Burda 3/2009 109 The Pinguino

Can you get Blogger's Block?  I think I've got it.  Work has been busy and I have a numb head.

Remember the dress that I decided to sew at 8pm the night before I was planning to wear it to a fancy awards night.  And didn't wear. Of course.  I have 'fixed' it, although the 'fixing' was a bit of mixed bag. 

Issues: Sleeves too long and it slunk back over the shoulders during wearing so the  back quickly became longer than the front.  The bib was a little jarring/big.  Plus, the bib fabric was maybe too shiny.   On the other hand, it does have potential as a nice going to a bar or dinner kind of dress.

I should give up the pretence with dresses - any dress I make is going to end up chopped into a work top isn't it - and voila! 

Changes: Sleeves shortened (A-). Bib recut in non shiny fabric - I didn't have enough of the black fabric to make it smaller (B-) and shortened to a tunic (hmmm... a C-?).   It does look a little high necked which I may need to address.

It's very conservative looking isn't it?  I feel like it needs an accessory (a beak and a baby penguin, or a nun's wimple spring to mind).

I had made a plain cream version of this before (much better).  The details for how to make this were on earlier posts Tuxedo-blouse-109C.

The shiny fabric at the bottom and the cuffs is a silk foil chiffon that was one of the wonderful Vera Wang fabrics that Fabric.com had for a steal a couple of years ago.

Overall assessment: This is going to be a work top which will be worn but I wouldn't say that it was a wholly successful project. Better as a dress methinks.  Or I like the cream version better.   

Now, how can I score an invite for Happy Feet 2 - I have just the outfit.

Manequim 624

My recent sewing productivity consists of a blouse that I thought was the bee's knees until I saw a photo of myself in it (alterations obviously required), 1 jacket (no fastenings as yet), one unpicked Evil Dress in pieces and, finally, a teetering pile of cut out things.   So, here follows a review of Manequim 624. 

I sent an email to Manequim asking if there is any means by which people outside Brazil can buy their downloadable patterns.   They have some great online patterns but you need a Brazilian ID number (I think - from my experiments) and address.  Response ... silence.  Mind you, by the time I had translated my message via online translation I hope it made sense.  Oh well.  It was worth a try. 

Manequim 624.  This is a rather glamorous dress on the cover. 

First up, a section on knitting and crochet - a waistcoat, beanies and scarf.  The patterns are on the website. 

Next the usual TV character inspired feature - but various actors this time in a feature called 'Stylish At Any Age.'  They do have a good range in Manequim - here are 2 jackets, a blouse, dress and trousers.

A dress section.   This red dress is cute - the shoulder thingys just seem to be a rectangle of fabric gathered in the middle.

Michael Kors is the designer featured this month in the 'inspired by....' feature.   This top looks practical.

Next is a coat feature with a furry jacket, a very nice short wool trench coat, blazer, cape and this interesting jacket.

My favourite is this one - very simple.

There is a section on 'Stylish Couples'.  Including of course Kate and William.

And there are bloke clothes in this Manequim - a jacket and tuxedo style shirt.

Finally a Retro Chic section.  I quite like this blouse. 

Although these trousers look rather scary.  You would have to be very tall to get away with these.

Now where did I put those jacket snaps?  

Burda 03/2011 Blouse

I'm not sure if this blouse is nice or terrifying.  I'll have to see a photo of myself in it to check that it isn't OTT.  It looks rather '70s on.

The fabric is a printed silk habutae from Textile Traders.

This is Model 104 from Burda 03/2011 with a substitute collar from Vogue 1127.   So this dress but cut shorter as a blouse:

With this collar.

Basically the only difference from Vogue 1127 is that this blouse has long gathered raglan sleeves and no tie, rather than being sleeveless.

The instructions are very straightforward.  That pattern is for a lined dress but the blouse is unlined.  It is essentially a simple style.  My only issue was that the shoulders are created with a dart at the top of the sleeves, but having narrow shoulders it looks a bit squarer on the shoulders than the magazine photo. 

Ah yes, the third blouse with the collar from 1127 - and I don't even usually like high necked tops!   Instead of having a centre back seam and zip this was cut on the fold with a faced back neck slit.

The collar is a 45 x 49 cm rectangle cut on the bias.  The 45 cm side is the neck edge.   For this fabric which didn''t stretch much on the bias I wish I'd made it a bit wider - it's slightly strangly.

The only other change was  that instead of elasticated sleeves I did a bias strip. 

Patrones 305

We just had a long weekend in Western Australia (Foundation Day, marking when the Swan River Colony was founded in 1829).   Public holidays are usually fabulous opportunities for sewing but I couldn't work out what to sew.  Got fabric out.  Put fabric back.  Hunted out patterns from the top of the wardrobe.  Put them back.   Washed things.

How do you get re-inspired when you are feeling like sewing but don't know what to sew?   I usually go back to making basics like TNT trousers for a while.  I'm going to go for a fabric browse tomorrow to see if that gives me some ideas.  

So no finished projects to show but Patrones 305 arrived.  This is the full summer season edition.   As you would anticipate lots of summer dresses, shorts, cotton tops. 

Does anyone know if Patrones send you a subscription renewal notice if you subscribe direct?   

The first section is 'shorts y minis' so cotton tops, shorts and miniskirts. 

The next section is 1950s style dresses (I think).  The first dress is very beautiful.

The next section is described as Original/Different/Creative styles. Oddly, they aren't.  Patrones often has fabulously original styles that you see in no other pattern mags, but this section is made up of fairly standard things.  More summer cotton tops, a couple of baggy pants, a jumpsuit and waistcoat.   

 Next 6 long maxi dresses.

Then the Plus size section.  Iria (given that they use the same model every month I reckon she deserves to be described by her name - I think this is it from the credits) is this month wearing a couple of summer cotton tops, a pair of knickerbocker style pants, and a sleeveless dress.   The top is pretty.

 And the final section - white baby dresses.  This net covered dress is very cute.

 And last - next months Patrones - vacation clothes.