Curated By You: Sophie Frank aka Bitte Mach Das Makes a Hacked Florence Dress in Linen

Florence Dress made with FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Linen

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.  

My name is Sophie and I live in Vienna, Austria with my little family. Right now I’m still on parental leave, but before I had my son I worked as a flight attendant. Travelling has always been one of my biggest passions, so when I got pregnant and wasn’t allowed to work anymore I got reeeeeally bored. And I think that was the time when I finally found my love for creating again. Two years later I started @bitte.mach.das on Instagram and now we are here!

Why do you sew?

My mum always sewed a lot and created the greatest dresses for me and my dolls (maybe that’s the reason why I still love a strong twinnig outfit with my son – thanks mum!). With her help, I sewed my first ball gown, which was a short silver 60s-inspired A-line dress with black velvet details. It was wild. And I loved it.

While studying, I, unfortunately, lost touch with sewing but found it back through embroidering while I was travelling the world. I started with minimalistic portraits and ended with animated embroidery and embroidery through mirrors and plates.

And THEN I got a new sewing machine for Christmas from my mum and my boyfriend and I never really left the machine.

Florence Dress made with FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Linen

What do you like to listen to when you’re working (and why)?

To be honest – mostly I’m watching something on Netflix. And with watching I mean it’s playing in the background and I have no clue what is happening.

As a child, what was your first encounter and memory of beauty?

I think one of my most vivid memory of beauty is the smell of my mum’s old parfum. She only wore it when she was going out or for special occasions and it still fills my heart with love and warmth whenever I smell it.

Florence Dress made with FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Linen

Where is home and how does it affect what you do?

I live in Vienna, the Capital of Austria, the land of Mozart and The Sound Of Music (which nobody knows here btw). Vienna is old and sleepy but at the same time, it’s so inspiring! There is so much history on every corner and you can feel it in all the small streets. I love that I can buy my sewing supplies in small shops that have been there for decades – with all the little wooden drawers and cupboard boxes. Sometimes I go there just to look and feel the atmosphere of the shops.

Florence Dress made with FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Linen

Name a book that you’ve recently read which inspired you and why

I‘m gonna say it – I love children’s books! There are so many great books with the greatest messages and the sweetest illustrations. For example ‘Julian is a mermaid’ by Jessica Love is a story about a boy who wants to be a mermaid and loves to dress up as one. Or ‘Disco’ by Frauke Dürr Angel and Julia Dürr which is about a girl in Kindergarten that teaches others that there are no boys’ or girls’ colors – just favorite ones. I think books are such a nice and lovely way to instil things that are important into you in a child, without really teaching them.

What was the first thing you ever remember making on your own? Tell us about this memory.

The first thing I ever made was a pencil case for my mum. I was 10 years old and it was for her first day at school as a teacher. My smaller siblings painted on the fabric and I sewed it together. I even did a zipper!

Florence Dress made with FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Linen

Who are your muses and inspiration?

I don’t really have a muse. But I collect old Burda magazines from the 70s and whenever I need inspiration I just browse some issues. I love the yellow-ish photos, the makeup and OBVIOUSLY the fashion! Even the commercials are just wow (on so many different levels)

How do you find the time and space to combine creativity with motherhood?

To be honest – sometimes I just don’t. Sometimes I’m just tired and without any energy. But (and that’s something I needed to learn the hard way) it’s super important to not pressure yourself. I’m a person who thrives on expressing myself through my creations. So if I’m not creating something I’m not fully me. But everything became much easier when Emil started kindergarten. I even got my own sewing room last month!

Florence Dress made with FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Linen

How important is it to make something with your hands?

VERY IMPORTANT! Actually, my fingers are never still. I‘m one of those candlewax-players and peeling-labels-from-bottles-persons. So – it’s everything.

What does success mean to you?

For me, success means to be proud of yourself – for the smallest things – even if they are not perfect. And to be proud of ourselves is something we all should learn.

What have you chosen to make out of FS linen and why?

For me, the ultimate summer dress is a white linen one. So I made one, but with a twist. I used the Florence Dress pattern from Merchant&Mill and hacked it. I shortened the skirt, added a wavy collar and some volume to the sleeves.