BurdaStyle 11/2018 - 119 Blazer

I loved this blazer from the November 2018 issue and since there is no collar and only fake pockets it is a lot easier to make than you might think.  The buttonhole is in the waist seam so that is easy too.

11/2018 - 119 Blazer

For this version I did things slightly differently and made it from a ponte knit (really only because I have lots and it takes up lots of space in my stash!) and left it unlined.  I also lengthened it as I plan to wear it with jeans or pants and prefer my butt to be covered, with a skirt or dress I think the original pattern length would be better for me.

All the seams were finished together on my serger and then I topstitched to flatten and define the seemliness and edges.

The instructions are to interface the whole front of the jacket, but I decided this was not necessary in my fabric.  I only interfaced the back neck facing, 1 pair of pocket flaps, front peplum facing and the inner front band.  In a lighter suiting material I would use more.

I'm really happy with how this turned out, and dare I say this might be my new TNT blazer pattern.  As I mentioned it is pretty easy to make for a jacket and the clean collarless front mean it can work with lots of different options underneath.

Update since drafting this post.....I've already cut another one in a teal crepe, very similar to the magazine original!

BurdaStyle 8/2018 - 111 Wrap Jacket

I AM going to get this blog up to date with my 2018 finished items before moving on to the new year.  I hope that in 2019 I can accept I am neither a model nor a photographer and not let that get in the way of posting regularly.  I need to keep telling myself that this is a sewing blog to share what I am making and to connect with the online sewing community - nothing more - and the photos and writing do not need to be perfect.  So first up is this BurdaStyle jacket from August 2018.

This wrap jacket is a really interesting design, I loved the neckline shape and the sleeve detail is fabulous. but not too crazy.  I made this in some khaki twill cotton which I'm honestly not sure was the best fabric choice, but I'm still working through my pile of super cheap fabric which gives me freedom to experiment a bit.

BurdaStyle 8/2018 - 111

While I like the look of the finished jacket, I wonder if it would be better in a more lightweight fabric than the cotton twill that I used here, although then the sleeve detail - which I love - would be lost I suppose.  

I also made a simple coordinating print skirt.  This is a BurdaStyle pattern I've used before (12/2011 - 108).  It's extremely basic, but sometimes that is all you need especially in a print fabric. 

I've also found that like many wrap garments it is a bit fussy to keep everything in place when you start moving around in real life - as you can see in the photos below.  I need to add a snap or two on the front which will help somewhat.

BurdaStyle 9/2018 - 121 Knit Wrap Top

It's no secret that I am a big fan of Burda magazine, for me it is by far the cheapest way to get sewing patterns and I love the inspiration it gives me every month.  I don't even mind the tracing and the minimal instructions....

BUT, I have to say the instructions for this very simple top are terrible!!  There are only 3 pattern pieces and I know I have even made a similar top from Burda before.  (Fehr Trade posted the same thing on her instagram so it's not just me having a dumb moment).

BurdaStyle 09/2018 - 121

Despite the awful instructions I do actually love the finished top.

Anyway I would say ignore the nonsense about cutting into one side of the front self facing (the very first step!) as it is not needed.  I guess the idea is that the other front passes through the slit, but it's not clear later on.  Even in my bulkier fabric I don't think it makes any difference.  The instructions also have "(NAHT)" in two places and goodness only knows what that means!!  Neaten allowances together pops up at the end of a few other steps so maybe something like that?!?

Stupid instructions aside this is a really nice pattern.  I made mine in a heavier fabric than recommended - a double knit - so mine is more sweatshirt than blouse.  I like using fabrics like this for wrap tops though as the "stickiness" of the fabric makes it more secure.  I originally planned to make this in more of a t-shirt knit and I might still go back and try it.

I am way behind on blogging my finished items.  It's the taking photos on me that slows it all down, but I think it is really useful to see the clothes being worn and it also helps me to see if something needs fixing or styling differently - sometimes the camera shows you things a mirror does not so I will really try and keep going.

BurdaStyle 05/2017 - 108 Oversized Pocket Skirt

You often read about sewing bloggers saying that a fabric "spoke to them" when deciding what to make with it.  That happened to me here when this printed cotton sateen, which was always going to be either a pencil skirt or a shift dress, shouted very loudly that it wanted to be this skirt.  The funny thing is I was never particularly attracted to this pattern and I still think it is kind of a crazy design, but I could not get it out of my head and had to search it out on the Burda site.

The talkative fabric - printed stretch cotton sateen from Pattern Bee in Sham Shui Po as mentioned in my previous post here.  I think it was HK$60/yard, really nice to work with.

And the crazy pattern.  Yes the giant pockets do take up the whole length of the skirt!  I think to make them usable you would want to add a line of stitching otherwise you will have to fish your phone or wallet out from down by your knees!

5/2017 - 108

(Edited to add :  Oh!! Now I see the line drawing online it is supposed to have front pleats, this isn't obvious in the line drawing in my magazine and clearly I paid no attention to the directions either!  My pockets are attached the whole way down and looking at view B in the magazine, I think I prefer my wrong way better!)

It is an easy skirt to make, the only slightly annoying part is that you finish hemming the layers partway through construction.  I much prefer to do it at the end when I can properly try it on, but I think it would be a bit bulky if you try and do it altogether.  You also end up with slits in the underlayer (oops, no I sewed it wrong see my edit note above!) , but how much this helps with walking in it I'm not sure.  Fortunately I like the finished length although it looks better on me with heels.

Also if you follow my instagram (@allisoncsewing) you would have seen that the zip pull came right off just as I finished the skirt, so for now (and realistically probably forever) I have a ribbon pull.

Here are pictures of me wearing it - I realise I could have saved myself a bit of work and just made a plain pencil skirt, but it's fun to try new patterns and this one was really interesting to make.  Still haven't used the pockets yet....!

Three Easy Knit Travel Dresses

I've mentioned before that I love knit dresses for the summer and especially for travelling - they are comfortable, pack up really small and light and don't crease plus it is easy to wear them very casually for sightseeing and dress them up a bit for evening.

This is mostly old news if you follow my instagram account (@allisoncsewing), but last month I went to Puglia, Italy and as usual decided at the last minute that new dresses were needed.  I turned to 3 of my favourites that I have made many times before.  I actually only managed to get two of them done in time, but the final one is finished now and will still get plenty of outings before summer is over.

Burda Style 05/2010 - 105
I have lost count of the number of times I have made this dress (& now I think about it I packed 4 of them on this trip!).  I usually widen the skirt and wear a slip underneath to reduce the lumps and bumps a bit, but honestly I prefer the narrower skirt silhouette if you have the confidence for it.

This version is very casual, in a soft pink & black stripe cotton knit.  It doesn't drape as well as some of the ITY knit versions I've made in the past, but for casual daywear it is ideal.

McCall's 6319 (out of print)

I've only ever made View A and I've never bothered putting on the zipper at the shoulder, perhaps I will branch out on a future version!

This one is in a classic black & white striped knit, I like the effect the asymmetric pleats make with the stripes.

McCall's 6069 (out of print)

Last but not least is McCall's 6069, View A which is the one I just finished last week.  Despite making this dress a few times before I have yet to make it in anything close to the 1 hour boldly claimed on the pattern!  Originally I wanted a sort of relaxed maxi sundress feel so I widened and lengthened the skirt.  However, when I tried it on it looked too much like a formal gown with it's dramatic front and back cowl drape.  This is good to know if I ever need a packable, quick to make fancy dress, but it wasn't what I was looking for this time so I hacked the skirt down to midi length.

BurdaStyle 07/2018 - 113 Knot Dress

I loved this pattern from the July issue of Burda Style and made it in record time (for me anyway) for a whistle stop trip in the UK before heading to Italy for a holiday.

https://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/knotted-neckline-dress-072018

The knot detail at the neck is really interesting, I had assumed it was just a simple slit in the centre front seam, but the pattern pieces are curved and lined so that you end up with a circle that stands out from the bodice a bit.  This creates nice gathers when you add the loop in later.  Fortunately this part of the instructions has an illustration which helps a bit.

I made a size 40 and added around 20cm to the length of the skirt so that it would be midi length (I was making this to wear to Henley Regatta in the UK which has a strict, if slightly prehistoric dress code - nothing above the knee, no trousers or culottes).

I used quite a loud crepe print in shades of pink, orange, black & cream.  It is a complete accident that I ended up with a neat little cream diamond shape at the centre front bodice seam as I did not even attempt any pattern matching.

I really love the finished dress, the v neckline and cut on sleeve style are  my personal favourite shapes and I would like to make it again, perhaps in a solid colour.  

The weather in the UK was absolutely glorious, it was pretty hot the day I wore this and it was really comfortable although it creased a bit from sitting.

It's not like this all day, but these photos from the event amused me - largely empty deckchairs for viewing the rowing and a jam packed bar!   (No judgement from me, I was doing the same!).