I was in a hurry and wanted this dress to take on vacation so that was a recipe for disaster. I did start getting all of Lauren‘s emails after all and everything got figured out! Lauren has been so very very helpful. Thank you Lauren I'm going to wait till I get back from vacation and finish this beautiful dress and give another review and a picture of how it turned out.

I'm glad everything was OK, and my emails were getting through to you and were helpful. I look forward to working with you further :)

So far, my experience with the Hana dress pattern is this. I'm disappointed with #1 the sizing chart does not include from back neck to waist measurement, and even if it did there's no marking on the pattern where the waist is., which for people who are short waisted This would be very helpful in adjusting the waist line on this dress if need be. Also, there is no marking on the pattern where the waist hits or a shorten or lengthen line If you needed to do that. The response has been very slow getting help with this pattern and i do not want to make a Muslin to see how it fits, however it's probably going to be necessary. I have not cut it out yet because I've been trying to figure it out myself and using the sizing chart with body measurements and finished garment measurements. Having said all this I love the look of this dress on the model that's slender and I'm hoping i love it once it's finished and I get to try it on. I have been sewing pretty much all my life but it's been awhile since I've made any clothing for myself, several years and my body is changed and I'm sz12 I at 68 now. When you read on this website how they will help you to size a pattern to fit you I really took that at face value and I'm not getting the help so far that I need to get this figured out.. Also, does anyone have any ideas about how to make the pattern stay flat on the table since it's been rolled up?

This reply was also sent via email from Lauren as we had some issues posting yesterday . Our apologies for the delay in posting here as well . "Hello Terry, I'm sorry you're not 100% happy with this pattern and my patterns assistance service. I was under the impression our back and forth emails on Friday and yesterday had you set and ready to sew your Hana with instructions on shortening the waist and blending between sizes. My style of help is to encourage you to sew a muslin/trial since it is the best way to ensure you will get a garment that fits you right, if you would like more detailed information about other adjustments, please let me know and I'd be happy to help. I will reach out to you again to see how I can help. For anyone wondering as well, to flatten your pattern, use a dry iron on the unprinted size of your pattern paper to smooth out the rolls. You might also like to lay a piece of cloth over your ironing board to catch any transferred ink."

I am approaching 80 and am always searching for becoming clothes that are modest yet shapely for my very casual mountain lifestyle with frequent forays into the big city. I selected Perfectly Pale because it matches my hair! And it goes with everything! I love this lightweight handkerchief linen for executing all of the details in the Hana top. It is a challenging sewing project but so worth it! The top is interesting in its detail and so light and airy for warm weather.

After reading the reviews I was really nervous about this pattern. So........my version has buttons down the front, I cut the top and skirt together, no seam and sewed a channel to the outside back at waist level for elastic, which I sewed to ties for the front. Not really the Hannah! It's also very big and the sleeve isn't as wide as I thought it would be.. will post pic when I've done the hem.

This turned out VERY blousy on me. I took my bust measurements and made a size four but I am swimming in the top. It looks like a bathrobe or a gi on me. I may have to give it to my SIL, whose name incidentally is Hannah haha, who has broader shoulders. Sad! because I put so much work into it. I altered it a bit because I didn't like the draw string look, and added a wrap around sash. Luckily there was an area where two of the waistband pieces connected that I was able to use as the sash/button hole for the wrap sash. A rookie mistake if there ever was one to forget wrap dresses need somewhere for the sash to come through! Overall the pattern directions were AMAZING to follow, very clear and concise. I consider myself an advanced beginner in sewing. I hadn't looked at a pattern in a decade, since high school, but was able to follow these with a little concentration and taking it slow. The only issue I took with the directions was that the waistband was a BEAR to attach to the blouse. .5 inch seam allowance did not work because the directions had already called for a .5 inch seam allowance when the inner and outer waistband pieces were sewn together. I ended up needing to give it an inch seam allowance to be able to catch the blouse between the pieces at all, and even then a little piece didn't make it.