Pattern Mag Subscriptions

My Patrones and Burda subscriptions are just about to run out.  

As mentioned in an earlier post, I have been subscribing to Patrones through ModeInfo but on the renewal invoice their price had gone up E100 to 231 Euros.  Pricey!  

My thanks to the reader who let me know the direct subscription email address suscripciones@rba.es.   I contacted them, got a response in English and now hopefully am directly subscribed.  And for a much more reasonable 100 Euros, and I believe they arrive more quickly.   You can pay by direct bank transfer too which always seems safer.

My Burda subscription is currently via Isubscribe - but they are 3 months behind and cost AU$190.  I was endeavouring to get them directly via the old Burda subscription email and getting no response but I just noticed a very helpful message from a PR member on the Pattern Review Board confirming that German Burda no longer publishes the English language magazine  and the new email is abos.burda@abopress.fr.  The cost is 86 Euros (AU $122).  

A subscription to Manequim magazine costs US$135 and can be obtained by emailing adtmexterior@abril.com.br.       

I did briefly check out Look Magazine from Argentina as they have an online subscription for $24, however the online version does not include the pattern pages so that was a no go.  I wasn't that keen on the styles and the cost for 6 print mags was US $289, or $48 per magazine.  No way!

One thing I notice from some sites is the level of personal information required.   Patrones require an ID number - or, in the case of Australian subscribers your passport number.    The Manequim site also has great downloadable patterns for purchase and I was trying to figure out how to buy one but they require a Brazilian ID number.   Wow - that is a lot of info just for a pattern!  

Vogue 1191 Part II and a quickie cardi

I've finished the prototype Michael Kors dress aka Vogue 1191.  This started off as a muslin but I've got a feeling that I am going to love the prototype even more than the green final version.    

Putting this dress together was a bit of a puzzle, but it is well worth the effort. 

I'm really surprised it fits so well - maybe it is one of those wonder dresses like a wrap dress that manages to accommodate lots of body types and heights.    I thought I would have to do a Full Bust Adjustment but now the neckline has been sewn up I may be able to get away with it.   It is only the bodice facing that is tight - the outer bodice has pleating so is roomier.   

It was cold outside today and couldn't quite face getting in the dress and photographing it on me!

I'll take some pics of the construction process for this pattern when I make the green version - much easier to see on green fabric.

It even has a nice inside as there is a inner waist facing hiding all the messy seams.

I've cut out the green version of the dress, but did a short detour to a simple jacket - although mine looks more like a cardigan.  

This cute jacket is from Burda 09/2008.  The pattern has exposed seams on the collar finish and sleeve bands.

Mine isn't as cute - I didn't have such a fine wool jersey and only had one zip.   I used a Vera Wang Lavender 'wool jersey', one of the great collection of reduced VW fabrics that Fabric.com had last year.  In real life it is more of a sweater knit, and a bit scratchy so I have lined my cardi. 

I added an exposed zip and brass buttons.

I would love to find an online source for Riri zips, they make every other zip look drab.  I bought a few last year from Britex - although I haven't really done the zip justice in this case.  My zip was shorter than the pattern requires so it ends short of the waistband - I thought the jacket was going to be too short and hoped it wouldn't be too noticeable - but seeing it on the dressform.... hmmm maybe it is.   Can I bear the thought of taking off the waistband and shortening the length?  I'm not planning on wearing it done up. 

I'll think about that one... meanwhile onto the green dress....