curse you Burda!

Ok, maybe that post title is a little too harsh but we all like to give Burda Style magazine a kick now and again don't we? Anyway a few weeks ago I was reading a new to me blog, ReadyThreadSew, and Julie has set herself a Burda challenge for this year - each month to sew one item from every Burda magazine she owns for that month.  Given that she has issues going back to 2007, that's quite a challenge!

This really resonated with me, because I too have many Burda issues that I've never sewn from (which I'm sure many of us do) and given each issue here in Australia costs about $18 it represents a large amount of money that has never been realised.  But since I have a busy year coming up, I decided to do a 'lite' version of this challenge and sew one item from each newly arrived issue before the next issue comes out. And in the spirit of using what you have, I am going to use stash fabric for whatever I sew for this challenge - no guarantees about not buying any fabric for other projects though!

However I've been foiled before I even started, hence the post title.  Last Tuesday the January issue finally arrived in my letterbox and I had barely flicked through it when on Wednesday the February issue also arrived! But this not being my fault I've decided to forge ahead anyway and try to get two garments made before the March edition arrives (maybe next month?).

However the January issue is a bit of dud issue in my humble opinion, with only one or two patterns I would use and both not suitable to a preggo/post preggo body.  There weren't even any decent children's patterns either because it was filled with bizarre carnival costumes. The February issue has maternity patterns, which would have been more helpful some time ago and not three weeks before I'm due.....

But here are my choices, that I'm putting out there in the hope that I will follow through this time. From the January issue, I'm going to make top #113 which I plan to make in a fuchsia satin that I have in the stash.  I'll make this to my pre-pregnancy measurements with fingers crossed that I'll eventually get back there.  Perhaps I'll make wider seam allowances just in case.

From the February issue, I've decided to make the maternity pants # 125 even though I only have three (or so) weeks to go.  These are simple elastic waist pants which should be quick to make so I should get some wear from them before I pack away my maternity clothes. I think I'll make these from some khaki stretch cotton which I'm pretty sure I also have some stretch knit in the stash in a similar colour for the waistband.

Now I really must get cracking with my sewing, trying to get these two knocked over quickly so I can get back to the long list of 'must sew' items that I also need to do before the baby arrives.  Good thing I'm now on maternity leave, and I haven't got pesky work getting in the way!

And finally a big hello to the lovely Paola who surprised me early on Sunday morning (ok it was 8.30am but that's early for a Sunday) when I was trudging into our local swim centre for Anna's swimming lesson.  She bounded over with too much lots of energy to say hello, and since she sent me some Top Kids sewing magazines a few years ago it was good to meet her in person and say thank you.  So thank you again Paola, it was a lovely surprise and I hope your kids went really well in their swimming races.