Butterick 5753 Knit Top

Whenever I take advantage of one of the BMV sales to order patterns online inevitably I end up buying a few "fillers".  If the shipping is the same price for 4 patterns as it is for 7, well I will find 7 patterns (which I am sure is the whole idea).

This is one such filler, it's a pretty basic top and I probably have something similar in my years of Burda magazines that I could tweak, but I know myself well enough by now to know that I won't get around to it.

I made view C with the tie front, it looked pretty roomy so I cut a size smaller than my usual pattern size and used the Small.

I added a seam to the centre back, purely to fit onto my fabric, a deep sky blue knit that I had only bought a small amount of to match an orphan skirt (more on that later).  I also stitched up the side seams quite a bit higher than the pattern indicated to make the armholes smaller - I think around 8cm.

This is a very easy pattern, but the pattern instructions just say to do a 5/8" double hem on the neck and all around the hem and ties.  The neck is probably wide enough that you can get away with this treatment, although I used a strip of fabric as a mini facing instead.  I think if you try and do their suggested hem treatment around the ties it would be an exercise in major frustration with a messy result.  I did a kind of narrow hem treatment instead which is much easier, albeit not perfect.  I stitched a line all around the hem and ties just a presser foot width from the edge, pressed up against this line , stitched again and then trimmed away the excess close to the stitching.    

The front piece, can you imagine trying to turn 5/8" on that hem?

As I mentioned the neckline is very wide so I attached some lingerie straps to keep it in place.  I'm slightly embarrassed to confess these are purchased, but it's really easy to make your own with ribbon and press studs.  Hey at least I sewed them in instead of using the little safety pins they came with!  

If I make this again I will make the neckline narrower, views A&B appear to have a smaller neck.  I'm also intrigued by views A&B, the notch in the sleeve looks a bit weird, but the colour blocking will be good for using up some up my many leftover bits of jersey.

Here is the skirt that I made a while back and have neglected due to a lack of tops to wear with it.  It is a very simple straight skirt from an ancient Burda that I like because it hangs straight,  yet doesn't need a walking split.  There is a similar one in 05/2016 - 120.  Both originally have a side zipper, but I move it to the back if I can as it's much easier to fit as I go that way.

I love the print on this fabric, sort of a close up gemstone print. and it should be easy enough to find other things to pair this with.  The fabric is a silk crepe so I underlined the pieces in silk satin to give it a bit more body.

Victory Patterns - Satsuki Top and Dress

You can tell I am starting to think about summer with all these loose, drapy patterns.  I've liked this one for ages and finally got around to downloading the pdf version.  While I find it a complete drag to print and tape pdf patterns it is fantastic to buy it and receive it moments rather than weeks later.

Satsuki (autocorrect keeps changing to satsuma, one is bound to sneak in this post) can be made as a top or dress and there are is also an unbelted version with a ruffle.  The shoulder cut outs are optional too so there are a few different variations you can make with this pattern.

I started with the belted top with no shoulder cutouts using a blue printed cotton and although it has a kind of stripe effect I didn't have enough fabric to match so I just ignored it, I figured it wouldn't matter too much in this style.  I raised the neckline a bit, but probably didn't need to, I think it would look better lower.  I really liked the print when I bought it (obviously!), but made up in this style it is in danger of veering into sort of tacky loud shirt territory.  Maybe with shorts and in a resort setting I will feel a bit more enthusiastic about it.

Against all commonly accepted rules, I find the best fabric for me to wear in our hot, humid summers is jersey which is why I boringly make lots of repeats in easy knit dresses, this is what I live in for half the year.  If the fabric has a print that isn't going to show up any sweat marks (sorry for TMI!) then even better.  So I was keen to try the dress version out in a printed ITY jersey.

I love how this dress feels to wear, but again it does feel a bit like a kaftan / pool cover up and I think it will take a bit of getting used to wearing in the city.  The pattern is really simple to sew and there are some great versions out there, I just don't love it yet as much as I wanted or expected to.

BurdaStyle 5/2016 - 115 ; On Me

Our floor renovation is finished thank goodness, it was a far messier job than I had anticipated, the flat was an absolute bombsite, the cats were traumatised and both my husband & I got sick with allergies from the mountains of sawdust.  I love the finished look, but would not do it again in a hurry!

During, before & after.

So, as promised I've taken some photos of both the dress and top from my last post.  For some reason my camera did not like the colour of my dress at all, it is a teal green and I've had to lighten the photos quite a lot so you can see anything.

The only change I made to both pieces was to topstitch the neckline seam allowance down, it's definitely helped it sit better, but I think a higher neckline and a smaller neckband might work better.   I'm really glad I raised the neckline, it would be falling off my shoulders otherwise so watch out for this if you decide to make it.

The dress unbelted, I like it more than I thought I would.  Still need that long necklace though.

Belted.  I'm more comfortable wearing it like this, it has a very grecian draped dress look to it.

 I really doubt the cape effect back will stay on the shoulders long in real life wear.

Here is the top - you can see the neckband collapsing a bit more here which is why I think either thicker material or a narrower band would work better.

BurdaStyle 5/2016 - 115 Top and Dress

Thank you for the comments on my last dress, it's been a while since I got excited enough to make a BurdaStyle pattern straight away, but the last few months issues have been really good I think.

This pattern from the May magazine might not be everyones cup of tea, but it reminds me of the 5/2010 - 105 drapy dress I have made numerous times.  I wear those a lot in our hot, humid summers so was keen to try a variation on the theme.

5/2016 - 115 A & B

I started with my usual Burda size 38, grading out to a 40 below the waist, but I ended up taking the  whole side seam in by at least a size, otherwise the armhole was way too low. and there is plenty of ease.  I also raised the front neckline (and shortened the neckband) as it looked a bit wide and low to stay in place on me.

This is a very easy top and dress to make and the sleeve detail adds a bit of interest.  The pattern pieces look like a giant t shirt, but the instructions are clear and as long as you remember that what looks like a shoulder seam is actually the armhole it's plain sailing.

The top is made from a panel print jersey that I'd originally intended to be used for a dress, but the dimensions of the panel were too tricky to make that work so I'm glad to put it to use as a drapy top instead.  I think this will work great with jeans and wedges for a casual look or dressed up with a pencil skirt and heels.

I really liked the look of the dress in the magazine and decided to make it up in a similar teal coloured jersey, despite reservations that the sack shape wouldn't really work on me - I figured I could always cut it down to a top.  I think I will keep it as a dress, I definitely prefer it with a belt, but I will get a long necklace and try that out too.

 You can see the "cape sleeve" detail better in this solid colour.

I'm currently trapped at home all week while contractors replace our floor throughout the apartment so these are only dress form pics for now, taken at night after they had left so they are a bit dark.  Everything is in a complete mess and covered in dust from having to make all our doors shorter and cutting planks of wood,  my cats are traumatised and I'm not enjoying it much either, but I know it will look good once it's over and I will take some modelling shots then.