Burda Handbook Blouse Novita's version

My sister-in-law got me Burda Style Handbook.
I was so happy!!!

Now I'm going tracing crazy...
I finished the muslin (tracing paper version) of 12/2011 dress 102, and since I don't have the fabric yet (I wanted to get Liberty fabric!), I decided to trace the blouse from Burda Style Handbook, Novita's version.
Few thoughts before I start to stitch this muslin paper...

You need to Trace patterns 1,2,3,4,5 and 7.
They mention that 3,4 don't need any alteration, and describes (with picture...nice!) how to alter 1,2 and 5, but nothing on 7.
7 is the front facing. I just traced as is.

Also from the technical drawing, I thought there was a back facing, but I guess it's just 2 pieces of back yoke.

The thing about this version is, although they show a clear alteration to this version, the added length/width is all the same for all sizes.
Just looking at the pieces, they all look pretty big, as I cut out size 37 (between 36 and 38) and added the same length/width as the biggest size, which is 46.
We'll see how it looks as I sew them.

1/1/2012 Happy new year!!

Update on this top...
I just love the new tracing paper...
I stitched them together and tried it on.
I did so many alterations and tried it on so many times, but the paper withstood all the handling.
Better yet, it just got softer like a fabric.

Anyways, on the pattern.
I just love Burda patterns... It just seem to fit me just right at the suggested size.

But as I suspected, all the flares looked too much.
I think it would be ok if the fabric is drapey (I think they used silk?) but I was planning to use linen blend, and I didn't know if it would drape that well.
So I took about 1cm off all the flares that was added to the patterns.

Also, i noticed that no matter what I make, my back always seem loose.
So i took in about 1cm from the center seams (total of 2cm) and also took in the side seams for 1cm only from the back pieces.

The finished muslin paperlooks really cute.
Tomorrow, I'll be cutting into the actual fabric!

1/4/2011
I finished the top, and love it! :)
Good thing I did a muslin fit, the altered back fit me perfect.
It fits me just right, and it's comfortable!
I didn't add the sleeves. I didn't think it would look right on me since I have broad shoulders.

Few things though, the armholes are kinda big...
I didn't notice it when I was making the muslin.
It might be perfect for layering, but it shows my bra if I don't wear anything underneath. :(
Another thing is, although it's a really cute design, because it flares toward the bottom, it might emphasize the hip if you have a bigger bottom.
Because of this reason it's hard to style the bottom with this top.
I don't think you should wear anything baggy to go with this, but it didn't look right with leggings either. :(
The best thing was short sgorts, but I tend to get cold and cramps if I wear anything too short for too long. :(
Hmmmm.....

If I was to make this again, I think I would lengthen the bottom and make a dress. :)

Swedish tracing paper

I just got my Swedish tracing paper and tried it out for the first time.
I used it to trace Burda 12/2011 dress #102.

Someone said that it's just an interfacing... And yup, that's what it felt like.
But it can see through fairly well, in fact as much as the gift wrapping tissue paper I was using.
The part I liked about it is that it's rolled, not folded so the tracing process went very smooth.

I made some errors without thinking through...
Here're some lessons learned:

1.when the pattern has a "fold", make sure you trace the other side also, not just the half.
The front and back bodice pattern was folded in half, and after I finished tracing both and started cutting, I realized...
"Wait, since I'm gonna sew this up and make it a muslin, I need to have all the bodice, not just half."
So i had to trace it over.

2. Make sure to add seam allowance to the tracing paper as well.
I'm so used to just cutting the pattern as is, then add the seam allowance when I cut the actual fabric...
But since I'm sewing this one, I need to add them to it.

So I cut the pieces and sewn only the side seams.
I taped up the front/back facings to the bodice, and also taped the shoulder seam.
Well, facing was fine, but I would recommend sewing the shoulder seam also...
When I tried it on, the tape on the shoulder seam came off.

Overall, it was really cool using this tracing paper.

Now onto the dress #102.
I've made about 3 garments from Burda magazine so far, and I'm just impressed with the fit.
Except for the pants, the tops fit me perfectly.
This dress was no exception.
I used this tracing paper as a muslin, but didn't need to do any adjustment.
It seemed to fit me perfectly.
The only thing is, because it's just a paper (although it acts like fabric) it doesn't really have any drape to it.
This dress was an A-line skirt, which I thought was a little widw at the bottom, but I didn't adjust anything because it might drape very differently with more drapey fabric.

The funny thing is, Burda pattns are for women size 5'6".
I'm 4'11", but the tops fit me perfect everytime (except shortening the hem, but I don't need to adjust any bodice).
I must have a really long torso and short legs...

Burda magazine 8/2011 Jacket 117

Jacket 117 from Burda magazine 8/2011.
With this lightweight Jersey crepe, it's more like a cardigan than a jacket.

Just by looking at the size, I thought I need an adjustment on the bodice length, since I'm 4'11'.
I tissue fitted, and it didn't look too bad, so I just cut it as is, with size in between 36-38.

This was an easy pattern.
I think i took longer tracing and cutting the fabric than actually sewing it.
Well, but that's just sewing, without any adjustment.

First I sewn in about 1/2in off the seam as it looked too big.
Then I cut the sleeves off about 3 inches, making it 3/4 sleeve.
I thought it looks kinda too heavy to have a black cardigan with full flounce.
Wait, I had to shorten my sleeves about 4 inches to begin with when I cut the fabric, so I actually cut about total of about 7 inches.

This lightweight jersey had more drape than I thought, so yup, the cardigan looks droopy (first triangular flounce comes around my waist) and long (down to my butt)
I don't really know how to do raglan sleeve adjustment, so I think I'm just going to cut some width off (about 2 inches) and and hopefully it will keep the same flounce effect.
And I'm also cutting the hem to my hip line.
We'll see how it turns out...

Sewable tracing paper!?

I was looking through the message board on www.sewing.patternreview.com, and found out that there's such thing as a sewable tracing paper.
You trace the pattn sew it like a muslin, make any necessary fitting adjustment, and then cut the fabric using this adjusted traced pattern.
WHOOOA, I NEED TO HAVE THIS!!!
I found it on ebay for $13 including shipping... Which is pricey compared to the gift wrap tissue paper that I'm using, but if you think that you don't need to buy any muslin fabric... It's a great buy.
I admit, I'm too lazy to make muslins, but after every project I wish I did...
once I finish, I need to make so many adjustment.
Especially now that use Burda patterns. It's made for tall people (well, people who are alot taller than me), and i seem to need to shorten everything.
It would be great to use a traced paper as a muslin.

I was thinking about getting some Liberty of London fabric... I found out that you can get them much cheaper through UK ebay.
I was excited to finally get my hands on Liberty, but was dreading that my finished garment wouldn't fit right...
i was thinking about making a muslin, so this tracing paper would be perfect!

Mesh border fabric

During the after Thanksgiving sale, I got this mesh fabric with borders.
I was trying to figure out what to make with this, and found this dress on Anthropologie.



So cute!!! My fabric look exactly the same... Hopefully I can make a dress like this.

Burda 7/2011 #114 top

Now I'm working on Burda magazine 7/2011 #114 top.
I thought it was really cute... Light weight jersey, casual but it's a wrap front so still has a little something, rather than just a T-shirt.

Now I have made two garments from Burda magazine, I'm pretty impressed with the fit.
With my silk chiffon top (still need to blog about it...), I made no fitting adjustment but it fit me perfectly.
But it was a pretty roomy style anyways.
This shirt is more fitting, but yet it still fits me perfectly. (so far)
The only thing with this top is that the front inside neck is to low. :(
i had a feeling, Since the picture seemed to have a low neck.
I should've checked it with tissue fitting.
Now I need to shorten the shoulder seam of this piece only, so it'll have a shorter hem.
At least it'll be covered by the top wrap pieces...

Burda 6/2011 #114

I made a pants from Burda magazine (7/2011, #114).
i own probably more than 20 pairs of pants, but none of them really fit.
I'm petite, with small hip but thanks to giving birth to two kids, and being lazy not doing much ab workout, my waist is unproportionally bigger.
So when i saw this pattern i thought it was a perfect project.
It has an elastic waist, but the pants still looks classy and even has pockets.
I thought "how hard can it be? Just make the suggested size, and it should be perfect."
Boy was i wrong.

Just to keep it short, these are what I did.
According to the sizing chart, I am size 36 hip and 40 waist. So...

1. Made 40 waist, 36 hip and below. Too big.
2. Made 38 waist, 34 hip and below. A little better but still too big. However 34 is the smallest on the pattern.
3. Took about 1cm overall. Fit bettr but crotch too long?
4. Cut crotch about 1cm at the waist. Better. Butt fits almost perfect, but baggy in the back.
5. Took 1cm on back side seam only bellow the butt. Much better. But something is off... My mom noticed that the front waist-mid thigh is too big.
6. Took 1cm on front side seam only, between the waist (below waistband) and mid-thigh.

Result? perrrrrrrfect!!!!! :)
Because it's an elastic waist, it's so comfortable. But because of the nice micro brushed twill, it still has a little officey classy look to it.
I love it, but if I was to make another pair of pants with this pattern, I'll probably use more drapey fabric.
I'm thinking about using a striped linen....

Shorts

While I wait for my Burda magazine, I need some projects!
I made shone pj for my son, shorten his long sleeve shirts to short sleeves...
Hmm... What else can I do?

I was going through all the fabric stash and came across the Kona cotton blue fabric I used for Simplicity 2444.
maybe it's enough material for shorts...
I've never made any shorts or pants with belt loops or hooks yet... This will be a good challenging project!

BTW this is the pattern I'll be using...
From Ruriko Yamada pattern book (Everyday wardrobe?).

Oops I can't upload a picture from my IPad. That sucks. :(