Hi there! Thanks for all the nice comments on my hot pink skirt. A few people asked about the top I had on the dressform with it. Yes, I made that too, and you can read about it
here. Angie wanted to know about the lining fabric. I'm sorry to report it is nothing special and is probably that cheap acetate stuff. I like to use Ambiance when I can but I usually buy it off Fabric.com and they have limited colors. That hot pink was purchased at JoAnn's.
So, the February Burda didn't disappoint. I found several designs that I can certainly see in my wardrobe. This first dress, 101, is
SO pretty in the magazine. It's a simple shape but the fabric they've used is gorgeous! Too bad "white organza with taffeta appliques" isn't a fabric I ever come across. However, I do have a pretty floral stretch charmeuse in my stash begging to be sewn in this pattern. Look for that in spring.
This next top, 102, is like the first dress only without the skirt and with a horizontal seam under the bustline. It's for a stretch fabric. Hmmm, why the zipper, then? I just love the shape of the neckline and the extended shoulders. I'll bet we'll be seeing a bunch of these made up shortly. Little knit tops are always popular patterns from the magazine.
Wowza, skirt 103 is one hot little number. On page 13 they show the back of it made up in a pinstripe. I just love the way the lines come together along the center back seam to make a chevron pattern. Perhaps I'll use that black stretch suiting with pink pinstripes I picked up last fall.
The boucle they've used for this next jacket is not my favorite, but I really like the blackline drawing of it. It's the ribbon trim that I adore, along with the two-piece sleeves with buttoning bottoms.
I have a hard time finding shorts I like in stores. They are always either too short or too long. For the past few summers I have taken to wearing fitted capris that end right under my knees, as seen
here. Well, I like the shape and length of view B of design 122, and think I will give them a try come summer.
This whole safari-inspired outfit looks super cute to me. I can't wear that tan color anywhere close to my face, but a nice army green would probably do the trick. I love the big pockets and tie belt.
How about you? Did I miss any of your favorites?
I loved this pattern the second it came out in the fall. Such an interesting and unordinary design! And the way it is sewn together with darts running along the bias hidden under tucks was fascinating. I bought fabric for it and cut it out right after New Year's. However, I never thought I would be able to finish it due to technical difficulties. My machine absolutely hated sewing on this material. It's what initially made my bobbin housing break. After that was fixed, the stitches kept skipping and skipping. Believe me, I tried every technique known to man to get it to sew properly. Then I took it back to the repair shop to see if it was misaligned when it was serviced. I cried. I put it aside and made other things. (I NEVER do this. If I start a project it is always either completed or tossed out.) Somewhere along the line I remembered an old Viking sewing machine (purchased in 1976) my MIL had given me years ago. Usually I get rid of things that aren't used regularly, but I held on to it for some reason. It made horrendous noises before it got warmed up, and has zero bells and whistles, but it can sew on doubleknit fabric without incident. Anyway, here's the dress:
What is this highly offending fabric? Just a Sophia doubleknit from Fabric.com. It actually has no displeasing qualities, and I don't know why it gives my sewing machine such fits. It's a nice quality knit and a good weight for garments that need a bit more structure. Incidentally, while I was perusing the fabrics at Hancock's the other day, I happened to look at their collection of Ponteroma knits. They are the exact same thing as this Sophia doubleknit IMO. The only difference is that Hancock's charges $9.99 a yard, but with a JoAnn's 50% off coupon, I can get it for $5.00 instead. Which certainly beats the Fabric.com price of $10.99.
There's nothing like taking pictures to showcase all your flaws. After these were taken I realized I need to wear a full slip and a different bra. Blah! But cute tucks, right?
I have this thing about wanting my garments to look congruous, so the double turned 5/8" hem on the sleeves per the pattern instructions looked out of place on a garment with a 1.5" hem on the skirt. I decided to cut the sleeves longer so that they could be turned up the same 1.5". Then they were whipstitched in place by hand:
It was the perfect length without a hem in place, and was my mistake not to take note of the finished length printed on the envelope back before I cut it out. That was easily solved by making a hem facing that I stitched to the bottom of the dress with a small SA. It was whipstitched in place as well:
I am currently in love with this winter white color and have a few more things to make using it. Up next is a short white corduroy skirt that I'm halfway done with. The invisible zipper broke while I was inserting it last night. The corduroy is a little thick and there are several horizontal seams running through the zipper seam. I just bought a regular zipper today and will be attempting a lapped zipper for the first time in several years. More to come!
