Elegantly Eva: By Hand London Flora Dress

I have been waiting to write this blog post for about three months now - ever since I picked up the pattern for this dress on my last full day in London. So get ready for a long post, I've got a lot to talk about!

I first heard about ByHandLondon last fall from one of my professors at school who knew I was learning how to sew and that I was going to be going to London. She suggested that I check out their website and I fell in love. I've got a thing for small companies run by by smart, creative, and inspiring women and ByHandLondon is just that. It's a small, London based, pattern making company that was founded a few years ago by three friends. The patterns that they create are unique, universally flattering, customizable, and (most importantly) do-able by anyone! In addition to their patterns, that can be purchased online or in select stores, they run an amazing website and blog which features how-tos, sewing tips, brand updates/new product releases, and their amazing sew-alongs. Let me just put it out there that without the sew-along guide being around to answer every question I could have had this dress would not have turned out as well as it did.

As for the dress I made, I selected their most recent pattern release which is the Flora Dress. I was drawn to this dress because of the shape - I knew it would suit my figure and it looked like it would be perfect to wear to friend's summer wedding I knew I would be attending in August. Once I got home from my travels I was eager to finally get started. I picked up my fabric from Hancock Fabric and set to work. Unlike my previous sewing endeavors I constructed this dress completely on my own, that's how user friendly the pattern + sew-along made the whole experience! There were a few times that I had to ask for input from my mother and together we watched many video tutorials on how to put in an invisible zipper - but all the cutting, stitching, pressing, seam ripping, and re-stitching was done by me. (I'm very proud if you can't tell). Overall the process went very smoothly and was just so much fun - I am so happy with the product and can't wait to make another new ByHandLondon piece!

For reference size-wise I am 5'9" and wear a size 4 or 6 in store bought clothing. When following the measurements on the pattern size guide I made a US size 10 top and size 8 skirt - it fit perfectly!