Burda Style Magazine 01/2009/106

As soon as I received this January 2009 issue of Burda Magazine, I traced this pattern. Then, I couldn't seem to find the right fabric. When I discovered this paisley knit from Fashionista Fabrics, I immediately thought of this pattern. I love the blouse so I think that I made the right choice. I probably thought of it because some version of it has appeared in several blogs recently.

I like these sleeves so much! At first, I was afraid of them but they went together easily.

I used Gigi's method of sewing the center panel bottom to the gathered cuff first. Then, I sewed the vertical seams. It worked like a charm. The corners even look pretty good. I'm so thankful that there are so many talented bloggers out there.

I'm working on a red skirt to wear with the top. Then, I'll model the outfit for another post. I need to get that skirt finished this week. As you can see from the top of my blog, I've joined Barbara's white shirt sew-along. I need a white shirt so this is the perfect opportunity to get it done. I want to get going on it so that maybe I can finish it with the group!

The Sophia Carry-all

I love Amy Butler's Sophia Carry-all. It's small enough that it doesn't overwhelm my small frame, but big enough to carry around my stash of "stuff". The pattern description is: "Inspired by romantic travel films of the eary 60's. Stroll around town with this comfortably sized carry-all." Yep, I've done some "strolling" with my new bag although it is more of a Spring/Summer accessory.The inside is fully lined with pockets on both sides. I wasn't able to get a decent photo after it was finished, but did take one photo while making it. On one side I made two pocket per the pattern. On the other side I made three pockets with one to fit my cell phone.

The instructions are very detailed with lots of pictures to show the sewing steps. It was easy to make and would be a great pattern for someone who is sewing their first purse. Many thanks to Sigrid who sent me the pattern in her giveaway.

This carry-all has been finished for a while. DH has had back problems that are extremely painful. Also, my 15 year old cat, Harry, has been sick. As a result, I've done very little blog reading and even less sewing. DH is feeling much better. The plan is to start doing sewing again!

DeBubbled Delight

This is Burda Style Magazine 05/2010 #106. The Burda description is "The dotted batiste dress is just right for summer. The balloon effect is achieved by a shorter skirt lining that is attached to the hem edge of the dress. The casing elastic in this seam then gathers or "puffs" the hem edge". When I made the bubble version, I did look like a "balloon" and the "puffs" definitely were there. I have enough "puffs" of my own, thank you Burda. I quickly found the seam ripper and burst the bubble.Overall, I like this revised version a lot. I especially like the final neckline although I needed to do several muslin revisions before I felt comfortable with it. I raised the neckline 1 inch and moved it 5/8 inch closer to the neck. I took 1 inch from the center of the bodice and lengthened it by 1 inch. Also, I did a 1/2 inch petite adjustment. I had to fiddle with the back darts a lot. I can't remember exactly what I did now. I did raise and move them. In the final dress, I reduced the side seam 1/2 inch from top to bottom. Despite the muslin fit, the dress was too big in this fabric. I learned a lot about fitting during the process which required a lot of experimenting, trying again, etc. etc. I do like this more fitted look in the top. The trick for me is getting it to fit and still be comfortable. I'm proud of my end results and learned quite a bit that I believe I can apply to other garments. Also, I was delighted with the fabric match of the back invisible zipper.

The fabric is 100% cotton from Fabric Mart. These pictures were taken after running several errands. Although it was hot and humid, the fabric is barely winkled. Amazing!!

On the down side, I wish that I had paid more attention to fitting the skirt. The full skirt is very comfortable, but it could lose about 3 inches in width to make it more A-line. When Shannon made her version, she changed the skirt to a sheath dress. For me, I don't think that the width needs to be reduced that much, but some reduction in width is definitely needed for de-bubbling.

I enjoyed wearing this dress and know that it will get lots of hot summer wear. It also came close to following Trinny & Susannah's rules for my body type. The square fitted top is recommended for my vase upper body and the slightly (I had too much) flared skirt of my lollipop lower body. Of course, I ignore their "rules" on a regular basis but I like using them to try new garment ideas. I love it when it works!

The Sophia Carry-all

The very talented Sigrid had a giveaway to celebrate her 400th post (wow!). I won the Amy Butler Sophia Carry-all Pattern.
My dress is hanging in the closet before I hem it later this week. Meanwhile, I've started working on the purse. I don't care for the fabric used for the pattern photo. My main body will be winter white linen with cocoa cording and handles. The lining is a cocoa and white print.

So far, everything is cut out and the cording is ready. It's really more of a purse than a carry-all. It's big enough to carry all my stuff and not too big for my short frame. This project will be the finale of summer sewing. There's still a lot of warm weather ahead in sunny Florida, but I'm ready to start on more transitional Fall sewing.

A Cool Summer Top

I've wanted to make this S2570 for a while and, finally, got to it. For summer, I usually prefer a brighter color than this pale purple fabric. Also, the fabric is very lightweight so I wasn't sure how it would work. In the beginning, I expected this top to be a muslin.

I am pleased with the result. The pattern is easy is to sew. I increased the seam at the shoulder by 1/2". Next time I'll do a 1/2" petite adjustment which should make the armscye smoother. I should have done a full bust adjustment but didn't. I had to let out the seam around the bust area. The fabric does wrinkle easily which is my only real problem with the blouse. I started taking pictures outside which did not work because of the glare and the humidity. The result of fiddling around with pictures is a crumbled blouse. At the same time, I fit in with the crowd. With a heat index over a hundred, everyone is a bit crumbled. I do like this pattern and definitely will make the blouse again. I also like the jacket which probably go on my sewing list for next Spring. I've got to think ahead! Right now, I'm developing a rather long list for Fall and trying to find time to finish my summer projects.

Excited About a Dish Rag

I've wanted to learn to knit for a long time. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, I finally took a class at JoAnns. Probably, I just needed to spend some time working on the basics. I suppose that this is more of a practice sample than a dish rag. It looks like a dizzy something with a broken heart. The teacher got me started but neither of us could figure out why I kept picking up an extra stitch in some rows. About half way through, the light hit. I was picking up a stitch from the row below at the beginning of the next row. My photo shows where the new knowledge hit! I'm proud that the stiches are reasonably even. Also, I was able to follow a pattern and finish a project (despite the mistakes).I've started another knitting project, a simple shell. I'm amazed that I understand the pattern. So far, have measured for fit. Getting the correct gauge is my next challenge. I now know why people find knitting and crocheting so relaxing. Knitting will never take the place of sewing, but it will find its way on my project lists. I know that I have a lot to learn, but I believe that I can do it. I just have to take it slow and not attempt that complicated top that I love! That top will go on the list sometime in the future.

Life is getting in the way of my sewing, but I'm slowly making progress through my summer list. I've finished a top and will post pictures later this week. I have a Burda dress almost completed after a number of muslins (plus tears and temper tantrums). Learning requires getting through the frustration, right?

I'm off to finish chores and, hopefully get back to that dress later today.

Thinking About Proportion

I've done more thinking than sewing during the past month. Hopefully, the results of all that "brain work" will be positive in the future. What I have finished, I like for the most part.

This skirt is S2698 and the top is S4275.

The skirt is a Project Runway pattern with options for the yoke and pleated skirt. I used Yoke B and Skirt F. I think that I have a guide for skirt length that seems to work consistently for me. I've tried a number of different methods and the length is usually about mid-knee. This method gives me a slightly longer skirt that I like better. The formula comes from the late Shannon Gifford. I measured from waist to floor using masking tape to hold the tape measurer for an accurate reading. This number is then divided by 5 to get a base number. The base number is then multiplied by 2, 3, and 4 for proportional skirt lengths. My waist to floor measurement is 39, divided by 5 is 7.8. The first length, times 2, is 15.6 which is way too short for me. The second length times 3 is 23.4 which is perfect for me. (Since I get blurry eyed with too many fractions, I just use 23.5 that is easier to measure.) The top is approximately 7.8 inches from the waist. Since I am almost flat in the hip area, there really isn't any "widest part" to consider in the measurement.

I like the square neckline and the flair of the skirt. I also like the slightly more fitted knit top. The outfit is close to the suggestions from Trinny & Susannah for my "vase/lollipop" body type.
I think that the skirt is a bit too wide although it fits. It comes to close to breaking Shannon Gifford's rule of "no skirt should appear wider than its length". While I love the pockets on this skirt, I think that I'll look better in a more streamlined skirt. If I do make the pattern again, I'll use skirt I which has more pleats and should have a narrower appearance. I may just use the pockets on another skirt pattern. The back does not have any pleats and appears more proportional to me.

I needed a pair of functional shorts that I wear to play, tumble, and climb trees. I made Burda 07/09/113. Although they don't fit as well as I would like, they work. I need to take in the waist another inch (Wow! I love the results of that Firm Body Tape). Next time, I'll take in the side seams a little. The pattern was drafted for cuffs which I eliminated. The shorts would appear better if they were more fitted overall. I won't do that. To me, they are an example where function is more important than style. After all, no one is going to notice how I look (other than acting silly) when I'm rolling around on the floor or racing somewhere. The length of the shorts is my 2/5 skirt measurement (15.5). It works for me for shorts. I think that the top length works for shorts as well as skirts

On another note, I've been reading "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. That has cut into my sewing time because it's a hard book to put down. It's a long book but worth reading. I still have another 200+ pages to go. The reviews say that it will keep you up at night. I read until I'm blurry eyed. Now, I need to get back to sewing. I want to finish a top that I'm making so that I can start on the summer dresses. If I don't get going, it will time for Fall sewing!