Burda 1/2025 #116 again

Here's the second time for this easy to sew pattern from BurdaStyle magazine. The first one was a lengthened version in terry toweling that was made to be a robe/swim coverup, and here's a link to the post.

This time, the pattern turned out to be a great solution for a problematic fabric. I'm pretty sure when I bought this that it was labeled 100% cotton. When it came, I was happy with how rich looking it was, a melange of different colors, with the burgundy predominating. It was flat and smooth like a heavy-ish shirting, and that was what was planned. But look what happened when it was pre washed! It drew up into a texture a little like a large waffle weave which made it even richer to look at, but that dashed my plans. By process of elimination (couldn't be a shirt, couldn't be a dress, couldn't be pants...) it was destined for jacketry.

It was also clear that to preserve the texture there was going to have to be a lot of hand basting and sewing, so I needed a very simple pattern. This little cropped jacket was the winner because with its extended shoulders and deep armholes, it would let me wear dolman tops underneath. I didn't have anything like that.

whole lotta texture

There was indeed a lot of hand sewing. The little patch pockets had to be totally done by hand. All of the seams that weren't vertical or close to it had to be hand basted. In most cases I did two rows of basting - one inside the seam allowance, and one outside. After checking that the seam length still matched the pattern (it was easy to draw up the lines of basting if the seam line had gotten too long), I stitched between the basting lines on the machine. Hems were all done by hand as well as the inside of the front band. I decided to leave off buttons and buttonholes.

I was surprised at how much I like this cropped length. Photo shows it with pants that I would never actually wear it with 😄, but gives an idea of the general look. One of the fabrics Burda recommends for this pattern is sweatshirting, and I'm thinking when fall rolls around I might whip one up using that material. It would be super cozy and comfy, and that one would be quick to make!

I've been on a bit of a sewing jag lately - lots of sewing but no documentation on the blog. Catch-up posts are forthcoming.

Burda 7/2024 #116

Quick project and just a quick note to document it. I have a pile of things that have been culled from the wardrobe that I would like to be able to re-cut and wear. A simple sleeveless shell pattern seems like the way to go for at least some of the old fabric. I have not had much luck trying to piece and/or color block with my out takes.

Surely the old Burda collection would have something? I didn't find a simple shell in my archives, but it was easy to envision lopping off the bottom of this mini dress and having the solution. Sleeveless, a neckline a little larger than a typical jewel neckline, diagonal bust darts. The dress is supposed to have a back zipper, but I was able to pull the top on without it. Yay! 

The fabric for my test garment was from stash. It was a tad rich for my blood when I bought it, so I skimped and only bought a yard. It was just the right amount for this shell. 

Fitting adjustments: forward neck and lowered the dart, done during the pattern tracing phase. I cut huge seam allowance on the sides, so the garment could be basted and let out as much as needed at the hip during construction.  Then modified the pattern for future use.

The neckline and armscye are finished with narrow bias facings from a co-ordinating scrap fabric. I'll draft facings for the future so there will be the option to use them. 

Fits fine. Super fast to sew. Will help me save some favorite fabrics from the scrap heap. The other TNT I need is a sleeveless top with princess seams that would enable me to squeeze the pattern pieces onto narrower scraps. That's on the to-do list!

Burda Caftan 5/2024 #122

For a long time I've wanted something loose and cool to slip on after a hot bath and for some reason never got around to making it - opting to settle for my flannel robe. When there just happened to be the right color thread already on the machine, along with a full bobbin, it seemed like the right time to finally find a pattern and make the thing.

It went together quickly and painlessly, just like a two-dot pattern should. The only tricky part is being precise when stitching in the placket pieces.

There are a couple of features that make this pattern a little different. The two bold placket pieces cross over each other, which gives a little interest. (The original in the magazine has some lovely tone on tone embroidery on the plackets.) The shoulder seams, which are quite extended, are curved rather than straight. I wasn't sure how the curved seams would work out, but they seem to hold the garment on my shoulders securely.

While this is relaxed and loose fitting, it's not oversized.

Alterations - This pattern is drafted pretty much straight up and down. I was not drafted that way so I altered the side seams for an A-line. Added length as the original is just below knee length. Shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length. Did a 3/8" adjustment for a forward neck & shoulders.

there are side vents

The placket pieces are drafted so that if you use the grainline provided, it matches up and continues the grainline of the front. I wanted a change of direction for the stripes of the seersucker I used. My only regret with this project is that I didn't interface the placket pieces. That's not a biggie, though.

I'd very much like to make this again using the placket pieces for the blouse that is made from the same basic pattern. The blouse has some pleating on the plackets, just the kind of detail I really like.

There are some other Burda caftans I'd like to make from older issues that have multiple vertical seams - enough that they'd really add some interest for a plain fabric, as well as fitting opportunities. These wouldn't have to be relegated to at-home wear. I like folkloric type styles and would absolutely wear them around town. Maybe they'll happen some time this summer.

Burda Plus shirtdress from 2006

This dress is from the Spring 2006 Burda Special issue, which was a plus-size magazine. I made it once before, way back when it first came out, and remembered liking its easy yet tailored fit. The bodice with vertical darts attaches to a skirt with four sections for a hint of fit and flare. Most of the other dresses I've made lately all have gathered skirts, so this was a nice change.

Only a small style change was needed. I sew a lot from Burda magazines, but almost always end up "dumbing down" their designs to suit my classic tastes. Many of their styles seem extreme to me with details that are just plain crazy. But they have solid drafting and I enjoy getting the magazines, so I stay alert for designs that have good bones. This dress features an absolutely huge collar stand and would probably look lovely on someone with a long graceful neck. I reduced the width of the stand by an inch and it is still oversized, but within my tolerance. I also opted to leave off the collar.

Line drawing to show the style

Tracing a pattern that doesn't have seam allowances makes it easy to alter while you trace. In this case I did shoulder alterations - 3/8" forward shoulder and 1/2" narrow shoulder. Some flat pattern measuring indicated that I would need a much larger size for the skirt than the bodice. That skirt has an A-line shape, but it's a narrow A. To fit the larger skirt to the bodice, I added darts that would line up with the darts on top.

It's not actually floor length. The dress form is a lot shorter than I am.

The fabric is a linen tencel blend that is woven like a lightweight denim. Because of that, and because I just felt like doing some slow sewing with extra nice finishing, I decided to do flat felled seams and have clean finishing throughout.

collar topstitching

Interfacing came from my scrap pile. I've never had much success when I've tried to repurpose old makes that didn't get worn much or that I outgrew, so they go into a pile.  I really prefer sew-in interfacings and have bemoaned how hard it is to find them. Duh! I've got a great big pile of interfacing, every weight imaginable. A compatible piece of linen was just right.

Sleeve and skirt hem finished with a double row of topstitching.
It doesn't show well in the photo but with a bit of washing
and wearing, it should become more pronounced.

Everything was going beautifully until it was time to sew the side seams on the skirt. I did a pin basting and tried it on...and wished that it had more ease. Unfortunately, that was the end of my dream of completely finished seams, because I was going to have to sew them at a mere quarter inch to get an extra 2" of ease all around. (Glad that I had allowed 5/8") After stitching, serging the seam allowances together, pressing to one side  and then edgestitching, I'm confident that they are strong enough to wear well.

This dress will be good for fall and winter wear, with its longer sleeves and long midi length that will hide the tops of my knee high compression socks! Thumbs up.

A Second Jacket From Burda 02.2024 #114

This is a pattern for a jeans-type jacket. All the skinny panels involved in that style, especially when it has two-piece sleeves, make it a good candidate for using up scraps from another project. That's what happened here. I first made this pattern last year - here's the post. It fit really well and I always intended to make it again.

For this version, I eliminated the pockets, cuffs, and bottom band; and included the collar from view #113 in the same Burda issue.

The seams are all flat felled (except the armhole) and topstitched with a double strand of thread to make it stand out against the striped fabric.

That fabric is a black and white stripe cotton that was described as a "suiting". It reminded me quite a bit of a pin cord, but not quite as supple. This had a lot of crispness and body. That helped to keep the flat fell seams nice and straight, but easing the sleeves was a real chore! Now that it's complete, I hope it softens up a bit with washing. It might even get a coke soak to see if that will help.

I was just able to eke out the pieces left over from making a pair of pants. The under collar was cut from a scrap from yet another project, and I had to piece the back. The martingale insert in the center back panel helps make the piecing look intentional.

The inside is pretty because of the flat felled seams. I think I used every foot in my arsenal to keep my stitching straight. The bias binding on the armhole and around the hem is from the same scrap as the under collar. It's a pale grey, not white.

Finished it off with fancy metal buttons that came in a button grab bag from Califabrics. I had tons to choose from but liked these the best.

This project just dragged on and on and seemed like a lot of effort for leftover fabric! But it's a nice lightweight jacket that fits in with my liking for neutral colors. I've known for a long time that it's best for me to stick to grey, taupe / natural, black, white, and shades of indigo; but when fabric shopping, I often got sucked into pretty colors and prints. The trouble is, I hardly ever wear those pretty colors and prints. I don't feel like myself in them. I feel best in neutrals that have some textural interest to them, and really need to spend my money and time on fabrics that suit me. "Pretty" is fun to shop for and fun to sew, but I sew mostly to have things that fit and that I feel good about wearing.

The grey plaid dress in the background of the first two photos was my palate-cleanser project after this jacket was finally finished and I'll blog it soon.

Four Simple Burda Tops

Long post ahead about things I'm very glad to have.

Here are four minimal (quick and easy to sew) tops made from the Burda Style magazine, all made over a long weekend. Tracing them back to back made it easy to compare patterns. I had thought that except for the tee shirt, they would all be basically variations of one basic pattern, but they were not. There were variations in shoulder slope, the depth of the armhole, and of course necklines from style to style. To me this shows that there is some thought - maybe even finesse - that goes into even these really basic shapes.

#113 from 02.2025  is a box top with darts, V neck, and deep sleeve bands.  It's also supposed to have center front and center back seams that I eliminated. The example in the magazine photo cut striped fabric on the bias so there is chevroning down the front and back. Darts in a box top seem like a good idea - they can help that box hang just a bit nicer. Sizing - I used Burda's size charts to pick the base size using my full bust measurement, then traced the shoulder and neckline one size smaller and afterward added about 3/8" at the hem for a total of an extra 1-1/2 inches of hip ease.

The fabric is an all-cotton double gauze.

The photo on the mannequin shows the original width of the sleeve bands. These would be fine if you were making the top in more of a blouse weight fabric, like a rayon challis or some silky type. With the dropped shoulder, it all adds up to a 3/4 length sleeve. The double gauze had too much body for such a wide band, so it was shortened to the elbow length you see in the modeled photo.

with shortened sleeve bands

If you trace #113, you actually have an option of sleeve lengths because you can simply leave the sleeve bands off and have a shorter sleeve. This is what Burda did for the related style, #114. That one is cut on grain, has a round neck with a quarter zip, and the shorter sleeves. The main pattern pieces are the same. So you can mix and match your options to make several different-looking tops from this pattern.

Next up, something even simpler. This one is 5.2024 #120. They don't come much more minimal than this dolman sleeve box top with a boat neck. Front, back, turn under the neckline, sleeves, and hems and you're done. I made a neckline facing and stitched it down because I'm not a fan of a turn-and-stitch finish there.

This was made up in a cotton/linen knit with no spandex. It has drape similar to a cotton interlock but hardly any stretch. A loose style that just hangs from the shoulders seemed to be the best choice. 

Tracing and sizes: again, I traced a size smaller than my bust size for the shoulders and then at the sleeve edge just continued on for two sizes (this lengthened the sleeve a mere quarter of an inch or so) and continued tracing the underarm and body using the larger size. Also added length to the body. I'm very pleased with the way this fits nice and securely on my shoulders. It's very comfy to wear and I like the way it looks, too.

The previous style in this magazine, #119, uses the same pattern pieces but with longer sleeves, longer body, and a V neck. So again, if you trace off all the options you can make a few tops that are not exactly the same.

This brings us to the third top. I sewed a white basic tee shirt. Who does that?? I did and I'm glad. This was a very nice fine cotton interlock. Beefier than the tees in the tees in the shop, it has a quality feel. I solemnly swear not to eat anything with tomato sauce when wearing this tee.

It's #127 from the 2.2024 issue, a very basic short sleeve tee with a round neck, loose fitting, with very subtle shaping in the side seams. Sleeves were lengthened to the elbow. When I use this pattern again, I'll narrow the shoulder seams a bit. 

Lastly, a shirt that is not plain white. It has a gray stripe! So here's a different loose knit top with a boat neck that is meant to suggest a breton-type stripe tee. This one uses the pattern 122 from the 9.2024 issue, which is supposed to be for woven fabric, but it's companion style, number 121, uses the same pattern pieces and is for knits. It's the same except the sleeves are cut wide all the way down and it has a turtle neck.

This stripe is a modal/lycra knit.

Although these tops were not challenging sewing, or exciting because of the print or color, they were not boring to make. Partly that was because the sewing went so quickly. The thing that really motivated me, however, is all the thinking I've been doing lately about a neutral wardrobe. It is fun to sew with pretty colors and fun prints, but I'm realizing that most of those kind of clothes don't get worn a lot. Those of us who sew do it for differing reasons. For some it's all about creativity, for others it's more like puzzle-solving. While I enjoy the activity of sewing, the real reason I sew is to make my own clothes. A collection of clothes made just the way I want them and that make me happy when I wear them is my reason. And that seems to mean a lot of white tops. 😉

Burda 08.2024 #117 Blouson Jacket

 

Disappointing.

I'm pretty sure that Burda made an error on this one. It's the first I remember encountering in many, many years of happy sewing from Burda magazines. More on the problem further on down in this post.

The current wider and barrel leg pants look best to me with shorter tops and jackets. A black lightweight denim jacket made sense for my wardrobe, especially with air conditioning season coming up, and a bomber-type would be a little change from the usual denim jacket style. Burda has had many adaptable patterns in the past six months or so, but none of them were styles that suited me straight from the pattern. I wanted raglan shoulders, so the model from last year's August issue was the one I decided on.

The line drawing shows the raglan sleeves and typical varsity jacket style collar, zipper, darts, and plain hems on the body and sleeves. The pattern also calls for lining and provides separate pattern pieces for it. 

I decided to convert the darts to princess seams and have elasticized bands on the body and hem, and clean finish for the insides rather than lining. None of those changes should have caused the problem I ran into.

Did I make a muslin? No, I did not. I could have saved myself a lot of work and disappointment if I had, but Burda is so, so reliable when it comes to drafting that I just jumped in. When I tried the jacket on, after the body was assembled and the collar was on, it was evident that something wasn't right. It just didn't sit or hang properly in back. 

To fix, I released the collar from the body in the back and let the back pieces drop and relax into position. Then I cut a piece to insert into the void, finishing the seams on the inside and topstitching to make it look at least somewhat intentional. If I had long hair the fix wouldn't be visible, but it would still bother me. 😄  Then I had to go back and re-draft and re-cut the facings, too, so that they would fit.

Here's the thing. The patch is exactly the width of the facing piece that would be used with the lining. That made me think that maybe I had traced the wrong cutting line (in the old days, Burda would sometimes use the same pattern piece with different cutting lines for linings), and that's when I discovered that there actually were separate pattern pieces for the lining. I double checked that I had traced accurately. There's still a possibility that there was some user error on my part, but I really do believe that there was a glitch on Burda's end.

I was really looking forward to having this jacket. The denim is extra, extra nice (I ordered another 6 yards because the weight and drape were just right!) and I do need a shorter black jacket. 

I'll wear this and give it a chance. There have been times when I felt really let down after a project and it still ended up being a favorite. Maybe all will be forgiven with this one, too, after a few weeks and a few wearings. The tracing, however, is already in the trash and this pattern will never be sewn again!

BurdaPlus 1.2023 #402 Dress

Here is a loose shirtdress from Burda. There are two views of this same basic pattern included in the magazine. One, the dress version, has a collar and stand. The shorter tunic version, has a neck facing turned to the outside. Both have long sleeves with cuffs and placket, and a tab to keep them in place when rolled up. Darted bodice, gathered skirt.

This dress was made because I didn't have enough of the brussels washer fabric to make the pants that were planned. There very nearly wasn't enough to make the dress, either, but I think the elbow length sleeves that I had to compromise on are a better choice for my climate.

The big news with this dress is that I tried a new-to-me alteration and it worked! I had made this pattern up before using just the bodice pieces as a shirt for a wearable muslin. Unfortunately, the shirt rode to the back and needed frequent pulling on the front to keep it sitting where it should. In the past, I've tried to solve that problem with all kinds of variations of forward shoulder adjustments that were never fully successful. 

Doing some research, I came across some old topics on Pattern Review that dealt with the issue. Some of the members said that their solution was to add to the back neckline.My test shirt shoulder seams for this pattern sat in the correct place when I first put the shirt on, or after I gave it a good yank to get it back into position. This made me think that the neck alteration would be a good one to try.

So here's what I did: slash from the curve in the back neckline to the curve of the armscye, and spread at the neckline. I spread 3/8 inch. This change means that the neckline facing/collar stand also need to be adjusted to match.

Yes, it worked! This dress sits nicely on my shoulders and doesn't want to move at all. It's a good day when you learn something so useful!

Other changes - I badly miscalculated on the fabric (for about a third time, ugh) and only had enough left to cut one of the front button bands. However, in the stash I had some rayon denim that, although it was not an exact match, toned in very well with the main fabric. In fact, I think having just that little bit of contrast makes the dress more interesting than it would have been. I made the facing and the button bands out of the contrast fabric. 

If I had realized I was going to be using contrast fabric for the trim when I was doing the breast pockets, I would have made top bands on the pockets out of the contrast. They were already completed, though, and the additional cuteness wasn't enough to make me want to unpick and re-do them.

Burda's instructions actually have you sew the shoulder seams, then sew on the facing (wrong sides together) and then turn the facing to the right side of the garment. Doing it that way would allow the exposed shoulder seam allowance to poke out at the neckline. Instead, I sewed the shoulder seams right sides together (towards the neckline) until the point where the edge of the facing would fall, clipped the seam allowance at that point, and then flipped the seam around to sew the rest of the way wrong sides together. That way, the shoulder seam allowances are enclosed under the facing and the inside looks like this.

I neatened up the serger threads later...

I shortened the sleeves to elbow length and finished them off with a stitched down cuff. Buttons were from a grab bag from Califabrics.

The dress has a cute shirt tail hem.

That's it for this dress. I have a number of dresses now that have gathered skirts on them. They sure are easy to fit, but for now I will try to diversify a bit and find some shift dresses or different types of skirts.

Spring is almost here! Happy spring to everyone.

Burda 01.2025 #116 jacket to bathrobe

Presenting my 2025 Resort Collection. 😄

First project of 2025 addresses my need for a swim suit coverup. I've started a water aerobics program and the walk from the locker room to the pool (and especially when wet from the pool to the locker room) is long and cold. This program was not part of a new year's resolution. I actually started right after Thanksgiving because I didn't want my efforts to meet the fate of most resolutions! A couple of months' experience at the gym let me know what I wanted in the way of equipment/accessories. Something absorbent and warm was top priority. This robe should take the place of the extra towel I've been packing.

Rather than search for terry cloth yardage, I found some oversized beach towels on sale at Land's End. 3 of them gave me plenty to work with as far as positioning and matching stripes, and kept fabric costs low. They shrank up a bit and thickened considerably after a pre-wash. It's really kind of like a french terry, with loops on one side and a smooth surface on the side with the stripes.

Here it is, fresh out of the dryer, and photographed without pressing because that's how it will always be seen. In fact, it will usually be fresh from the gym bag and will probably look a lot worse.

Style-wise, I wanted something just a little different from the usual kimono bathrobe. Something that would cover up my neck a little bit for added warmth. Something without a lot of seams to shed terry cloth lint. This unlined jacket from the current issue of Burda Style had a raised neckline and loose goes-over-anything kind of fit.  It had caught my attention because the original length, just below the waist, would make it a great little jacket to go with wide legged, high waist pants. 

Another attractive feature was the way the sleeves are narrow at the wrist. That's an easy alteration to make, but it was nice to see them that way in the line drawings and photos. The effect of a loose fit can be offset a bit by just tapering the sleeves.

One nice thing about tracing patterns id that it alerts you to drafting niceties. That shoulder line might appear straight , but when you put a ruler on it the slight concave and convex curves become apparent. There is shaping and draping built in there. Thank you, Burda. 

No changes other than adding at the bottom to make it knee length, and removing the slight taper at the hem - cut it straight up and down.

Construction was really simple since there are just three main pattern pieces. Burda gives the pattern two dots out of four for difficulty, but the only thing remotely challenging is the neckline dart.  Unless the fact that this style has traditional Burda instructions rather than the more complete, illustrated instructions that some styles have gets it an extra dot.

My only construction problems came because of the thickness of my fabric. The serger balked, so my seams were finished with zig zag overcasting on my regular machine. Actually, the stitches sink into the pile so that no one could tell the difference anyway.

In the magazine, they made this little jacket in a boucle-like fabric they say is a jacquard and also a very chunky knit. Both are cute. Simple lines like this are a good showcase for interesting fabrics. They also recommend sweatshirt knits and firm jerseys. All would be nice and cozy. I could see making this again with the intended short length when a really interesting knit comes along.

Burda Plus basic shirt and buttons that lie

Do you wear a lot of shirts? I do. Knit tops often make me feel lumpy, while wovens just skim over everything. I've been wanting a new TNT pattern for a basic shirt since spring, and have just managed to get the first iteration of it completed before the end of the year.

It's funny how you can flip through years of Burda magazines and not find what you want if you're looking for a basic style. The pattern I finally settled on is from the Fall 2008 issue of Burda Plus. Stripped of its style details, it had the features I was looking for: 

Collar with stand

Bust darts

Yoke with shoulder shaping (not just a back piece whacked in two)

Slight shaping at the side seams

Relaxed, but not oversized, fit

This pattern was easy to adapt and only needed a couple of design changes to become a master pattern. The original had a concealed button placket that I modified to be a cut-on self-interfaced front band. I also replaced the band and flounces on the sleeves with a standard cuff and tower placket. Added a center back pleat. And I traced the front vertical darts but did not sew them for this version.

The smallest size for this pattern is a 46. Normally, for a Burda plus-sizes, I'd use a size 44, sizing down using the method described in this blog entry . But since I wanted an easy fit, size 46 was just fine, blending out to a 48 below the waist.

The fabric is a really nice midweight cotton flannel from Califabrics. I loved that it combined 3 neutrals with a dash of red. There were no issues with the drafting. There was minimal ease in the sleeve cap, eliminating the need for that double row of basting stitches to help with easing. For some reason, I really dislike having to run and pull out those basting stitches! Interfacing was fusible tricot from Emma One Sock which gave the right amount of body to the collar and cuffs. 

Fitting alterations: none besides the blending of sizes. Next time I make this I will try a small forward shoulder adjustment and shorten the sleeve a bit. 

After auditioning several buttons, the ones that looked most at home were these that proclaimed the shirt to be "Authentic Lee". That's not true, but I doubt anyone will be getting close enough to read my buttons.

Another little extra has added more fun to my sewing than anticipated. I finally ordered some sew-in labels because I wanted something to help me tell the back from the front in some garments. The ones I got are printed on wide cotton twill and are not at all scratchy. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy having my own brand on my clothes! They are getting sewn into everything now, even if it is easy to tell the back and front apart.

This will be a much-used pattern and I look forward to making lots of variations on the shirt theme. There are so many distinctive little things you can do to them.  Glad to finally have this in the pattern drawer, ready to go!

I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok