November Burda Challenge - Birthday Dress!

My November Burda Challenge is completed. And before the end of the month too! I scored the current issue of the magazine at Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley while on a birthday junket with my friend, Lisa. This is Sheath Dress #114.

According to Burdastyle, "The fitted dress follows the figure due to the perfectly placed darts diagonally toward the breastline as well as along the length to envelope the silhouette - especially accented by using fabric with a stretch. The closure zipper is tucked into the left side seam. A zipper at the shoulder seam allows the cut-on collar to lay beautifully."

Line drawing from Burdastyle

The darts are what we used to call "french darts," back when I was a youngster. I always thought they sounded a little risqué; just the kind of darts that would envelope the silhouette. Sadly, the finished dress is a bit too loose to qualify as an envelope. I took the side seams in an inch at the bust and the fit is still what I'd call "comfy."

I'm always a little nervous about installing zippers, even though they usually don't go bad on me. It felt even more dangerous in a knit. So why double my stress by installing two?  I decided to use just one zip and to move it to the center back seam. As it turned out, it went in easy peasy lemon squeezy. No rippling at all.

I used a teal blue ponte that I'd bought at Stone Mountain & Daughter some years ago. Still stash busting those knits!

Back view - there's some nice shaping going on with that center back seam

While this isn't my favorite of the Burda dresses I've sewn, I like it pretty well. The fabric and the long sleeves make it nice and cozy for chill winter evenings, and the color makes me feel festive.

I wore it with boots and a velvet scarf to the theater and dinner last night and it felt like just the ticket.  The Man treated me to Riverdance and a steak with fried shallots for my birthday. He's a doll!

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

October Burda Challenge Just in Time

Just under the wire, here is my October garment for the Burda Challenge.

It's top #103 from the October, 2014 issue of Burdastyle. I should have hoiked it down a bit before The Man snapped my front view here. I used a not especially drapey 100% cotton jersey for this top, so the cowl neck needs some supervision to lay nicely.

The line drawing is actually top #104, which is identical to top #103, except all sliced up for color blocking. They also show this pattern lengthened to make a very cute dress, perfect as a LBD for cocktails.

It would have been a quick sew, if not for those little yoke pieces formed by the back shoulders wrapping over to the front. Cute, yes? But Burdastyle instructions sank to a new low when describing the construction of the shoulder seams. I'm not kidding; I pined those suckers together six ways to Sunday and could not get the product to look like it should.

back view

Thank God for the internet! This top has been reviewed 6 times on PatternReview.com. Actually, more than that if you count the reviews for the color blocked and dress versions. Everyone likes the product, but most everyone had a heck of a time with the shoulder yoke. Luckily for me, PR comrade runaroo linked to a blog post from SMF Designs and Friends. In that post an angel named Roz will walk you through constructing this top, with pictures. Roz, if you are out there, I owe you a dozen roses.

side view

Once you get the shoulder construction, you can bang one of these tops out in an hour. Something I intend to do once I find that piece of slinky brown and blue knit that's hiding someplace in the stash closet.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

September Burda Challenge - Better Late Than Never

I've fallen sadly behind on my sewing challenges this fall. I think it's a combination of hot weather and being out of town. This is my offering for the September Burda Challenge, and also for the (August) Scary Fabric Theme for the Stashbusting Challenge.

Meet blouse #111 from the 09-2011 issue of Burdastyle. They describe it as a sophisticated blouse boasting intriguing sleeve section seams. Those seams are pretty well disguised by my fabric choice, so here's the line drawing:

My result looks more like something I might have worn to Woodstock than the "splendid couture style" Burda described. But I'm OK with that.

Burda recommends you use polyester georgette, which would be delightfully light and whispy. I actually had a couple of pieces of what I think is georgette in stash, but neither was big enough for this top. Those sleeves are enormous and the bottom section is self-lined, so this top burned up more than two yards of fabric.

I used a polyester silky thing that I got at the flea market here in Santa Cruz. I'd forked over my 6 bucks before I realized I'd been looking at the reverse side of the print. What looked like subtle all-over polka dots from the back were really bling-y gold polka dots that were kind of like little blobs of puff paint. But what's stashbuster to do? The overall color scheme was much nicer from the front, so I decided to embrace the bling and work with what I had.

You can see from the line drawing that I'm supposed to be sporting a slit neck with a drawstring. I omitted that because I did not relish the notion of applying a continuous bias binding to a neck slit in this fabric. Instead, I used a piece of linen yarn to gather things up to my liking and then tied it in what I hope is a permanent knot. Then I tucked the ends into the casing and closed 'er on up.

Back view

The sleeves are fun to wear, but they're not terribly practical. The opening for your had is a bit off kilter, which makes the sleeve swoosh around stylishly when you walk, but they also scoop up bits of things from the kitchen counter. I'm pretty sure there's still some dog kibble rattling around in there from this morning.

The pattern is very well drafted. All the pieces matched up perfectly, with no finicky easing. In fact, since I'd nixed the slit neck there were no fiddly bits at all.

If you fancy taking a whack at some of that 70's boho chic that's floating around out there, this is a fun pattern. I might make myself a pair of high waisted denim flares and totally relive my youth. Or I could try this again in a more sophisticated fabric and pair the top with a narrow black skirt for an evening in the city.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

August Burda Challenge Conquered

Burdastyle 08-2015-125b

And this month, challenge is the appropriate word. Do you ever have projects that fight you all the way?

Side view of pleats

These are the pleat-front pants from the August, 2015 issue of Burdastyle (pants #125b). We're getting ready to take a road trip to Santa Fe at the end of August, and I thought that a pair of loose, light cotton trousers would be a great addition to my travel wardrobe. Shorts and skirts are always on deck for a summer road trip, but sometimes you want a little sun coverage.

How did these pants fight me? Let me count the ways:

1. The fabric, a cotton chambray with a subtle, almost gingham check, shrank up in the wash so that it had more texture and a different hand to what it did in the store (Hart's, natch). It's now a bit searsucker-y, but I decided I liked it fine that way. I tried to be extra gentle with the pressing, though, so as not to unintentionally re-shape the pattern pieces.
2. The pattern called for 2 yards of fabric; which I purchased. And believe me, I needed every inch. This fabric was 60 inches wide, and I had to fiddle mightily to get these palazzo-style legs to fit between the selvedges.
3. I was so proud of myself for only needing to refer to my Sandra Betzina video three times while putting in the fly. Then I snipped through the front of the pants when trimming the seam allowance. Blast and double blast!! I sort of saved things by using some iron-on interfacing on the back of the cut and then zig-zagging it closed. It's not too obvious. Fingers crissed it lasts.
4. I finally got the pants put together with the waist band attached and tried them on. They were ginormous. I ended up taking them in 2 inches at the center back and an inch on each side. That's 4 inches. That's a lot. They're super-baggy in the butt, because I had no clue how to take in that much volume once I got into crotch-curve territory. Hence, no rear views.

Problem #4 actually hurt. I've come to trust Burdastyle and their consistent sizing. I felt so betrayed that I pulled out the pattern sheets and measured the waistband against the original. Sure enough, I'd traced the size I thought I had. Why,  Burda? Why?



Waistband with bling-y button, and a closer view of the fabric. Can you see my zig-zag surgery on the right front?

But the good news is that I do like the pants. I think they'll be cool and comfortable when I'm frolicking among the cacti in the Southwest, and the indigo color will go with most everything. I like the pleats in the front, and I like the nice, big pockets. And I can't see the rear view, so why should I worry?

The other good news is that practice is making me a more resourceful sewist. In earlier times, I would have thrown in the towel after problem #3, and problem #4 would have made me cry.

Will I make them again? If I do, I'll have to go back and re-trace. If I can figure out what size to use - I ain't trusting the size charts, that's for darn sure. Re-tracing though....gee, I don't know.



Side view with hands in pockets

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

Burda Challenge for July

Holy cow, I finished my Burda Challenge offering for July before the end of the month. And, it's actually from the July, 2015 issue. And, it's actually two pieces, so bonus points for me!

This is top #114a with skirt #118. Burda twice shows these pieces together as an outfit, once in the Blue section, made from an embroidered batiste, and again in the Form and Color section, made from a bright cotton satin.

Back view

I used a piece of border print rayon (or possibly Tencel) that I bought ages ago at Findings in Carmel. Oh, Findings, I miss you so. Why did your owner decide to retire?

I really like wearing rayon. It's so drapey and swishy and the colors and patterns are wonderful. I really don't like sewing with rayon. It slides around on me when I'm cutting and the pattern pieces stretch out of shape when you handle them. Plus, it wrinkles as fast as linen, and any stitches that you might need to rip out leave little holes that are the devil to get rid of. And there was a truly disturbing amount of ripping involved in this project. Lucky for me, Portia recently posted some tips on fixing this problem on her blog, Makery.

The top has a gathered peplum, to which you add a piece of elastic at the waistline. I remember from my youth that elastic waists generally look like the devil on me. What made me think things would be different in adulthood? They aren't. I was pretty disappointed when I first tried the top on.

Top #113 in this issue uses the same pattern pieces, but leaves off the gathered peplum. In retrospect, I wish I had made that version. It's basically a simple sleeveless shell with a boat neck and some bust darts. If I'd made top #113 instead, I bet I'd be a happy camper. I do like the top better with the matching sash. I can always wear it tucked in with a high waisted skirt or trousers and pretend the whole peplum thing never happened.

Top with peplum tucked away

Burdastyle describes skirt #118 thusly, "flatteringly narrow along the yoke and then gains volume thanks to the gathers below." Here's a look at the skirt with the top tucked in, so you can see the yoke. I like the skirt a lot. It did turn out to be a good match for my fabric because the skirt is just a couple of big rectangles; no curved hem to mess with my border print.

Burda would have you gather the skirt pieces onto the yoke. Fresh from my sad experience with the gathers on the peplum top, I decided to fuss around for hours trying to make pleats instead. This turned a very simple skirt into an ordeal, but I do like the pleats better. It's a neater way to jam a bunch of volume into a smaller space.

This skirt and top combo used up every shred of my 3 yard piece of fabric. In fact, I skimped on the skirt and peplum; both should have been even fuller than what I ended up with. But they're plenty full enough for me.

My pattern reviews are on PatternReview.com here: skirt and top

I liked the two-part dress idea because I thought I could wear each piece on its own, mixed with other tops and bottoms. That's if I can think of any colors that would go with this olive-y green. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Burda Challenge 2015, June Edition

*drumroll* 

Here is my Burda Challenge garment for June!

 

It's blouse #104 from the June, 2011 issue of Burdastyle magazine. The Man picked up the June, 2015 issue for me (bless his soul), but I didn't find anything therein that I thought I could make with stashed goods. Plus, I had just seen Anniinbc's review of the dress version of this pattern on SewingPatternReview.com, and I'd made a note that I needed to try this pattern STAT.

 

This is the dress version. The shirt is exactly the same, but omits the pockets and bottom band.

I've been looking for an unstructured blouse pattern that would suit some sheer-ish woven fabric bits in the stash. I wanted something without darts or collar, because I didn't want to have to worry about the structure showing through the fabric in the finished garment. This pattern has a forward shoulder, with a pleat plus a few gathers substituting for darts. There's a button band, but no collar, and sleeve bands that are less complicated than cuffs. Basically, it's very shirt-like but without the fiddley bits of a full on shirt.

Part of my Puyallup haul

The fabric that jumped into my head when I saw Anniinbc's review was the olive green with spots that's second from the right in the shapshot above. It's a gauzey something that I got at the Vogue fabric booth at the Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup in February.

I'll confess that the reason I have these lengths of sheer fabric lingering about is because they scare me. Fraying, visible seam finishes, slipperiness. Oh, my.

When I actually started cutting this top out, I discovered that my fabric isn't just gauze. It's double-gauze. Holy cow, twice as terrifying! The fabric wasn't too hard to manage while cutting, but the weave is pretty loose. The pieces stretched while being manipulated, almost like a knit. And I admit I manhandled that button band something fierce.

I initially put the collar on upside down, so I had to pick a few seams apart. Not fun with this fabric, let me tell you. My fingers were sweaty, I was so nervous I was going to pick a hole through my neckband. Thank the sewing gods, the button holes went in just fine. I was afraid my machine would stumble and I'd need to pick them out too. I probably would have just turned the seam ripper on my jugluar.


Ertha the Goldfish has decided she approves

I was so sure I was cruising towards a wadder that I got a little slapdash during construction. Once I got the thing done, though, I decided it isn't half bad. Not my finest work, by a long shot, but wearable.

I really do like the pattern. My issues were all due to my ham-handed technique with this fabric. The fit is loose but not too billowy, and I like the clean, no-collar neckline. I think it's a good match for a fabric that wants simple lines, whether because of a demanding print or a finicky nature. One of the reviewers on PatternReview.com mentioned that the garment morphs nicely from top to light jacket - very true.

I shortened the top by about 4 inches. Before that it looked a little too long to be a top and a little too short to be a dress. I still want to totally copy Anniinbc and make the dress version in a blue chambray.

I have a couple yards of this gauze left over. I'm thinking I might make a skirt to match the top. Then I could wear them together and pretend they're a frock. Now that I've had my trial by fire with double-gauze, I'll look for a very simple style and I'll pop for french seams!

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.



 

May Burda Challenge - Fifties Love Affair

Just under the wire, here is my May garment for the Burdastyle Challenge.

The May, 2015 issue didn't have anything that really grabbed me, so I went on a very enjoyable voyage through the Mays of the past. I settled on these trousers, from the Fifties Love Affair section of the 2011 issue.

Burdastyle 05-2011 #124

The magazine shows the model lounging against a cream colored Jaguar convertible (which The Man believes to be an XKE). She's wearing the trousers with a pleat-neck top and carrying a wee Luis Vitton bag. Very Audrey Hepburn. They describe the trousers as "tapered 3/4 length classic trousers/pants with low-set broad waistband and deep pleats."

I am 5'2" (and three quarters) and I have what I like to think of as "athletic" calves. I don't do cropped trousers. I thought I could figure out how to lengthen them though, and in stash I had some charcoal twill with a bit of lycra that seemed like it might work well.

Inspired and eager, I hopped up to the cutting room (a.k.a. the carpet in the guest bedroom), laid out my tools and stared intently at the pattern sheet until I thought I had my three pieces spotted. I went to roll out my tracing paper, and then disaster struck. I was out. Drat!!

I use medical exam paper for my pattern tracing. Apparently I'm so used to that paper that I can no longer use anything else. I placed an emergency order with Amazon, paid for expedited shipping and twiddled my thumbs for 11 days. Finally, last Tuesday my package arrived and I got to work.

I lengthened the pants about 4 inches. I thought that would allow plenty of room for error, but it turned out to be just enough.

I moved the zipper from the side to the back because I couldn't wrap my brain around how to install a side zip into an inseam pocket, and I was pretty sure that Burda was not going to give me much help. In fact, I was barely able to stumble through the pocket instructions at all.

When I do an in-seam pocket, I normally sew the pocket pieces to the sides of the garment front and back and then seam the front and back together all in one go. Burda had me sew the side seams on the pants, but leave the pocket slit open. Then you attach the pocket pieces to the garment front and back, sew the edges of the pockets closed and press to the whole schmear to the front.

It took me two hours to figure out pocket #1, and then I proceeded to do pocket #2 wrong.  Twice.

The fit doesn't look this bad if I don't have my hands in my pockets, hones.

I also changed the waistband to have a button. Burda had the zipper going all the way to the top of the waistband. I kind of like my waistband to be a bit more adjustable. Cake and all.

I haven't really test-worn them yet, but I think I like them. Even though there are pleats in the front, the fit isn't baggy, so they're different from my enormous pleated 80's pants.

Roomy 80's pants

My only complaint is that the pockets can gape open a bit. I wouldn't mind so much, but I made the pockets out of contrasting fabric, so there's a flash of blue when I move. I may end up sewing those pockets closed, which would really chap my hide, considering how much brain-sweat went into installing the darned things.

 See that small flash of blue there?

I should have made the smaller pocket piece out of the pants fabric, then all would be well. Next time....

My pattern review is on SewingPatternReview.com here.

April Burdastyle Challenge Completed! And Me Made May

Usually I'm digging into my back issues of Burdastyle for my monthly challenge garment. This month, I'm pleased to say that my top is from the April, 2015 issue! Through diligent stalking, I spied the magazine on the shelves on April 7 and pounced.

I like this issue. There are a couple of dresses I'd like to make someday, as well as a couple of tops and a pair of high waisted cigarette pants that look intriguing. Of course, by now I probably have great examples of all these patterns buried in previous issues. Must think of a way to make my Burda's easier to mine.

Ta dah pose to illustrate the boxiness

I finally settled on pattern #123, the Boxy Top. I had my doubts, because boxy and me are not usually friends. I'm basically a box myself, so I'm usually trying to create the illusion of curves. Still, this top looked simple and cool, and I was tempted by the unusual pattern pieces, so I forged ahead. The Burdastyle Challenge is all about trying new looks, after all.

Line drawing from Burdastyle web site

Here's the line drawing; the top only has two pattern pieces (well, plus a neck facing). The back and front are both cut on the fold. The sleeves are cut on with the back and you fold them over into a raglan seamed front. Cute neckline too, right?

Burda recommends using a fabric with some body, like a jacquard. I was afraid that a boxy cut with a beefy fabric would make me look like a toaster, so I grabbed a very light cotton from the bottom shelf of the fabric closet.

Back view

You might notice in this back view that I have a seam running up the middle of the piece that was supposedly cut on the fold. When I tried on the top with the shoulder seams sewn and the side seams basted it was clear the neckline was going to be a no-go for me. It was low, but not indecently so. Width was the issue. My bra straps were going to be showing for a good six inches on both sides.

Side view

After some experimental pinching, I just sewed a seam up the center back, taking out about 1.5 inches. That brought the neckline up to a pretty reasonable level. The bra straps were still clearly on view though, so I took about 1/4 inch out of the raglan seams at the neck on both sides and now those straps are just covered.

If you are a bit taller than me and you have a lovely bosom, I bet this top would look fabulous on you right out of the box.

I'll probably tend to wear the top tucked in to a high-waist, just to mitigate the squareness a bit. I don't think it's too bad un-tucked though, which was a surprise. I'll probably end up wearing it un-tucked on occasion, maybe over that ponte pencil skirt I have on my cutting floor. One of these days I'll get a cutting table, I'm getting too old for the crawling-on-the-floor technique.

Tucked in view

This weekend I'll take the time to mark my seat-of-the-pants alterations on my pattern pieces. I'd like to make this top again in a knit. I think it would make a cute tunic-y tee shirt. Burda does it in a striped fabric, which would also be fun to play with. The stripes on theirs are horizontal on the body but turn to be vertical on the sleeves. Well, I guess they'd be horizontal on the sleeves too if you held your arms out to the sides.

In other news, I'll be hanging in for Me Made May again this year. If you haven't ever participated, it's a lot of fun and it encourages you to try your me-mades in new combinations. Some folks get tired of doing daily photo sessions. Lucky for me, The Man is very accommodating about taking a picture or two every morning, so that part is a breeze.

I'll be aiming to wear only me-made for the month of May.  I probably won't be able to achieve that goal, but I want the spur to work on some bras and undies, as well as some more exercise gear.

My pattern review for the Boxy Top is on PatternReview.com here.

Bagua Pants

The Man and I are taking a bagua zhang class every Thursday at the Academy of Martial and Internal Arts. Martial arts is something new for me. I've been really enjoying it. I'm learning to move my body in some different ways, which I think is good for the mind as well as the muscles. Plus The Man and I are allowed to spar, now that we know enough to not knock each other's blocks off by mistake. The Man refuses to take dance lessons with me, so this is the closest I'm likely to come to waltzing with him.

Anyway, my skills are improving bit by bit, but my wardrobe is woefully inadequate. I have a stable of running gear, but apparently shorts or neon leggings are just Not Done in martial arts. I've been wearing a pair of cheap yoga pants (also Not Done, but better then shorts). Those pants are kind of hot and polyester-y, and they only have one tiny pocket inside the waistband; maybe big enough for lip gloss, but nothing else.

So I made me some Bagua Pants.

This is the Snake, with what I think is the Crane stance. I'm a newby though

I used pattern #112 (Jogging Pants) from the March, 2014 issue of BurdaStyle magazine. Burda describes them as narrow jogging pants with an elasticated waist. Short and to the point. They advised using fine knits or jersey, and it just so happened I had a hunk of brown cotton jersey just waiting in my fabric closet.

That makes this project is a two-fer: Burda Challenge (check) and Stashbusting Challenge (check).

This is the Lion

The pattern was super straightforward. There are 4 pattern pieces, one of which I didn't use (the back pocket). They have you draft your own waistband and ankle bands, but even I can draft a rectangle without too much drama. OK, I did initially cut the ankle bands too narrow, but I had plenty of fabric to fix that little problem.

Snake

I do appreciate the front pockets. They describe them as 'hip yoke' pockets; they're the same kind of pockets you see on trouser patterns. They're nice and roomy but don't look too baggy. I won't be able to haul around too much stuff, because this fabric is so light, but they can handle my car keys for sure.

Waistband shot - The Man tells me baby blue satin drawstrings are also a no-no in martial arts. I'll have to swap that out before class.

Burda says the waistband sits about an inch below the natural waist, but the slouchiness of elastic and drawstring puts it a bit lower on me. It feels like just about the perfect rise for a pair of sweatpants.

I'm pretty happy with them. They feel much lighter than the yoga pants, and they're certainly comfy and very easy to move around in. In fact, I have them on now as I slump on the couch writing this post.

You know when you get home from work and you just want to yank off your shoes and constraining office clothes and chill? This is what you want to be putting on. I can see myself making another pair in a perkier, non-martial arts color for lounging purposes. Bet they'd make great jammies too.

I leave you with the Unicorn

My review of the pattern is on PatternReview.com here.

Burda Challenge, February Edition

I knew I'd have to jump right on my February Burda project because I'm taking a couple of trips this month.*

Without belt

This meant that I had to look back in time to an earlier February, because the current  issue of Burdastyle isn't on my bookstore shelves yet (believe me, I check about every two hours). I went with 02-2011-107, the high-waisted pencil skirt. Believe it or not, it's the first pencil skirt to hit my closet in 30 years.

Burdastyle 02-2011-107

 I used a remnant of stretch suiting that I got at Hart's here in Santa Cruz. I used most of the cut to make a pair of 40's style wide-legged trousers several years ago. The leftovers were scant, but I thought I might be able to squeeze a pencil skirt out of them. Turns out I could! Especially this pencil skirt. The front is cut on the fold and the back has two pieces with a princess-style seam. Gives you lots of skoosh room for laying out, as well as plenty of seams for customizing the fit.

This skirt counts for two challenges at once! Burda and Stashbusting!

 I test-drove the skirt on Tuesday at work. The high waist didn't shift around or crumple, which I thought it might, and the slight stretch of the fabric made it comfortable even while slouching at my desk all day. The only change I might make would be to add a slit in the back. I kept the length long for a vintage-y look and the bottom hem is narrow enough that I had to take graceful, lady-like steps all day.

With belt

I have a remnant from a pair of Clover's that I held onto, thinking pencil skirt. I like this pattern enough to give it another try. Next time I'll go a little shorter so I can walk faster than a hobble.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

*One of my trips is to the Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup at the end of the month. Can't wait! It will be my first time, anyone have any tips for me?