Burda of the month: 7/2012 #116

Thanks for all your lovely comments on the jacket in the last post: I was a bit hesitant about wearing it out but you've all persuaded me otherwise.  Although I do suspect that all of you lovely ladies subscribe to the if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all school of thought 'cos I don't often get critical or horrible comments!

Angela - I once did a whole post (here) on tracing paper for use with the Burda mags, and the comments to that post are really helpful in finding good sources of tracing materials.  I've since changed from rolls of paper to rolls of cheap, thin interfacing for tracing - the patterns are bulky when folded up in an envelope but the pattern is more durable, doesn't always need to be pinned to the fabric because often the fabric grabs the interfacing and it doesn't shift when cutting, and best of all it's usually cheaper than tracing paper too!

Julie (ReadyThreadSew) - if I hadn't been scouring this issue to make something for the sake of my challenge (which I'm doing thanks to you!) I probably would have overlooked this pattern too.  I'm usually a sheep when it comes to making a pattern, rather than a pioneer but I was pleased to see that I was sort of on trend in making a bomber jacket when I saw that bomber jackets (albeit with less crazy collars than mine) are an 'item of the season' according to the September issue of Madison:

The July Burda issue was a bit of a blah issue for me, and again I found it rather difficult to choose something to sew.  It was full of drop waisted dresses, shapeless shirts and tops, and what can best be described as a walking sandwich board (7/2012 #118):

The two best patterns in this issue IMHO are the two plus sized dresses, but I have neither the patience nor the required skills to grade down, so in the end I settled for top 7/2012 #116.  It's not breastfeeding friendly or child friendly since I made it from silk, but I'm hoping one day to venture out sans children and when that day happens I'll be ready!

Looks pretty cute doesn't it? I used a cream coloured silk with tiny little grey circles on it that I had in the stash, with a white polyester layer underneath.  The pattern calls for the inner layer of fabric to be sewn to the outer layer as interlining, but I chose to keep my two layers separate, joined only at the neckline and underarms.  I made the white under layer a little longer so that it would peek out at the sleeves and hem, and instead of binding the edges with self fabric bias I made roll edged hems instead.  The other change I made was to sew a casing at the neckline and insert a narrow elastic instead of gathering the neckline and shoulder seams and binding the edges - I did this because I was too lazy to do the gathering or make the bias!  Plus doing an elasticised neckline meant I also didn't have to do the opening at the back either.

But, and sadly there is a but:

Sadly this top is a major craft fail and is unwearable.  And because I don't have any fabric left I can't repair it either, all I can hope is to remake it into something else because I do like this fabric.

When I finished the top it fitted nicely around the neck, but gaped so widely under my arms that a good view of my bra strap was available.  So I pinned it in a bit at the sides and took in the side seam a few centimetres down each side.

Did I mention that apart from the top stitching for the elastic casing at the neckline I sewed all of the seams for this top on the overlocker, to save doing French seams? Well I did, which made it very quick to sew but it's a rather final way of making something.  And so when I came to take in those side seams along where I had pinned it I just used my overlocker, instead of basting the seam like any sane sewer would do.  And clearly I took in too much along those side seams, because now it is so tight that the top rides up and causes those strain lines you can see in the above photos.  Sigh.

So, lesson learned - less haste, less waste; measure twice, cut once; blah blah blah blah.  I may make this again in another fabric because it is a nice simple top that would look good over jeans for casual wear or even under a suit when I go back to work.  And with the changes I made (apart from the major stuff up of course) it was pretty quick to sew.

But for now onwards to the August project which is traced but not cut out yet.  And the September issue arrived the other day and it's really good - I love their autumn issue!