Bella Loves Patterns

Bella Loves Patterns Anna Skirt

Regular price £11.50 GBP
Sale price £11.50 GBP Regular price £11.50
Copyshop

We print out the A0 pattern sheets, but you’ll need to download the digital instructions, as we don’t print these. The PDF files will be emailed immediately after purchase, and the printed A0 pattern sheets will be dispatched next working day.

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Buy the Anna Skirt sewing pattern from Bella Loves Patterns. Anna is a classic fitted, high-waisted, midi length denim skirt with a straight silhouette. The skirt has a zip fly, two curved pockets and a single coin pocket at the front, and a front slit. The back features a curved yoke, two patch pockets, and a centre seam. The waistband has five belt loops, and all the main seams have decorative topstitching.

This sewing pattern is available to buy in the following formats:

– PDF (available to download immediately after purchase). What is a PDF?

– PDF pattern + Printed A0 copy shop (We print out the A0 pattern sheets, but you’ll need to download the digital instructions, as we don’t print these. The PDF files will be emailed immediately after purchase, and the A0 pattern sheets will be dispatched next working day). What is Copy Shop?

Suggested fabrics: 

Main: Anna was designed for mid-weight to heavyweight woven fabrics with little to no stretch. Fabrics like denim, cotton twill, corduroy, linens that are appropriate for bottoms.

Lining: Crisp fabrics such as cotton pocketing, lawn and shirting fabrics.

The sample is made of 100% cotton denim (331 gsm / 11.7 oz) with 100% cotton shirting for the lining.

Fabric requirements: 

Height Group 1: 140 cm (55″) wide fabric: Main, 1.3 - 1.5 m (1.5 - 1.7 yd) // Lining, 50 cm (20").

Height Group 2: 140 cm (55″) wide fabric: Main, 1.3 - 1.6 m (1.5 - 1.8 yd) // Lining, 50 cm (20").

Sizing: UK 6 – 22 (approx. UK 6/8 – 18/20, based on our standardised size chart). Please also check the designer’s size chart and finished garment measurements.

This pattern has two height options:

Height Group 1: 160 cm (5’3″)
Height Group 2: 170 cm (5’7″)

Select the closest height to your body. If you are in the middle, choose the taller. Both groups have the same width around the body – the only difference is in the length. If you are outside these height groups, you may need to alter the pattern length at the lengthen/shorten lines marked on the pattern pieces.

Notions: Lightweight woven fusible interfacing; one zip with metal teeth (see chart); one 16 mm metal button; four rivets (optional); stay tape, 1-1.2 cm (3/8"-1/2") wide (see chart); regular thread and topstitching thread.

PDF pattern includes: Step-by-step instructions; A4 print-at-home pattern (23 pages); US letter print-at-home pattern (23 pages for Group 1, 24 pages for Group 2); plotter pattern (1 sheet); A0 copy shop pattern (2 sheets) // Layers: Yes // Projector file: No.

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Customer Reviews

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Tanya Brooman
Fabulous denim skirt - as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside!

I've been wanting to make a denim skirt for a while so when I saw that Bella Loves Patterns had launched the Anna Skirt and it went straight to the top of the list. It was initially the pockets that drew me in, but I really liked the front slit and the length. It has many of the elements of traditional denim jeans, but without the legs - so topstitching, patch pockets, zip fly, bar tacks etc.

 
 
I used our railroad denim in dark blue/white (from Bornella Fabrics) which is a touch over 8oz and absolutely perfect for this project. It's light enough that my (very basic) machine didn't struggle on the heavy-duty sections where there are lots of layers of fabric to contend with, like attaching the belt loops to the waistband. But the denim also sturdy enough that the finish skirt looks structured.
 
Fit-wise, my measurements put me between a 12 and 14. I decided to cut a size 14. I'd rather it was too loose than too tight. It has ended up a little roomy but not too much. I'd say it was definitely true to size. For my next version I'll size down so I have that as another option.
    
So onto the pattern. I had  always known that Bella  Loves Patterns takes a lot of care in the drafting of the pattern and the instructions, and this is clear from the offset. The patterns are really detailed - lots of pictures at every stage - and there are lots of extra steps to make sure your garment is built to last. For example, I used interfacing AND stay tape for the waistband, which I've never done before. There were a mix of tailoring techniques - chalk markings that you add yourself feature heavily - plus hand basting some areas. Normally I don't hand-baste ANYTHING but I was having such an enjoyable time sewing the skirt I thought I'd spend the extra couple of minutes doing it. And blow me down, the finish is much better. Turns out Bella knows her stuff! Also the level of detail is super - the topstitching matches up really well when pattern pieces are joined and it just has a really neat finish.

I love are how considered the inside of the skirt is too: it definitely as pretty innards! I used a few offcuts of our Superbloom fabric for the pocket linings. Normally I'd make the right side of the fabric face the inside of the pocket so when you put your hands into the pocket bags you see the fabric. Not so for these. The wrong side of the fabric is what you put your hands into, but when you open up the skirt you get your colourful cotton facing you. It gives me a lot of joy to see it! Plus the binding for the inner waistband is in the same fabric so it really has a super neat finish inside. Beautiful!!
 
So I do have a couple of gripes about the pattern which I'm really sorry to say. The first was attaching the binding to the waistband. The instructions just said to add binding to the bottom of the waistband. BUT I failed to appreciate the waistband is asymmetric, to allow for the fly closure. So I effectively bound the OUTSIDE waistband instead of the inside one. Not the worst mistake ever and it just meant a lot of unpicking.
 
The second gripe was more problematic. Zips!!! My nemesis. By far this is the best zip I've ever put in BUT it was not without headache. The pattern specifies which size zip to buy. The zip went in great but the instructions then require you to remove  about 1cm-ish of the zip - including the zip stop, a few of the top zip teeth (in my case 4 teeth each side), and replace the zip stop. All without damaging the zip tape. It was an absolutely pickle and I lost the zip stop in the process. So my skirt does NOT have a zip stop now but luckily the waistband is right above the teeth so the zip can't go any further north.

Anyway, that's a very convoluted way of saying, it's such a shame that this step was needed. As the rest of the drafting and instructions are so good, it just seems very out of place.

So all in all, I'm absolutely over the moon with the finished skirt and I'll be wearing loads over summer. I'm already planning my next version in some plain denim (which I've ordered for the shop - the perks of being a fabric shop owner!). Definitely a 5 star pattern.  You can read a full review with more photos on my blog here.

Happy sewing

Tanya xx

@bornellafabrics