Burda maxi dress Mark II

We're having a super long hot spell in Perth and the hotter it is, the less sewing is happening.   You can see everyone getting more tired and grumpy and at least another week more to go.  Bring on that cooler weather! 

I've managed to drag myself off the sofa for long enough make my sister another Burda 6/2010 maxi dress.   If you've done all the tracing and made your first effort I figure you may as well go the whole hog and make a second and it usually turns out better.

If anyone sees a dress like this in Hawaii in the next couple of weeks please say hello to the wearer - it may well be she.  

The fabric is from Textile Traders in Balcatta in Perth- they have a lot of not so nice stuff but unexpectedly they often have terrific silks.  This is a paint spatter print silk charmeuse.

Not sure if they have Textile Traders in other States or if they are just in Western Australia, but they have a number of shops and are very like Spotlight and Lincraft.  Lots of curtaining and unappealing tshirt material but Textile Traders often has really nice silks. And it frequently has a 3rd free offer for everything - free 3rd metre of fabric, 3rd thread, 3rd zip etc etc, so is good value.  I stocked up on threads.

This is a much quicker and easier to make dress when it is unlined. The Burda instructions are quite understandable and there are no surprises.

For anyone thinking of making this - the recommended fabrics are fairly fragile - voile or a thin silk, but the bodice is fitted around the upper back; so make sure there is enough ease so that there is no stress on the seams. I was a bit scared they could rip.

I had problems with the invisible zip in the first version.   This time I tried an excellent method I read about on Things Be.  Ironing the invisible zip works like a dream (make sure you have a cover over the iron though).

And for the next project I've been making a dress for a wedding I'm going to in a couple of weeks.  This is a  danger pattern for me - nothing to do with the pattern itself but my earlier efforts were rather disastrous.  I'm crossing my fingers.  Third time lucky? 

Patrones 300

Another Patrones turned up!  My goodness.

No. 300.   The Spring forward issue.  I have to admit I never much like spring and summer editions.  Usually full of floaty dresses, shorts and skimpy tops and everything else I don't wear.  This issue, however, is more focussed on practical transitional season items.   It doesn't have a plus size section given that we are about to get a plus size special, but it does have maternity and baby clothes sections. 

First off is "New Attitudes' with jackets and casual pants and shorts. 

These pyjama style pants are quite cute although I suspect I live the life where people would think they really were pyjama bottoms.

The next section is 'spring breeze' with more casual separates.  This mini trench is nice and the Mango dress.

I really like the next section - 'Office Practices' - practical indeed!   My absolute favourite from this magazine - this cowl top. 

Next a maternity section with tops and trousers.

And some very sweet baby clothes.

How great is this?  Another extra mag is on its way - Easy Sewing.  How often do you subscribe to a magazine and get tons more editions than you were expecting?  Impressive.

Patrones 299 and 301

A nice new clump of pattern mags has landed in the post box.   December and February Manequim arrived on the same day, and now Patrones No. 299 and 301 arrived a few days apart.   Ah, the mysteries of international mail.  As long as they keep on coming I'm happy. 

Excuse the dodgy pictures - my laptop finally died and whilst I've got a replacement on loan it flatly refuses to recognise the scanner on my printer - so photos it is. 

First off Patrones No. 301 - Spring Special.   

This is a shorts and jackets focussed edition with some nice dresses.

The first section is an LBD feature, I think called 'Black never fails'.  There's a couple that remind me of Project Runway when they do the 'make something out of car parts' challenge.   Have a look at the cover dress and this:

Here is a lovely and simple LBD.

The next section is jackets and shorts. 

Then some bright patterned casual pieces.

 And a couple of wedding dresses.

And finally Patrones favourite model for the larger size feature - who no doubt thinks 'Ah, it'll be the beach again will it?' whenever they book her.  Here she is at the beach again in a lovely colourful top and a nice casual dress.

And I think we may be up for another special by the looks of the back page.  Extra Fiesta - roll on 10 March (plus mystery postage time)!.   

Now on to Patrones No. 299.  I'm not massively keen on this one - not much variation. 

The first section is 'A winter walk'.

A couple look very similar to earlier Patrones patterns.

Next up 'Character Jackets' which contains my favourites from this mag.  This is nice.

And I love the sequined cardigan the model is wearing under the jacket in this pic.

The next section is 'New Coats'.

 The larger size section - at the beach of course - has a couple of very nice jackets.

 And I think we may be getting another special from the looks of this.  This is good!