Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Burda 6771 - Wrap shorts in kitty border print

I try to steer clear of juvenile fabrics since I'm in my *cough* late 30's and don't want to appear like I'm desperately hanging on to my youth, but this fabric just begged me to buy it. It's a purple and red cat print bamboo twill from Moodfabric.com, and is still available as of this morning. Mood labeled it as being a "Famous Designer" fabric but I'll just spill the beans and tell you it's from Anna Sui. It's long and thin with a border of maroon and red stripes and I had no idea what I was going to do with it. Inspiration hit while perusing the Burdastyle pattern book and I settled on a wrap shorts style, 6771.


I ended up needing all three of the panels I bought. These are a few inches shorter then the original design due to the narrowness of the print. I cut a size 38/12 and made no adjustments for fit. I finished the edges and pre-washed my fabric so that I could wear these guilt free during the hot Texas summer. This bamboo twill is thin and mostly opaque. I'm living dangerously and will have to avoid getting my picture taken with bright flashes but I really didn't want to add a lining or underlining. Time will tell if I regret my decision.


I had to carefully line up the cats at the center front and back seams, but there are no side seams to worry about so that was nice. These kitties do like to change their direction from time to time.


I used an invisible zipper at the back and cut my facings from a remnant of lavender lining. All exposed edges were finished with the overlocking stitch on my sewing machine. The hems are all narrow and topstitched carefully.




Mood has a yellow color way of this exact print that I was tempted to get instead (as I love all things yellow) but I am trying to branch out and add other colors to my closet. I'm proud of myself for finding a way to use this unusual fabric, but I can't tell you how many interesting border prints I have in my stash that I'm still scratching my head about how to use. I have a hard time passing up unique fabrics.

Note: This fabric was purchased with my Mood fabrics monthly allowance, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network.

38 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, how adorable! Brilliant use of that print--love it!

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  2. I love the way you use the panel print. Creative and not predictable.

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  3. Oh, I saw this fabric when I was in Mood during a NYC trip. I loved it then, and love it even more now! Very creative use of this fabric.

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    1. Thanks Cathy! It sounds like a lot of people have noticed it.

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  4. I love it. Cats, purple and orange together ... it's got it all. Plus a cooling fiber content for the intense heat of a Texas summer. Yay!

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    1. Thanks Lin! I'm glad this orange doesn't remind you of hated gym clothing. ;)

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    2. It's been 45 years. The scars still linger.

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  5. Really cute and they suit you perfectly! I think the bold colors keep it from looking juvenile at all. I had to see what Anna Sui did with the fabric and found this skirt: https://www.net-a-porter.com/us/en/product/507915/anna_sui/printed-bamboo-twill-skirt Similar use of the border but I like the proportions of your shorts better!

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    1. I pinned a picture of that skirt when I was thinking of ordering the fabric, and really did plan to copy it, but then this pattern came on the scene and I went in another direction. I very much liked the idea of not having to fuss with matching side seams. Thanks for your comment Helene.

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  6. Really nice! Perfect for summer days - and absolutely wearable for women in our age.... ;) . I've just seen this fabric two days ago in Moods L.A.! Greetings from California!

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  7. You nailed it! The colors are perfect on you, and I agree with Helene - the boldness of the colors keep it from looking juvenile.

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    1. I think you are right - a pastel color way would be too cutesy. Thanks Lisa!

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  8. I like the yellow fabric because those are the colors of the Jamaican flag 😃 I like your shorts. I would have stabbed myself over those narrow and topstitched hems.

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    1. This fabric wasn't shifty so the narrow seams weren't that hard fortunately. Thanks Renee!

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  9. The pattern has more of an "Asian" feel to me and not juvenile imho. Great job as usual and very mush a designer look I think.

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    1. Ooh, thanks so much! I'm so glad it looks like a designer piece!

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  10. I think these shorts a cool and grown up, the fit well and look so good on you. The border stripes are fab.

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  11. What a work of beauty! LOVE the fabric and those shorts surely make it justice!

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  12. I have been seeing this print in different color ways on the Internet. I haven't seen anyone make shorts. Beautifully done!

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  13. I would love to see your sewing room. I am in the middle of converting an extra room into my sewing room. I would love to see how you store threads, fabric and all the extras that go along with sewing!!! Also interested in the furniture that you have...like do you cut your fabric on the floor or table..do you have a smaller table in your sewing room? Right now I only have my ironing board to work on. Just an idea for a future post.

    I love you blog and check in regularly to see what you have sewn.
    Thanks
    Janice

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    1. I would one day really love to have my own sewing room. However, since we are a family of 6, it's just not feasible in our current house. I have an old desk in the corner of the master bedroom, with an ironing board beside it. The single drawer of that desk holds my threads. I have several small bins that hold my buttons and notions in the bathroom closet. My fabrics are in bins, piled on top of the DVR, and on top of the dresser. They are quite out of control right now and I really need to reorganize and get rid of a lot of it. (My husband is not a fan.) I would do a post about it if it was in any way glamorous but it's not. In 20 years when my kids are grown and mostly out of the house I will get a designated space for my hobby. Also hopefully more time to devote to it.

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  14. I think the sophisticated colours and border print stop the kitty print from looking juvenile. I think it's a great print and the use of the border on the wrap bits is brilliant.

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  15. Love these shorts on you and how well you matched the cats. Such a fun and whimsical fabric!

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  16. Interesting, cute, and looks great on you!

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  17. I love Anna Sui's fun prints. I saw a coat dress a retired business lady made using a Dolce and Gabbana print that was a child's drawing. It was more fabulous than the designer's dresses made from the fabric. She shared how someone tapped her on the shoulder at the horse races and said "excuse me, but someone has been scribbling on your dress". Clothes should bring joy to our world.

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