Pattern Review - Burda 08-2010 112 Top

Found the picture, thanks to Katia and absolutely NO thanks to Burda

Pattern Description: This pattern is for a double-layer top. The under layer is offset about 45° at the sides, creating a cool bubble effect.

Sizing: 34-44. I used a 40, though next time I'll go down to a 38 and do a FBA.

Fabric Used: For the underlayer, a (sold out) paisley jersey. For the upper layer, Rayon Jersey in Amethyst. Both fabrics are from Gorgeous Fabrics, of course.

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 70/11. Polyester cone thread. That's all.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes.

How were the instructions? Burda typical. I actually didn't like the way they have you put together the shirt. They tell you to sew the shoulders and bind the necklines of each of the separate tops. The underlayer top is sleeveless. They have you attach the underlayer to the upper layer at the hem, and leave the rest of the top free-floating. To me, that didn't make sense. So I did my own thing. I'll show you below.

Construction Notes: Here's how I put the tops together.

1 - Sew shoulder seams and bind the neckline for the underlayer top. Sew the side seams. Repeat this process for the upper layer top. Do NOT sew the sleeves yet. So you end up with two sleeveless tops:

2 - Put your underlayer top inside your upper layer, with the Wrong Side of the underlayer facing the Right Side of the upper layer. Sew the two layers together at the hem. Here you can see the two layers and where they are attached at the hem.

3 - Pull the underlayer through so the Right Side of the underlayer faces the Wrong side of the upper layer. Match the shoulder and side seams on both tops. Baste both layers together at the armhole.

4 - Attach sleeve to basted garment layers. Ta daaa! Easier and (to me anyway) more logical way to construct it. Plus, this way you don't have to futz with the shoulder seams and such when you put it on.

Any design changes? Only very slight. The original pattern calls for sleeves that are roughly 4 inches longer than the average arm. I didn't have enough fabric and I was too lazy to go cut more, so I just made them wrist length. Other than that, nope.

But if I make this again, I'd probably cut the underlayer about a half-inch shorter than the upper layer, to eliminate any possibility of the underlayer peeking out at the hem.

Likes/Dislikes: This is cute and will be a great top for fall into winter. For my dislikes, see This Post Here.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? I might do it again. I don't know if I need more than one of this top. But I do recommend it, if you can get past the damned pattern sheet in the magazine. It's cute and it's comfortable. And it will look fantastic on me with a pair of jeggings! ;-)

Conclusion: Cute cute cute! Here's the finished product on Shelley:

Oh, you know, this picture reminds me. This top is quite long. I'm 5'6" with a pretty average length torso. I think if I do make it again, I'll take about 2 inches or more of length off. You might want to check the length on you before you sew it up.

Parting Shot: Pincushion
My friends Bill and Ed, who own The Farmhouse Store in Westfield, NJ gave me this lovely little Nantucket Basket Pincushion when we met for dinner in New York. How fabulous is this???

You may remember them for another lovely gift they sent me - my Chemo Bling Ring. They are such dear people, and they have such gorgeous things in store (and I know from Gorgeous Things). If you are in the area, do stop in and tell them I sent you!

Happy sewing!

Grrrrrr.... (Rant Ahead)

See the current issue (August) of Burda? Check out this top, 112, a super cute double-layer tee:
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Oh that's right - you can't! Burda has decided, in their infinite lack of wisdom, to eliminate the online previews, archives, and just about everything else about their patterns. I understand that you can still see them, in Russian, but no luck for anyone who doesn't have command of the Cyrillic font and Russian language.

Adding insult to injury, Burda has cut the number of pattern sheets from two per issue to one. Take a look at the sheet on which the three pieces for top 112 are printed:

 
Find the top.

I've always had a tenuous relationship with Burda. I'm lazy and I'm the first to admit it. I don't like tracing, and I don't like adding seam allowances. I do like Burda's styles and their drafting. But they are making it really hard for me to love them the way I should. I want to recommend their patterns, but...

Pattern Review - BWOF 05-2010 121A Larry Bird Shorts

It's been a long, bad week. It started with DH's car dying and it didn't get any better from there. One of our family's dear friends died yesterday after a long battle with cancer. Vale, Barry. You will be sorely missed. Another friend's daughter was just diagnosed with osteosarcoma at age 9. I started radiation, which isn't bad at all compared with chemo, but it does take time out of the middle of every day, which means I feel like I'm scrambling to keep up.

But enough of my whining. I did manage to get a very little sewing done. I made my Larry Bird Shorts. So here you go...

Pattern Description: (From the Burda website) Sporty, sexy and sewn in a snap, these shorts are a must-have! 
The waist elastic is a comfortable detail.

Sizing: 34-42. I made a 40

Fabric Used: 3 oz (sold out, sorry) Japanese denim from Gorgeous Fabrics (of course).

Needle/Notions Used: 70/10 needle. 1 1/2 inch waistline elastic from Pamela's Patterns (great stuff!). 1/2 inch nickel grommets. Black cord stops.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes.

How were the instructions? Burda. 'Nuf said.

Construction Notes: This is a pretty straightforward pattern. I managed to do something a little weird to the band trim at the bottom, but it isn't bad and so I'll just call it a design enhancement and leave it be.

Any changes? After making the Bermuda/Capri length without any changes, I changed the Insane Crotch to work better for me. I changed the angle of the crotch in the back, which raised the entire thing by about an inch. I changed the front curve to match.

Also, Burda calls for 30 inches of elastic for the waistband for a size 40. That's way too much. Take at least 6 inches off that to start and see how you like the fit.

Likes/Dislikes: Cute shorts that will be comfortable for summer. These are definitely short-shorts; I'd call them one step above Daisy Dukes. So if you are more modestly inclined. I'd add a couple of inches of length to them.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes I would do it again. The pattern calls for lightweight woven fabrics, but I think this would work really well in a mid-to-heavy knit fabric as well. I may try making that next. These only take about an hour to sew from start to finish. Would I recommend it? Well... maybe. You saw that I had to do some serious adjusting to the crotch curve, so you should definitely make a test garment to see how it works for you.

Conclusion: Cute shorts! Here's a picture on Shelly. Sorry - it's really hard to take a picture of shorts on a dress dressform. I should have taken them on myself (not until I put self-tanner on my legs) or on my full-body-with-legs dressform. Oh well, you get the picture.

Happy sewing!

And the Insane Crotch Award Goes To...

...These Burda Shorts.

I made the Bermuda Shorts and I'm just not feeling the love for them. I think they will be cute in the Larry Bird shortie shorts, but the crotch needs some serious adjusting for me. Here's a picture of the back of the pattern laid over a tracing of my back crotch curve.

It's a pretty significant difference, and it makes the shorts look awful on because the crotch sits about an inch below mine. As Michael Kors said on the Project Runway finale, a gentleman would fill out those pants better.  Ah well - I've already adjusted the pattern.

One more thing to note about the Bermudas. They are really long. Really long. Like, if you are shorter than 5 foot 5 inches, they are more like capris. And sorry, capris do not have a place in my closet. If you're my height (5' 6"), lop off about 5 inches and you'll have real Bermuda length shorts.

Live and learn! I'll cut the Larry Bird versions out of some of the (sold out, sorry) 3 oz Japanese denim. That fabric is just beautiful!!!

Happy sewing!

Larry Bird Shorts!

Is it totally ridiculous that a woman of a certain age (me) wants to make these Burda shorts?

I love them! Now I grant you, they aren't something I'd wear to church or to a parent-teacher meeting. They bring back memories of the basketball uniforms that Larry Bird and the 80's Boston Celtics wore, don't they?

Photo credit: Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated*

But how fun will these be to just slip on for summer? It's the kind of look that needs legs without cellulite (thank you very much Mom), and in my case, self tanner. But I think I'll trace these off and whip up a pair. Or several. The May issue of Burda has a bunch of shorts patterns that are cute and look super fast to make. I think I'll try the bermudas too. They would work well in one of the Madras Patchwork Cottons. I think this one in blues would look really nice:

What are you working on this weekend?

Happy sewing!


*Interesting piece of trivia: in the photo of Bird, number 25 is Doc Rivers, the current coach of the Celtics

Burda Style 02-2010 Skirt 104

This little skirt, as Burda puts it, "is a must for your holiday suitcase because it’s so practical and uncomplicated." I wanted an uncomplicated skirt pattern to use with my fabric, and this fit the bill.

I'm not going to review this per-se, since there are so many reviews out there for similar patterns. It's a  yoked A-line skirt that sits slightly below the natural waist. It has side-front pockets and a back zip. It's incredibly easy to make, and I'd recommend it if you have this issue and want a simple skirt.

Fabric Used: Perfectly Preppy Patchwork Cotton in Pinks/Blues/Greens from Gorgeous Fabrics (of course)

Construction Notes: I just want to give you a few tips about working with this fabric and the other patchwork cottons I got in recently. First off - LOVE IT! I threw this fabric in the washing machine and dryer to pre-treat it. It has a nice hand off the bolt, but once it's washed, it is incredibly soft. So definitely prewash these fabrics. Some of them are overdyed, so they will have a tendency to bleed dye for the first couple of washes. This one isn't so saturated with dye as some of the others, but they all benefit from a run through the wash before you cut and sew.

The second thing to note about this fabric is that, because it is sewn and then serged together, you can't use fusible interfacing with it. I used silk organza to interface the yoke bands. It worked beautifully. You can also use plain muslin for interfacing. Because of the sewing lines/serging, you also want to be careful when hemming any garments. I found the best way to hem this skirt was to pin the hem in place, then press before actually sewing the hem. If you take a close look at the bottom of the skirt, you'll see the cutting/hem line go across the seams in the fabric. Pressing them before sewing helps keep them in line. You will also want to grade any seams carefully in facings and other tight areas, to eliminate bulk.

I finished the seams in my skirt by serging the edge of each seam allowance. The fabric doesn't really ravel too much, but that gives it a nice finish.

With these fabrics, I recommend keeping the lines of your garment relatively simple. A classic top or skirt will work great with these fabrics. So will a dress with relatively few design lines. The fabric is so fun by itself, it really doesn't need to compete with the pattern.

Likes/Dislikes: I really like the lines of this skirt. It lets the fabric have center stage. I also like it with this fabric because it looks cute and preppy.

Conclusion: It's supposed to be in the 80s tomorrow here in Boston (before falling to the 40s on Thursday), so I think I'll wear this with a little tee-shirt
and espadrilles, put on my pink wig, put the top down and go out for a drive at lunch.

Happy sewing!

And the Final Top is Done!

Woo hoo! The final top is done. This is for Kit, who wanted something with an open neck, sleeves and ruching. I was going to use Simplicity 4076, but the truth is, I don't really like the drafting on that pattern. The shoulders run huge. So I took a look through my BWOF collection and found this top in the June 2008 issue. It's got everything she wanted, and it's really easy! I started tracing the pattern off at 5:30. I finished the top at about 7:15. I really like this one. I may make it for myself. But not in silver holograph knit.

So all the tops are done. The gig is tomorrow night. I'll be down cheering Booty Vortex on. And please, don't forget to text a vote for them!

In other news, it's shedding season, and I don't mean the dog. I'm thinking a wardrobe. What do you think of me as a strawberry blonde? I'm kind of sick of the dark hair. Or maybe an Anna Wintour bob! No matter what, I'm getting a bright pink wig too!

Happy sewing!

A Quick Update on the Tops

I haven't had time for much today, for obvious reasons, but I wanted to post the progress on the ladies' tops for the "Be the Wonder" contest at Foxwoods. I managed to make two of the four tops. I'll review them later. Both of them are based on patterns from Burda World of Fashion. First up is Julia's top. Hers is a bandeau style halter. I didn't get a picture on Shelley before DH took it with him to rehearsal last night. But he snapped a quick picture on her.

I also finished Nancy's top. She plays tenor sax and wanted something with a v-neck and cap sleeves. So I modified a raglan sleeve top.

Two down, two more to go...

Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - Burda World of Fashion Dec. 09 120 - Hoodie

Pattern Description: From Burda's website - Do yourself a favour and make this long, slim, super-comfortable, hooded tunic! Side slits, sleeve hems and hem edges are stitched with twin/double needles to maintain elasticity.

Sizing: 36-44. I cut a 40

Fabric Used: Double Faced Wool Jersey in Chocolate/Tan from Gorgeous Fabrics. That colorway's sold out, sorry, but it's still available in Navy/Blue. I'd been looking for a pattern that would take highlight the reversibility of the jersey, and when I saw this, Eureka! I knew I had found the perfect combination.

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 75/11 needle, standard polyester thread, scraps of fusible interfacing.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes

How were the instructions? Typical BWOF, meaning useless. The good news is that this top goes together easily. The only tricky part to it is the placket in the front. That's not even that hard if you have a decent tutorial or book on inserting a placket. You can use a sleeve placket tutorial like this one, and just ignore the tab at the end of the placket. Once the placket is in, it's a piece of cake.

Construction Notes: I added 1/4 inch seams to the pattern. They recommend 5/8 inch seams, but you can't do that on the placket opening for the front. At most there you have room for 3/8 inch seam allowances. Since I was going to serge the seams in most cases, I decided to just use 1/4 inch all around.

I checked the length on me before I cut it out. It's long! I'm pretty average height (5 foot 6 inches). I didn't add any hem allowances, and in fact, I used a 7/8 inch double hem. Even so it hits me at mid thigh. So Summerset? Yes, it would probably be closer to dress-length on you.

Any design changes? I used the reverse face (the tan face) for the back placket facing. Other than that, no.

Likes/Dislikes: Love it! It's very comfortable. The one modesty issue to note that it (like almost every BWOF pattern) is very low cut. It's designed to be worn over a camisole or other top. If you want to wear it by itself, shorten the placket and placket opening by at least an inch, probably closer to two inches.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes and yes. This is a great pattern that goes together quickly. I think I spent about 3 hours in all, including tracing it off.

Conclusion: Definitely a winner. Here it is on Shelley. At some point I'll get DH to take pictures of me in my latest creations, but the weather has been lousy and we've both been really busy.

And here's a picture of the hood, so you can see the reverse face. I love this fabric!

Well, time to get cracking on the sides for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner. Happy sewing!

Shaun of the Dead Could Kick Edward Cullen's Ass Any Day

Do you Zombie-a-Gogo? If not, you should! Forget those pasty vampires; give me some zombified butt to kick any day of the week. DH even got me this great T-shirt after seeing it on BoingBoing.com

"We've Got Some Work to Do Now" by Travis Pitts

How fabulous is that? You can get your own tee Here at Threadless. 

The Burda tunic is almost done. Make note: it's really long. I think I'll take a couple of inches off its length. More later...

Happy sewing!

I LOVE This Month's Burda World of Fashion!

Oh. My. God! I got the December issue of BWOF yesterday and I am plotting my next couple of projects from it. First up and already traced off is this great Hooded Tunic, number 120

I'm going to make it in this fantastic double faced wool jersey in brown/tan. 

 It's sold out, sorry, but I still have it's Sister Fabric in Blue/Navy. I really love the contrast colors for this pattern. I've been trying to find a good pattern for this fabric, and this looks like a real winner!

I'm hoping to have this made up by the weekend so I can look ever so chic while stringing Christmas lights. Gotta look good while stringing Christmas lights, right?

The other piece that I have fallen completely in love with is this cape:

How fabulous is that? And how fabulous will it be in this double-sided raincoating fabric?

The color isn't showing up true on my monitor. This is olive green with a copper iridescent undertone. It's really gorgeous. I'll try to have that done before Christmas. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, I have to prep a muslin for a Chanel-style jacket. Susan Khalje is holding a Sit and Sew at the Gorgeous Fabrics "atelier" in two weekends. There are 12 people signed up. I'm really psyched - I know many of them, but there are several whom I've never met and I'm looking forward to meeting them!

To top it off, Thanksgiving is this week in the US. We're going to my sister's house. She's making the turkey and a ham. I'm bringing a whole slew of sides and desserts. I'm thinking of something unusual for dessert. Maybe a coconut cream pie instead of the traditional pumpkin. Time to do some research.

More later... Happy sewing!

I Found the Skirt Pattern!

Burda 8467. It looks a little unspectactular in this photo, but it's perfect for what I want. I'll change it up a little. I'm going to cut 3 layers of the chiffon for it. I may, depending on how much fabric it takes, make the skirt a little more flared. I'm also going to make the waistband a little wider. More to come - stay tuned and happy sewing!

OMG - I'm in LOVE with this Coat!

How intensely fabulous is this?? The bag isn't too shabby either, but I lurve this coat! I may just have to start tracing it off. It's in the current (October 2009) issue of Burda magazine, which just arrived in my mailbox this afternoon. I think it would be fab in either this Cashmere/Wool coating from Loro Piana

or this Loro Piana Baby Camel in jet black. It looks so cozy and comfortable to wear!

This issue has me drooling over lots of their patterns. There's a section on the LBD that has some great styles, and some interesting articles.

But first I want to get my skirt done!

Parting Shot: New Fence
You might remember that last year, we lost our shed to an 80 foot oak tree. Then the tree guy came in and, in the process of taking down several trees, destroyed our fence. Insurance covered next to nothing. We've been saving up all year to replace it, and today the guys came to start putting in the new one. Hurray! Now I don't have to look at my old busted fence and 20 feet of plastic netting that was acting as a stopgap barrier between Hoover and the rest of the world.
Happy sewing!

It. Is. Alive!

After three days of coughing up a lung and running a constant 100.2 fever I finally hauled my sorry carcass to the doctor's office this morning. Greeting me the minute I walked in the door was a large sign saying "If you have a fever and/or cough, please inform the receptionist so we can give you a mask." I pointed to the sign and said, "Yah, that's me." So I got to sit there for 5 minutes looking like a quarantined tourist, with everyone around me sidling away and giving me looks like I had just come down with a roaring case of leprosy. I was wryly amused.

The good news is that it's not flu of any kind. The better news is that it's not pneumonia. I had that when DS the younger was a baby. It felt just like I've been feeling all week and the antibiotics were pretty brutal. The doc gave me some heavy duty cough medicine so I can sleep at night and sent me on my way.

So while I have been spending time at home this week, I did have the chance to start looking at fall wardrobe options. I'm debating on making a new coat. I don't have a really heavy winter coat, and I'm thinking of this one from the Burda August issue:

The sleeves are a little problematic for winters in Boston. I'll probably lengthen them and do bellows lining. And when I do, I'll do a tutorial. Stay tuned.

I also put a bunch of fabrics on sale over at Gorgeous Fabrics, and I'll be putting more up this weekend. Plus, I have a boatload of new fabrics that have been going up all week. And more are coming so keep an eye out.

Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - Burda 9812 Boys' Pants

DS the Youngest is taking part in the Yankee Classic dance competition next weekend. He's been growing like a little weed recently, and he is getting too tall for his old pants. He needs to wear black pants for both Standard and Latin. When I was at the dance store a couple of weeks ago, I checked out the pants. First off, they didn't have boys' sizes. And the men's pants started at $160 per pair. After taking a look inside a couple of them, and discovering that there isn't anything unusual about them, I decided to make him a pair.

Pattern Description: "Jacket with lapel/revers collar and flapped pockets.
Waistcoat/vest, with patterned front and plain/single-coloured back.
Trousers/pants with pleats at waist, hip-yoke pockets and ironed/pressed creases"
I made just the pants.

Sizing: 140-170 (US 10-18). I made a 10 (140), but lengthened the legs to the next size up.

Fabric Used: All You Need Is... RPL from Gorgeous Fabrics. I have to gush a bit. I knew from the start that this is a great fabric, but I hadn't sewn anything from it yet. Can I just tell you? This fabric is fabulous to work with! It works up like a dream, it has a great soft feel against the skin, and it has great stretch for movement and comfort. I can see some of this in my future.

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 75/11 needle, hook/eye closure, black fusible tricot from Sew Exciting Fashion Sewing Supply. This stuff is really great, and it's the perfect weight for my fabric.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes.

How were the instructions? I didn't use them. The pants are beautifully drafted. They use a mock fly closure, so there was nothing particularly tricky about them.

Construction Notes: I used a straight stitch, length 2.5mm for all seams. I didn't bother to do much fitting on these pants for a few reasons. First, he's going to get one comp's use out of them before he outgrows them. He is a generous size 140, but too small for a 142. Second, the fabric has a lot of stretch to it, so it's quite forgiving. Third, he's going to be moving all over, so it just didn't seem to make much sense to spend a lot of time tweaking the fit.

One of the things that the photo flash brings out that isn't as obvious in the unenhanced daylight is that he has a flat seat. When he finishes growing I'll draft him a pant that solves that problem. Until then, he doesn't notice. He just loves the fact that they are comfortable and not binding.

Any changes? Other than lengthening the legs, no.

Likes/Dislikes: Beautifully drafted pants. I would definitely do it again. I may redraft the front to get rid of the pleats.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes and yes.

Here are pictures of the front:
And the back:
Conclusion: A great pair of pants. I'll get more pictures of him, and the TLC film crew, at the competition.

Happy sewing!

Next on the Table - a Pair of Pants

But not for me. I'm making a pair of black pants for DS the Younger using this Burda pattern:
Next week he's taking part in the Yankee Classic ballroom dance competition. That is a whole 'nother story that you'll get to hear all about later. He's been growing like a little weed of late, and his pants are all getting short on him, so I thought I would make him a pair from All You Need Is...RPL in black from Gorgeous Fabrics (of course). I have to say I am quite disappointed, but not surprised, at the dearth of decent boys' patterns. I didn't have the time or patience to go through my old BWOFs. This pattern will work fine for the competition next week, and I should have it ready in the next day or two.

Poor DS the Elder. I feel like he gets short shrift on my blog at times. Let me just be a proud mom for a moment. He's about to graduate from the middle school with a straight A average throughout his three years there. Last night was the school vaudeville, an exercise in excruciating boredom, punctuated by some really good bits. DS the Elder was one of the good bits. He played and sang "Imagine" by John Lennon. He was good! I've heard him practicing the piano, but he wouldn't let me hear him sing. I'll tell you, he did better than I ever could have. And he didn't sound the least bit nervous. I didn't get any pictures because he had his back to the audience while he was playing. Don't ask me why they set the piano up that way. But he did a great job and I'm so proud of him!

The hambone gene runs deep in our family. Stay tuned and happy sewing!

Pattern Review - BWOF 4-2009 106 Coat

Pattern Description: From Burda, "Keep your fashion cool in this trendy garment that’s as light as a jacket and as elegant as a coat. It‘s slightly flared and made up in popular piqué."

Sizing: 38-46. I made a 40

Fabric Used: Stretch floral cotton (sold out, sorry) from Gorgeous Fabrics

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 75/11 needle. Interfacing from Sew Exciting, two 1.5 inch (big uns!) snaps from Botani, silk duppioni.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Better!

How were the instructions? Burda WOF typical - cursory at best. I didn't use them, since the pattern is well drafted and goes together easily.

Construction Notes: This is your basic raglan sleeve coat with an interesting inset variation on the front pieces. The inset has a very sharp corner. It's important to staystitch the inside corner of the inset. I didn't get a decent picture of it.

I added 1/2 inch seam allowances to all major seams and 1/4 inch seam allowances to the facings. I used 1 1/2 inch hems. The pocket edges are curved, so you need to stabilize them. Burda recommends Vilene tape, which is hard to come by in the US. Instead, I used the selvage of silk duppioni. It curves beautifully and doesn't add bulk. I sewed it just inside the seam.
Several people noted that the model shown in the magazine looks like the edges are unfinished. I thought they looked like they were serged, but I had decided before cutting out the pattern that I would use a mock Hong Kong finish on all the seam allowances, since this coat is unlined. I used a bright red silk duppioni.
I used the same finish on the edges of the facings and the hems. I also understitched the collar facings and the pockets:

I was also pleased with the pattern matching I did across the front of the coat, and on the pockets. The left one was spot on. The right one was close, but not quite as good as the left.

Any changes? Nope.

Likes/Dislikes: I like the shape and the interesting seaming on the front. I really didn't dislike anything about this coat. If the weather ever warms up around here, it will be fun to toss on over a LBD or jeans for kicking around.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? I doubt I will do it again. I'm already thinking about my next project - a YSL inspired jacket made with a Linton Tweed I bought in New York. But I do recommend it.

Conclusion: A fun, easy coat that has cool details. I need to buy an awesome belt (I'm thinking red patent leather) to set it off. Here's the finished coat.
I think it looks much cooler open, and it looks really good over trouser jeans and high heels. Fun for the spring!

Whatta Week!

Tonight started the Triduum. That's the Holy Thursday/Good Friday/Easter Vigil three-fer. I refer to it, combined with the Palm Sunday services, as the Holy Week Marathon. It's fun and really lovely, but by 11:00PM on Saturday (when the Vigil lets out), I feel like I've left a lung on the altar. Easter Sunday services are always raggy, and this year I may actually skip, since Ryan (our choir director and soon-to-be the assistant conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - hooray and boo hoo all in the same breath) is not going to be there Sunday. Between that and running to New York for business and Sewing Hope, I haven't had much time to blog.

But I have been very busy. I am working on an Easter coat. I'm making Coat 106 from Burda WOF April, 2009

from this sold-out (sorry) fabulous stretch cotton from Gorgeous Fabrics:



I'll make a couple of observations about Burda WOF. I love many of their styles, and I really love their fit on me. What I am not as crazy about (and this has nothing to do with Burda WOF) is having to trace the patterns off and then add the seam allowances. Honestly, that takes longer than the rest of the process. I'm lazy, so that's why I don't sew their patterns that often. But the good news is that when I do sew with them, I don't have to deal with the "Big 4" standard 5/8 inch seam allowances. I usually use 1/2 inch on Burda, with 1/4 inch for facings and sometimes larger for certain seams.

So it is cut out, and I'm taking a bunch of pictures for showing how I am constructing it. I should have it finished Saturday, just in time. Hopefully I'll be able to get a post up then before I have to rush off. Until then,

Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - BWOF 2-2009 108 Top

Toby and LuckyLibbet are right. The grumps are out and about, and the only thing to do is get zen about it and go on with life. So to that end, I did two things to put myself in a very good mood today. I listened to a couple of Mozart symphonies - if more people would listen to Mozart, the world would be a happier place - and I made myself a springy colored top!


Pattern Description: Roses for Leo the leopard! This top with 3/4 sleeves and bateau neckline is simply cut, allowing the unusual fabric with its stitched-on satin stripes and extravagant floral & animal print to tell the story

Sizing: 36-44. I made a 40

Fabric Used: 11 oz Rayon Jersey in Soft Violet from Gorgeous Fabrics (of course!)

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 75/11, Stretch Twin 4,0 75 needle for the hems (I was too lazy to go out to the studio and fire up The Beast), Fusible Tricot for stabilizing the shoulders.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Other than the fact that the model is blonde, young and thin and I'm not, yeah.

How were the instructions? Hahahahahahahahaha! Snort!
Seriously, this is a very easy pattern to make. You really don't need the instructions.

Construction Notes: I serged all the seams. I put fusible interfacing at the shoulders to stabilize. I think it would have benefited from stabilizing the neckline as well, especially this fabric, which is very soft. I added 1/4 inch seams at the sides and sleeves. I made the hems all 1/2 inches.

Any changes? Nope. I could have done a slight FBA and added a dart, but you know what? I wanted something quick and easy that I can pull on and go. If I do it again, and I probably will, I'll go down a size to a 38 and do a FBA.

Likes/Dislikes: I love bateau neck tops. I wanted to make something quick that I can wear now in to spring. This fit the bill perfectly. No dislikes, though it is worth noting that the neckline is wide (read, "Not bra-friendly").

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes and yes. This is a great top for beginners. It went together in less than an hour. The longest time was spent tracing it off and adding seam allowances.

Conclusion: A winner! Here you can see it on me:

Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - BWOF 9/2007 - 121 Jumper

Pattern Description: From Burda, "This saucy pinafore dress/ jumper is shows loads of Sixties’ swing! The hemline nips the knees, the waist seam is slightly raised and a wide, shaped, self-fabric belt cinches it to the waist. Wear it over a close-fitting turtleneck pullover for the true-to-style look."

Sizing: 34-42. I made a 40

ETA BTW, if you don't have this issue of Burda World of Fashion, the same pattern is available at your local Burda retailer as Burda 7761. And that version comes in sizes 32-42.

Fabric Used: Bamboo Blend Jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics in Asul (dark marine blue).

Alas, the blue is sold out, but I still have the Brown (Pardo) and Green (Verde).

Needle/Notions Used: Needle is Stretch 75/11. The only notion I used was thread.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes

How were the instructions? Typical Burda, meaning cryptic but understandable. This is a very easy little jumper to construct, so I took a rather cursory glance at them, then just dove in.

Construction Notes: As I say, this is a very easy dress to make. I did a couple of things differently from the Burda instructions. I used my own order of construction rather than theirs. I constructed the bodice and midriff bands and attached them, sewing the side seams together on both the bodice/midriff and the skirt before attaching the skirt to the bodice. It made no difference to the results. You can pretty much put this baby together in any order you want within reason and get a good outcome. I serged all seams and used The Beast to finish the hem. I forgot to stabilize the shoulders until it was too late, doh! opted not to use stabilizer on the shoulder seams and armholes.

One thing to note is that, at several points, you are sewing through a lot of layers of fabric. I basted all my seams together (except the side seams) before serging them to make sure that the layers didn't shift. This adds a sum total of about 10 minutes to the sewing time, but I think it was well worth it. All my seams matched up perfectly.

Any changes? I lengthened the front bodice by about an inch so the empire seam would fall in the proper place. I tapered that to nothing at the side seams.

Likes/Dislikes: This is so cute, and it will make a great transitional piece from our never-ending winter to springtime. I'm trying to work a little more blue into my wardrobe and this is the starting point.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? I'm not sure if I will do it again, because it's a pretty memorable style. But I do recommend it heartily. It's a great dress for advanced beginners or up.

Conclusion: This is a cute, fun little dress, that will make a great transition piece. Here it is on Shelley:
And here is a closeup of the front bodice. You can see some of my basting threads, which I'll go back and remove once I'm done with this review.
I'm going to make a top to go with it. Summerset got the KS turtleneck I wanted when she was at Martin's House of Cloth yesterday, and next Thursday we're going to get together for a pattern/fabric swap. I can't wait!

Happy sewing!