Stitch patterns I find I need to shorten the bodice by 1/2″ and as I’m only 5 foot tall, I take around 1.5″ to 2″ off of the skirt to get the perfect length, but with Luana I also did a little sway back and tapered the back neckline to sit more flat to my body. I will be wearing my Luana to my Christmas party as it’s stylish and I feel great in it. I can’t wait to make one with a circle skirt.
https://linktr.ee/madebyashley
My name is Johanna Ali and I live in Fort Lauderdale FL. I chose to use a navy matte satin fabric I had in my stash that I purchased from my local fabric store, A to Z Fabrics. As with any pattern, my main suggestion is to make a muslin. You don’t want to spend time making a garment, just to not have it fit once you’re done sewing it. I chose to make the round neck version for the bodice with ruffle sleeves and straight skirt with ruffle. I love anything with a ruffle. For my alterations, I removed an 1” from the bodice hem and I graded from the size 7 to a size 8 and I love the way my dress fits. I also removed several inches from the skirt hem so that the ruffles would be about knee length. have not worn my dress out yet, but I will definitely get to wear it sometime during the holiday season.
Socials
Blog: www.soveryjo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/soveryjo
IG: www.instagram.com/soveryjo
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soveryjo
Hi, I am Luana and I live in Raleigh, NC in the US. Since this pattern has my name, I had to do multiple versions…and I don’t think I’m done yet!
All my fabrics are from Fine Fabrics (a fabric store in the Atlanta area). The green and the gray fabric have a silky touch but they’re heavier than a satin, while the red one has a texture to it and I believe it’s twill.
The options I chose are:
for the gray version: sweetheart neckline, pleated cap sleeves, buckle belt, 60 cm pencil skirt
for the green version: boat neck, sleeveless, buckle belt, 75 cm 1 1/2 circular skirt with horse braid hair
for the red version: sweetheart neckline, pleated cap sleeves, buckle belt, 60 cm 1 1/2 circular skirt with horse braid hair.
For all the versions I chose a size 3 with A cup, to which I needed to do my usual sway back adjustment and I had to remove some fabric from the top of the center back.
I really love this dress, not just because it has my name, but also for the many options. I can’t wait to wear them to the Christmas parties I’m attending this year…and maybe make a new version for the next formal event I’ll be attending!
My blog http://lmfcrafts.com
My Instagram https://instagram.com/lmfcrafts
Hello, HOLA , my name is MACU, I am Spanish and my home town is located in the South East coast . My privilege is to cycle every morning to my job. My bike ride is by the sea and I can admire the sunrise on my way .
This is my first time pattern testing for @designerstitch and I am thrilled to be in this wonderful group. The LUANA TESTER CALL shouting PARTY was a dream ❤.
As always the fabric choice is the most difficult decision and I bought two options for the LUANA dress, a red crepe and a lurex embroidered taffeta (ideal for the Christmas events), I kept the red crepe for another occasion as the suggested petit coat was tenting but I wanted to go easy in my first time.
I bought both fabrics on line in TEJIDOS YASMINA https://www.tejidosyasmina.com/…/6375-7625-retal-345140…#
The taffeta was really easy to handle, to sew, to unpick and what is more, easy to iron, that’s a win win on its own but also it was really unexpensive!
I am a dress lover and it was difficult for me to decide on the options I would choose for my LUANA as I loved them all. The circle skirt had been in my mind for ages so it was clear but for the body it wasn’t until I saw some of your fitting post that I went for the heart shape neckline. Regarding the sleeves I pictured myself twrilling and went sleeveless. Althought I had plan to make a bolero top with the fabric remants I was short of fabric and made the bolero with a coordinated taffeta of another tester I had also enrolled.
In my case the body needed to be full linned and I love the inside of the dress as well.
I am waiting for Christmas Eve to wear my LUANA but when I wore it for the pictures I felt like a princess!!
You can find me in INSTAGRAM as @macusewinglove https://www.instagram.com/macusewinglove
I am trying to follow all of you and keep up with your sewing posts ❤!
Hi, I am Marieke and I am from the Netherlands.
Well, what to say about this dress?
It’s perfect! So, I am done.
No lol, but yes, it’s very hard to describe it other then perfect.
As always the fit is spot on, the sewing is surprisingly easy and quick (although when you decide to use a sequin fabric be aware you’ll have to sew it by hand. This doesn’t sounds very attractive and it’s also not my favorite- but it’s absolutely worth it! You are able to keep control about where and how to stitch and your facing will lay inwards perfectly after, the darts are flat and your hem is beautiful without visible stitches. This also counts for the zipper- where I choose not to use an invisible zipper because it will be hard to pull it up and down after because of the sequins.
When you can sew this dress normally in a morning I gave myself almost a week to finish it by taking an hour or some hours a day to work on it accurate and to keep it nice- for myself lol.
When I would have used larger sequin fabric I would have removed the sequins at the seam allowance and replace them after, but these where so small I decided to work a little different. Luckily this fabric is kind of heavy and double layered (the inside is a bubble satin) which made it a ton easier to sew it by hand.
Anyways, did I worn it already? No, except for the pictures but I will do on Christmas and probably New Years Eve as well and then it will become my ‘regular’ dress, hahaha.
I would say: don’t hesitate and make yourself one as well and then—> just spin and feel beautiful!
You can have a look at my Instagram too if you like: https://www.instagram.com/jongdesign
hi! I’m Sandra from the Netherlands. I love my two new Luana party dresses! So many options! Unbelievable. First I made the sweetheart neckline with 1,5 circle skirt and bishop sleeves. Made it from cotton poplin. Second I made boat neckline with pencil skirt and sleeveless. I used broderie cotton. My tip is: make all versions! I need to make more versions too. Because of the different versions, there are so many different dresses. And of course fabric choice also make different versions. My style was to make a party dress. I think that went well . The alterations I did was: add 1,5 cm to bodice and 2,5 cm to sleeves. I already received compliments when making pictures. Didn’t wore it yet, definitely will during holiday season. In June I have a wedding and then I will wear my pink dress❤️. Run to the shop as you DEFINITELY need this pattern!!!
https://www.instagram.com/sandra_wilbrink_sewing
He everyone,
I’m Shardee from the Netherlands.
The party season has begon.
You can make you’re own version of the ultimate patry dress.
But, in another fabric you can turn it into a everyday dress, how cool is that
The luana dress is for woven fabrics.
My fabric is a thicker cotton bought at megastoffen.nl
The hardest part of the luana is choosing the right fabric
If you like to see more of my work, follow my Instagram on www.instagram.com/Sewing_shar
I am Synthia and I live in Central Ca. The Luana dress, what a lovely dress to go partying in. I made the straight skirt with lower flounce version, and the longer 3/4″ sleeve with the flounce. I took a risk and used a medium weight Charmeuse fabric, knowing it is difficult to sew with. I didn’t want to mess the fabric up, so I made sure of sewing a muslin first. I followed Ann’s method on how to gauge for the length and it worked out great. One tip, when sewing a muslin, it’s best not to use actual muslin fabric but something more of a cotton, for wovens. The actual woven muslin fabric had the tendency of stretching just a tad bit. I had been sick for a week and when I wore my Luana for pictures, I actually felt GREAT in this dress. You can’t go wrong with the Luana, there are so many variations you can create to make it your own party dress. So happy I was able to test the Luana. Great design Ann.
https://sewsynsewn.blogspot.com
sewnsynsewn on fb
I’m Toni, I live in Northern California. I made a size 2.5A, shortened the bodice by 3/8”, with a reduced fullness skirt. Also added invisible in seam pockets.
The fabric was from my stash – I think from Harts Fabric years ago. I wanted a dress for family photos and also holiday parties.
I’m getting ready to make another with the straight skirt. Same bodice and probably sleeveless, although I’m considering the tab sleeves.
My name is Meiling and I am from Perth, Western Australia.
I used satin from Spotlight, Australia.
I made the sweetheart neckline with pleated short sleeves (lined) with a pencil skirt and flounce. I alao opted to insert an exposed zipper. I kept the skirt at the recommended length. I think it gave me mermaid vibes!
Whilst sewing the dress, I would recommend trimming any seams that may become a little bulky depending on the type of fabric you use especially on the sleeves.
I wore my dress down to a public area for photos and received a few compliments .
Definitely plans for more Luana’s!
My page is https://www.facebook.com/sewaholiccreations
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sewaholiccreations