Burda 09/2012 #130

Rusty Warmth

~ Tia Dia ~ 17 Comments

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This was the first post-vacation project that I managed to complete last month.  It was simple, the colour was inspirational and I wanted a sweater.  It turned out better that I thought it would, but not as nice as I hoped it would.  It’s a simple cowl-necked sweater pattern from Burda 9/2012 #130.  It’s been popping up all over sewing land because it’s only 3 pieces, very simple to make and interesting with the elastic ruching in the extra-long sleeves (an extra 8 inches long on my standard-length-no-alterations-required arms) and up the left side seam. B 09-2012-130 I extended the elastic up to 2 inches below the armscye to get the proportion right on my short-waisted torso.

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It was well above freezing when these photos were taken, but still in the “need a coat zone”.  OK.  So I like the simplicity of construction, the cowl and the asymmetrical hemline, but what don’t I like about it?  Well, I cut a size down and did no alterations at all – no FBA or short waist adjustments – and it fits except for the almost 8 inches of width through the waistline.  But I’m leaving the fit as relaxed as it is because I don’t have a relaxed fit sweater like this in my wardrobe and I’m feeling like trying new things this 2013.

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I love the colour and the idea of the sweater.  It’s super comfy and easy to wear and the sleeves don’t get in the way, despite their extreme length. You can get an idea of just how sheer the material is from this shot.  A camisole or tank is required.

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My happy dance:  it was quick and simple to sew and it’s surprisingly warm for such a sheer knit.  This was enough of a good thing to get me to cut and sew other projects, which you’ll see soon!

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Winter Vogue 1250

~ Tia Dia ~ 18 Comments

Vogue 1250 dark

Have you all survived the Christmas whirl of food, gifts, visiting; repeat?  Our Christmas consisted of a rambunctious Christmas Eve (with requisite ball skirts) and a very quite Christmas Day in PJs.  And today is our first 6 inches of snow!  *happy happy snow dance*  Now it feels like Christmas!  🙂

Last week, in the middle of the preparation rush, I made up a winter version of Vogue 1250, simply because I had extra of  “the ugliest fabric I’ve ever seen”, according to DD3. But how could I refuse when it’s full of interesting patterns and so many of my favourite colours? It’s a heavier ITY knit from EmmaOneSock.  It’s a patchwork pattern that is printed in blocks, and I thought it would be great for a casual Burda top.

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I used #130 from the 9/2012 issue.  It was sewn on a whim, and literally took about 1 hour to cut and sew, with fitting towards the end. I significantly altered the pattern as you’ll see.

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The top is 30 inches from the back neck. I didn’t want a tunic that long, so I shortened it to 24 inches. It’s also very loose fitting, and I didn’t want to need to wear a belt, so I scaled down a size through my hips.  I wanted it to stay at hip level and not slide down to mid-thigh length.

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The instructions were very simple to follow, for me, but I’m getting used to Burda’s way of writing, I think. They suggested trimming the seam allowance from the back neckline, adding ribbon to the right side of the seamline, turning it in and stitching it into place. I used a strip of the ITY cut on the cross grain instead – simply a personal preference!

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I added about 3 inches to the depth of the neck facing so there’s no risk of the wrong side flipping out.

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And sandwiched the facing with the shoulder seams.

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This is in the instructions, and it’s a great and easy way to attach a cowl facing neatly and securely.

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I shortened the sleeves and did gather the bottom. It would have been bulky in the ITY, and my previous experience with such gathered sleeves is annoying for my current work requirements around the house!

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The Vogue dress is odd, but I’m liking the oddness of it. When I put it on to check fitting, DH remarked that it was a nice dress.

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Unfortunately, I didn’t quite have enough fabric, so the skirt is one size smaller than it should be. To remedy this, I stitched the “side seams” (very long darts in reality) with a 1/4″ seam allowance and added a 2 inch strip down the CB of the skirt. It’s not the prettiest, but it fits and looks nice from the front! *head desk*  I’m hoping no one will be looking at the back much, although it doesn’t seem to be such a horrid patch fix given the patchwork print.

Vogue 1250 winter