BurdaStyle 10/2016 - 102 Knit Dress

UPDATE !! - If anyone else is struggling with the instructions on this pattern, I'm happy to report that blogger Pauline at Sew You Think You Can Knock Off has managed to make two gorgeous versions of this dress and has posted photos of the construction, visit http://sewuthinkucan.blogspot.hk/2016/11/burdastyle-102016-102-knotted-dress-i.html
Thank you Pauline!
La Karibane also posted a helpful comment in this post, interestingly both bloggers use French instructions, maybe they are better?!

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Last weekend I popped to the Hong Kong garment district area of Sham Shui Po solely to buy some white serger thread.  Needless to say a few pieces of fabric came home with me too, including this one which is very me - print, purple and jersey!

So as soon as I had finished the white project (coming up next) I moved straight onto this fabric and chose this jersey dress from the October issue of Burda (also very me).

10/2016 - 102

I made a couple of adjustments upfront, the neckline looked very wide so I narrowed it a bit and I also left off the sleeves on this version as it still isn't cool enough for long sleeves yet and I can always wear a light jacket over this dress when we do start getting some transitional weather.  I also switched the neck binding for a simple faced finish.

I started making this on Saturday so that I could wear it to a lunch with friends on the next day, quite a tight deadline, but it's a jersey dress - how hard could it be?

Things started well, the top is pretty straightforward and goes together quickly.  However when I got to attaching the skirt to the bodice I got completely confused.  I am convinced there is a step missing as there is nothing describing how or when to attach the front of the bodice to the skirt and all the references to facings, casings and attachment lines do not help.  I ended up with a raw edge on the bodice and a casing that I could not thread the elastic all the way through.  Time was getting on by now so out came the seam ripper and a radical solution.......

Yes, I had to admit defeat and decided to just make a separate top (which is pattern 101 in this issue) and skirt.  The top just tucks into the elasticated waist skirt, except at the knot area and then you just blouse the top a bit so that it looks exactly like the dress is supposed to and the 3cm wide elastic in the skirt holds everything in place.  No one need ever know!

Although it does pain me somewhat to be beaten by Burda's instructions, having separates is quite practical and each piece will definitely also be worn on its own.  I do want to try the long sleeved version later in the season - I'm thinking you need to first attach the skirt to the bodice with a normal seam allowance, except in the knot area and then fold and stitch the skirt somehow to create a casing.  If anyone manages to make sense of the instructions please do let me know what I missed!

I made it to the lunch in my fake dress and despite the frustrations of not being able to understand something that surely should be easy, I really like my new dress/ top/ skirt.  It / they will get a lot of wear and I am even planning on making this again although whether as one or two pieces I don't yet know!

It's pretty impossible to see the knot detail with this print so below are a few more detail photos.

Burda Style 04/2011 - 124 Flared Skirt

I can't really believe it's October and everyone is talking about fall and making coats.  It's still very warm here so forgive me if I'm still catching up with summery posts, no doubt I'll get to coats by about next May!

I found this bold eyelet fabric (I also got some in white) and knew that wanted to make a flared skirt with it for some reason.  Shown below with black cotton underlining.

Finding a pattern was surprisingly difficult.  I wanted as few seams as possible, but didn't have enough for a part circle skirt.  Eventually I used this Burda Style pattern from 04/2011 and combined the pattern pieces to eliminate the panel seams and moved the zip to the side seam (not really sure why it's not there in the first place, this skirt does have side seams).  It was a tall pattern (for 5'9 vs 5'6), but I ignored that and just left off the hem allowance.

http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/a-line-skirt-042011

The drape would probably be better with the original panel seams in place since those side panels are supposed to be cut with the grain running down the centre.  I may well try this pattern again, but I really wasn't sure how this fabric would look with very visible seams.  I probably overthought this and no one would even notice them, but too late now!

I underlined with lightweight black cotton, I did consider separate lining, but decided that the seams would not look good or be very strong as the eyelet is so open.

The combination of the (now) a-line front and back and the slightly stiff fabric did make me worry a bit - like I would look like I was wearing a green triangle of garden netting and perhaps it does, but I really like the finished skirt and the midi length it ended up as, not a length I often wear.

Really ought to do a final press before taking blog photos!

It's been a bit quiet round here as I have just returned from an amazing vacation in Italy, visiting the Amalfi coast, Venice and Rome.  I took this skirt with me and wore it a few times so you get a photo that is not in my hallway, complete with packing wrinkles, oops!

BurdaStyle 08/2016 - 128 Pencil Skirt

This is skirt 128 from the August issue, another great release in 2016, I am just loving Burda this year having hated 2015!  There is also a view (129) with a deeper waistband and a curved hem that I may try.

http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/panel-pencil-skirt-082016

I made this in a stretch denim and for some reason I really wanted to make it midi length so I just lengthened it from the hem.  This should work well in cooler weather too.

The curved panel seams are topstitched with a grey topstitching thread so they stand out, but regardless the seams give the skirt a great shape and fit.  That said, I've only just noticed on seeing these photos that on my dressform you can hardly see the upper yoke pieces in the front view.  I think this is because I cut a 38 at the waist and a 40 below and then adjusted the side seams to fit me.  Somehow on me the side seam is at least in the right place, but I guess I have lost a portion of that upper piece which is the same pattern piece for all sizes.  I think I will retrace the front and side front in a size 38 and only add a bit extra at the side seams.  

(Funnily enough Burda, in its own unique way, calls these wandering panel seams and mine do appear to have done just that!).

Those upper yoke parts are the only slightly tricky bit to sew - I stitched a line just inside the seam allowance on the yoke and then clipped into the seam allowance.  You can then straighten out that curve and easily join it to the side front panel.

The back is comparatively plain although I did also topstitch the seams there.  

It turns out that dark denim is as hard to photograph as black so despite lightening these photos it's still kind of hard to see anything, sorry!!  But don't let that put you off making this one up, it's a great pencil skirt pattern and I will definitely be making it again once I've retraced those front pieces - I'll let you know if my theory is right!

BurdaStyle Maxi Skirt & Tank Top on me!

I finally got around to taking photos of me wearing the maxi skirt and tank from my last post.  I don't really like taking photos of myself at the best of times, but I had a bout of bronchitis that made me feel even less like doing it.  It took a month to fully get rid of it and today I did a big photo session so I am covered for this and my next 2 projects!

As much as I don't like doing it, I have to admit I always learn something and see things differently through a camera than in a mirror.  I also know that if I only need to take a few photos to get a decent one then that outfit is a winner.

What I learnt with this outfit is that I much prefer the top tucked into the skirt so I am really glad I lengthened it now.   It also confirmed that I did a horrible job on the neckline, but I can live with it.

As a reminder the patterns are both from BurdaStyle:

Skirt - 01/2016 - 106
Top - 04/2015 - 103

Top untucked....

vs. top tucked in...

I did attempt a twirling photo, but it was a total disaster so this will have to do, it's a lovely swishy skirt!

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Purple Print Skirt and Coordinating Tops

I'm back from my UK visit (why does it take so long to get over jet lag the older you get?) and really want to get caught up with this sewing blog so I'm bundling together 3 finished items in this post especially as I have made all of these patterns before.

I recently bought this purple printed fabric, I really loved the design and colours in it and bought enough for a skirt and a dress (I think!).  On closer look I realised I needed to be a bit careful with pattern placement to avoid bullseyes in unwanted places which restricted my pattern choices a bit.

I also didn't want to waste fabric by chopping up the print too much so I picked a Burda skirt pattern (03/2009 - 109, made previously here) with a side zip and a slight a-line so that no back seam/split is needed to be able to walk in it.  I decided it was safest to place the purple eye shapes at the sides and completely by accident the skirt width is just about right so they meet and form a pattern at both side seams.

I inserted an invisible zip and the waistband is secured with a hook and bar.  Although the fabric is some mystery lightweight synthetic I lined it with purple silk so that it still feels nice and cool to wear.

This print offers a lot of options for co-ordinating tops and I think the colours make it wearable in cooler weather too, but for now I have made 2 short sleeve knit tops to go with it.  

This is yet another version (#4!) of the top half of Burda 08/2011-126 in a dark purple jersey.  You can see the first version here.

This top is made from Style Arc's Marita dress pattern, again made several times and also as a sleeveless top.

This time I decided I wanted extended shoulders which was very easy to do on the back and slightly less easy on the front due to the unusually shaped pattern piece, but hopefully the photos below show what I did - once you identify the shoulder and armscye it's quite easy.  Sorry if it is confusing that I took the pictures upside down so the neckline is towards the front of the photos.

Adjustment to the back, simple enough.

Adjustment to the front which is a single pattern piece.

I am still struggling with taking and adjusting photos since my computer upgrade so that you can see the details, it's driving me nuts, but I will not be beaten!

BurdaStyle 03/2014 - 104 Skirt

I'd wanted to make this skirt for a while and tested it out in some cotton twill left over from another pair of Thread Theory Jedediah shorts for my husband.  Not going to bore you with a third pair of those, but I promise you we will never wear our matching outfits at the same time!

I got thoroughly confused putting this together and I am convinced that the technical drawing is wrong, but the pattern pieces are correct.  I think that the image on the left above is the back and on the right is how the front should look, with the zip switched to the left side.  So watch out for this if you make this pattern up.

I also found that it is very close fitting in the hips, I had to let the seams out in the front and I still don't have the fit right there as you can see from the wrinkles I am getting across the front as soon as I don't stand like a soldier, but I ran out of fabric.  I do like the skirt so I'll cut wider seam allowances next time, go up a size or look into full front thigh adjustments.  I even tried it on backwards in case my theory on the technical drawing error was garbage, but that made things worse!

I'm wearing it with the Style Arc Madeleine top which I was a bit non plussed about when I made it, but now I love it and wear it all the time.  I think I just got annoyed with having to fuss around with the band, but it's amazing what a bit of time in the old magic closet can do.

Photobombed!