Seam allowance tool and Burda blouse 10/2010

The dreaded return to work is looming so I'm trying to knock out some quick summer office tops.   I traced off the first one, a tie neck blouse from October Burda. 

One way of adding seam allowances when tracing 

Years ago I did a pattern cutting course and while I've forgotten just about everything I learnt, I still have a useful tool (or part thereof) that the lecturer had us make for adding seam/hem allowances.   It was great until I trod on it and I've only got 2 bits left.

You take a clear set square and score the various standard seam allowances on it with a stanley knife - 1cm on one side, 1.5cm on another and 2cm on the third side.   I've made a new one, although a set square without any markings like my old one is a bit better.  

You can flip it around as required to the relevant allowance, line up the scored line with the pattern edge and draw along the set square edge and there is your seam allowance.  It's good for marking the bias and grainlines too. 

Burda October

Now, back to Burda!  I just got the last of my Burda subscription through Isubscribe (October) and the first of my new subscription direct through Burda (December).   October is terrific but December - ewww - not really loving it at the moment.

A query - if you subscribe to the German language Burda do you get access to additional downloadable patterns?   There are 2 patterns on the German Burda Website that are downloadable with a Code from page 59 of the October magazine, but there is no mention I can find in the English language Burda.  Pity, I love the styles.

Blouse 118 Tie Neck Blouse

And the blouse..... I've been making Blouse 118 from the magazine, with the short tie.   

The fabric is a chartreuse hammered silk satin - one of the Vera Wang Lavender fabrics that Fabric.com was selling for a song a couple of years ago.

Next post - a review of the top - I'm just working on a second stripy version.