Louisa for women: pattern test

I’m looking for testers volunteering to try my Louisa dress pattern for women. Easy as that! Or maybe it isn’t. This time I want to have a double test with a small testers event. Nothing special, nothing super fancy, just one day that I hope to bring some wonderful people together to sew a Louisa for ourselves! A selfish sewing day with about 30 great seamstresses. Hooray.

Now in detail. The test pattern is ready and in the first stage I would love to have it tested as usual. I’ve drawn 11 sizes: from 12 years, 14 years, 34 – 50! So 2 sizes extra. The pattern is designed for woven fabrics, but it can easily be used for fabrics with a bit stretch too. Think of cotton stretch for example. Fabrics with even more comfort to wear. No jersey, but fabrics with about 5% stretch will work perfectly well.

I will make a selection and send the test pattern to the testers Sunday evening and I would love to have feedback by November 10th. I’m looking for people that feel like really testing the pattern as in sewing a muslin and only afterwards sewing a final dress. As with all complex patterns I’m not 100% sure that the fit will be ok in all sizes from the first time. So I think a muslin is a must. Unless you feel like taking a risk of course. :)

After this test, I will adjust the pattern and on the 15th of November, at the testers event, we’ll work with the 2nd (hopefully final) version of the pattern. I feel really excited about this day. 30 Louisa dresses in one day, sewn together at one location. That’s just like a dream. I have already selected a group of bloggers for this day, but I have 5 places left for… you?

If you apply for the test, you will see that you can also apply to be present at the testers day. Feel like joining us? Just let me know. I will randomly pick 5 people to be present that day. We will go to Bar Stark (Deurne, Antwerp), the new bar run by Katelijne from Mon Depot. She has a very big workshopspace that we can use. Thanks Katelijne!!!

Last but not least I have a question for the testers: for the event it would be really useful to have a muslin per size available. Do you feel like sending your muslin to me (of course only for Belgian residents), you can let me know thought the subscription form. That would be super useful. In exchange you will receive a paper version of the pattern when it’s been launched.

I’m really excited about this project and I enjoyed the development of the Louisa a lot! I’ve sewn 4 muslins and 4 final Louisa dresses so far and I’m happy with how they turned out. :) Since I don’t want to show the final design yet, you can have a look at this one again. BUT the pattern includes a version without pockets too, one with different (more subtle) asymmetrical pockets and a 3/4 sleeve too. That’s it! I’m sure I will develop more women dresses in the future with interchangeable pattern pieces. Would you love that?

But now first: the Louisa pattern test: YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE HERE!