BurdaStyle 08/2016, 110 and 102 - Pleated Trousers and Ruffled Blouse

The Russian Burda website is like the most beautiful open secret for Burdastyle enthusiasts.  Obviously, anyone can visit and see the multitude of pattern reviews done by very skilled "needlewomen," but it's the sort of site you must be introduced to by someone else already in the know.  After you're introduced, it becomes one of the most useful sites for finding reviews and inspiration--not to mention previews of upcoming issues!

All of this is to preface my favorite term for those who sew:  Needlewomen!  Nearly every review on that site begins with (translated automatically by Chrome) "Hello fellow needlewomen" or some variation thereof.  The term has a certain Balkan charm, and I've decided to adopt it.

I mean, really, what kind of options do we needlewomen have when it comes to terms for ourselves?  Sewer is obvious, but contains whiffs of the gutter.  Sewist is a little too hipster-y.  Seamstress, a bit too industrial revolution.  Nah.  Needlewoman is what I call myself, for a needlewoman I am.

Sadly, needleman doesn't have quite the same ring to it.  Tailor is appealingly brisk, but it refers to a specific type of garment making.  I would suggest "man of the cloth," but people might get the wrong impression.

The first month of this new year was full of family business and busy days and nights--no time to sew.  February, despite having to catch up on work from last semester and keep up with the current one, has given me a little more time.  These pants are one of the first projects I completed this year.  I think I like them.  The red/white striped ruffle-front blouse was completed last year, but I like them together as an outfit.

The trousers are Burdastyle 08/2016 110, and the blouse is 08/2016 102.

For the pleated trousers I used a golden beige linen/wool blend fabric.  Lightweight, which drapes well, and very comfortable.  It doesn't crease as badly as pure linen, but it's easier to care for than pure wool--win/win!  I modified the pattern slightly by shortening the wide waistband and adding a tab in the front, with a contrasting button.  I think it's a subtle little detail, but cute.

The ruffled-front shirt went together well, but it's a bit boxy for my taste, so I think I will usually tie it up or wear it tucked in.  The front is dart-fitted, but the back has a pleat and no shaping.  The armholes were a little snug, and not as scooped in as I think they ought to be, but that's easily fixed!  I really like this blouse, with the tiny band instead of a collar, the bias ruffles, and the fun options for customization with buttons and stripes.

The fabric is a lightweight, crisp cotton shirting with no stretch.

The second shirt is similar, with a boxy fit and a band instead of a collar, but it was made years ago from a Simplicity pattern.  I'm not sure which one!  It's the oldest thing I made which I still wear.  The busy print helps obscure the bad topstitching, and the french seams have made the airy cotton lawn stand up to dozens of washings.  Definitely a favorite in the wardrobe!

Thank you for reading!  I encourage any feedback, constructive criticism, whatnot.  Always looking to advance my knowledge and skills.

New Look 6183 and an Ignominious Sewing First

It all began when I downloaded the Burdavisor program which allows you to view the contents of Burda Style back issues including line drawings and magazine/mannequin photos.  It's pretty neat, and I have a tendency to get sucked in on rainy afternoons!  One day while browsing, I came across the plus section from May 2010 which gave us a glimpse into the life of a very glamorous and feminine Italian (I think) woman.  Well, glamorous as a housefrau who cleans and cooks and pleases her man in silky dresses can possibly be.

Liberated woman or not, her dresses are beautiful, and this one in particular struck me:

I couldn't find a copy anywhere, however, so I looked around for a similar dress and found New Look 6183.

Very similar, especially if that ruching at the front were gotten rid of.  Which is exactly what I did!

I think it came out really well!  I love the seaming on the skirt, which moves nicely as I walk.  I'm pleased with the way it fits as well, but I don't usually have many fitting challenges to begin with, so I just did the usual FBA and taking in at the waist.

The zipper looks like it sticks out at the back neckline, but it just wasn't zipped all the way up!

I did make some slight modifications to the pattern, but nothing major.  I lengthened the bodice pieces about two inches and moved the gathers a little closer to the center, where most of my fullness is located.  I also cut a 14 in the bodice, graded into a 10 at the waist, then out to a 16 at the hips.  It worked pretty well, I think.

The sleeves I cut without modification, but after hemming them, I gathered the lower 6 inches tightly and sewed little green buttons on top!  I added a self-bow out of a small tube of fabric at the center of the V-neck, but it gets a little lost in the print in these photos.  I think in the one below, it's a little clearer.  Also clear is the pretty great fit!

The fabric, once again, is from DenverFabrics.  It may be found right here.  It's a lightweight polyester crepe, but I really lucked out because it's not static-y or sweaty feeling like a lot of polyesters.  It has a really nice, almost dry feel to it, and a subtle sheen.  

And of course, my sewing first:  I accidentally melted a little of this fabric!  It was the very bottom of the center front seam, and just the edge.  I forgot to turn my iron down from my last project (which I haven't shared yet), and felt so dumb!  Luckily, it was all hidden away in the seam allowance!

Burda Style 01/2015 #126 -- Vintage Dress

I love BurdaStyle magazine.  I love the tracing, I love the anticipation of waiting for it to arrive, I love the roller-coaster of emotions as I try to follow the instructions.  I love the styles (August 2014--ON TOP of the culotte phenomenon), the photo spreads, and the silly, most likely trip-induced crafty projects often featured.

Oh, and I love this dress.  It's simple enough to have a vintage vibe without being a costume, and I've styled it two different ways and took photos in front of my shower curtain.

I did change the pattern a little bit.  I decided to forgo the inset waistband, and instead lengthened the bodice by two inches.  I also left it unlined, because I like the cheeky look of a short slip underneath a sheer dress.  The dark poly chiffon is just sheer enough to show the slip without leaving me feeling completely exposed.

This first look is more innocent and schoolgirl-ish, with saddle shoes and a ponytail.

Here's the second look:

Am I pulling it off?  That look of decadent Italian voluptuousness?

 Here's a detail of the bodice:

The neckline was finished with a machined baby hem, while the sleeves were hand-rolled.

I cut out a size 44, my usual size in Burda, but instead of removing all the extra fabric from the waist as I usually do, I decided to leave it a bit loose so it could just be a pullover dress.  I had visions of borderline grungey '90s floral dresses--kinda loose with little ties at the back to hold some of the volume in check.  Once I tried it on, though, I realized that that's not really the look for me.  I like to be cinched in tight.  Like, hindering blood flow kind of tight.  It's what gives me such good posture.  So, after making the dress extra loose in the waist and forgoing a zipper, I decided to make a matching belt.

This little puppy is made of black wool twill with four layers of cotton flannel sandwiched inside to give it body and strength.  Then quilted to the edge of the earth.  Have you ever tried to stitch parallel lines in black, on black, in the dim Tungsten glow of a non-efficient antique lamp?  Trying is a charitable way to describe it.  I'm surprisingly happy with the way it all turned out, though.  I like the look of the D-rings and the way I was able to contour the belt.  I had intended for the contour to be a little more pronounced, but the quilting may have stretched the smaller edge a bit.  Not sure.  Still fits.

The center back has an overlap of the diagonal lines of stitching.

And apparently a lot of cat hair.  

Now that I know how easy it is to make belts like this, I think i'm going to make some embellished ones for the summer--pastels with organza flowers and rhinestones.  Just cutesy enough to make a cynical hipster grimace, but not quite vomit.

Burda 08/2014 #112 Or, Not my finest hour

From BurdaStyle's August 2014 issue come these pink knickers.

Since making them in September, I've worn them only twice.  I loved them in the magazine and perhaps overestimated how flattering the early-20th-century-newsboy look would be on me.  They are supremely comfortable and kinda kicky, but I can't help feeling enormous in them. And that's after shaving a good two inches out of each leg (which explains why the pleats don't close)!  Originally they were absolutely billowy, even in the weighty polyester/rayon crepe suiting I chose.

I was hoping to look like this:

But it came out a little more like this:

The buttons are rather pretty faux-horn which I took off of a baby-sized trench I bought at the Salvation Army for that purpose.

This was my first attempt at a fly zip, and while it's not entirely even, I'm not unhappy with it.  I tried to rip it out and do it again, but soon realized that a permanent mark would be left from the previous line of stitching.

This is the leg opening.  After the disaster that was the waistband buttonhole, I decided to just go with loops.  And never sew with this particular type of fabric again.

Here you can see just how high the rise is, as well as my zipper!  Um, these will never be worn with anything tucked in.

 The back view.  Part of me loves them, and part of me just thinks that they give me old-lady pancake butt.

I really like them from the side! 

In all, I'm happy that I made these, because I learned how to do a fly zipper opening (although I definitely need some more practice) and also because I think they are a bit fun, especially for lazy days spent baking/decorating or picnics at the park, or any other time I don't necessarily have to look my best, and don't want to wear a dress.  

This picture is just gratuitous.  I accidentally set the 2-second instead of the 10-second timer on the camera--then ran in front rather than just let it go.  I think it's the funniest picture of me, double chin, Febreeze and all!