Thursday, January 6, 2011

Burda blouse 120 10/2010

No more sleep-ins and afternoon naps for me.  I've got through days 1 and 2 of the return to work - only a couple of decades more to go!  Urgghhhh....

On the far more enjoyable subject of sewing, I'm having an I-love-Burda Mag moment (um well, apart from December and January...).  I know I may be in limited company as I've noticed a few bloggers saying that it used to be much better.  I've only been subscribing for a couple of years so I'm not much of a judge but I like that it can be spot on with current styles, and sometimes ahead of them!  

Whilst flicking through the Pre-fall 3.1 Phillip Lim collection on Style.com - which is so nice it may be my winter sewing inspiration - I kept seeing Burda synchronicities.  
That neckline with the ring reminds me of this from June Burda. 
And:
A slightly less luscious version from December Burda?
As to what I've been sewing - 2 versions of another blouse from October Burda.  Model 120 described as a 'full cut peasant blouse with standing collar and wide French cuffs' - although mine are a little less full cut and don't have the french cuffs.
Is it weird making 2 of everything?  I'm trying to use my fabric stash.  I'm hoarding fabric like there is going to be some kind of fabric famine whilst complaining that I don't have anything to wear!   

The first version is in a crispy satin silk bought ooh 10 years ago - I'd given up thinking I would ever use it.  Yesssss!  Finally it has become something!
The second version is in a pale pink silk crepe de chine.
I'd never done a tab front like this before and it was a bit of a challenge understanding the Burda instructions.  It is fiddly. 

Finish the edges around the bib and the front before starting (not mentioned in the instructions).   The instructions have you gather the front (see below) then sew the inserts to the front.   The markings and seams have to be spot on or the front bands won't overlap precisely when finished.
Then you sew on the bands.
Then the left side tab is turned inside out and the tab sewn and then turned right side out. 
Finally the bands are catchstitched.  The last step involves sewing the tab to the front. 
The blouse was a bit baggy so I took 4cm off the centre back (so the back is 8cm narrower than the pattern).  The side seams were also taken in 3cm each, tapering up to nothing at the armhole.

All in all, it is a nice, comfortable top.  

4 comments:

  1. Well done on figuring out the tab instructions, the finish looks really good. I think it makes total sense to make duplicates after you've gone to all the effort of tracing and fitting.

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  2. You really are getting great value from this issue. We must have very similar tastes as I'd picked this top as a must sew too. Glad to see orange is in, I have some lovely burnt orange ponte to sew for Autumn.

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  3. Commiserations on returning to work! I hope it's bearable, and that it will leave you enough sewing time. These two tops are lovely - making two seems very sensible, and they look very practical for work!

    I have to admit I find it hard to see past Burda mag's wacky styling and busy patterns, so thanks for pointing out what may well have been one of their sources of inspiration - it all looks better through a Phillip Lim lens!

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  4. Hi , I really like your presentation with information. ! Thank you for your kindness!


    French Cuffs

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