Burda 06/2016 # 105: Pattern love!

What is that mysterious combination that makes a perfect garment? Oh I don't mean perfect in execution, or perfect in fit, or perfect in style of the moment? If we could bottle that particular brand of alchemy then we would never have some sewing project that is completed and then languishes in the back of the closet, rarely worn.

This dress is going to have a life different than that - no languishing in the wardrobe. It will be worn. And me with a goofy smile all summer.

Because I just LOVE it!

Yes it is kind of simple - but maybe the best things are simple. Something I usually know but have trouble putting into action.

This is from the most recent Burda magazine, although I bought the PDF pattern from their website. Burda 06/2016 #105. Which in my opinion is the only way to go if you are just going to get one or two patterns. Because then no tracing! Aargh that tracing is tough. I guess if you do it often like anything else it gets easier but for me I find it baffling. And I should know as I just found the perfect blouse pattern in an old Burda mag that someone gave me a while ago. ( I think it was Pauline at a Bay Area Sewists meet up in fact I am positive as a couple of the issues are the French versions. By the way, on her blog that Vogue dress sewn with the ponte stripe is something I decided to recreate since her version is great. I have the fabric and everything! maybe later this summer - so thanks Pauline for the Burdas)

Back to this one, here's a look at it on the dress form. It looks slightly limp as this is not really a denim fabric, I would say it is a soft linen with delusions of denim. No idea what the fiber is, presumably some cotton as it presses well. No stretch. It is the remainder from these crazy culottes which I actually like a lot and may need shortening? Also they have no pockets which is a drawback in design...

So why do I love this dress?  It sewed together like a dream. Which might seem surprising considering all the pieces.
I did have to do some fitting. Starting with size 38, I added 1" to the length of the bodice, basted the skirt on and then moved it back up 1/2", so that means in the final analysis I added 1/2" to the bodice. I added 1" on the side seam of all the pieces and then I didn't need it at all in the top half of the dress and definitely needed it around the hips. I tweaked the side seam from top to bottom to get a nice fit (which is why I always sew the whole front and whole back and then play with the side seam. I did make a bodice only muslin of this before starting, so I could check the fit in the bust and it seemed good. But the neckline was too big so I pinched out a bit in the front neckline and also took the center back seam in a good inch. Now it comfortably fits my shoulders etc.

Goofing around shot :)  Included so you can see the various angles pieces.




Are you slightly mystified by my inconsistent topstitching? Me too. I first did the pink topstitching as long ago I had another perfect denim dress that had rose pink stitching, so I thought I would try it here. And I did but it hardly showed. Well I was not going to remove that so I put another row in white - and since the only actual topstitching thread that I have is white it turned out quite well. But i wasn't going to topstitch the placket - I think that would have been a bit too much. Or maybe not. In any case it is a design element - for this version. And the buttonholes are in blue thread. What a thread rebel I am, Ha!



A few techniques on display. Note how the bottom of the dress meets at the button placket. That is definitely one of my pet peeves, if the hem of the underneath portion sticks out below the upper portion. Also I am quite happy how all the seam lines match up - that is due to the very nice pattern and then accurate sewing. My only quibble is the back does not have the same amount of angled sections as the front.

However - once I saw this back view then I realized that maybe it is for the best. Or I would have a giant arrow there right on my behind. OK Burda, I will concede that was the right design decision :)






Nakisha asked me on IG what size these buttons were, and I just measured, they are 5/8". Something I bought last week as Joann's had a 60% off all buttons sale so I scooped up a bunch in various basics. I can't stand to have a project finished all but for the buttons so it pays to stockpile some useful colors.

Here is the Burda image and tech drawing. Slightly surprising that I wanted to make this dress as the color they chose is not at all something that would catch my eye. Plus it looks kind of wrinkled, I think it is a stiff or even coated cotton. But those angles on the drawing got me.





This time I didn't take any in progress pics. To tell the truth I was kind of thinking this would be a muslin. Not!



Just one to show the pattern pieces. If you make this be sure to LABEL the various pieces, after you cut them out they kind of look similar but probably would mess it up considerably if you sewed the back upper triangle piece on the front or something like that.

And you can see I omitted the belt. It just seemed unnecessary. Stitcher's choice, right?

One more picture for good measure. I think this is how I might like to spend my summer - in a cool and comfortable denim dress, wearing white sneakers and a ray of sunshine following me around.




Does this dress make you think of baseball? something about topstitching and the seams make me think of the stitching on a baseball. Which I guess is not a bad thing in the summertime! Go Giants!

And my post yesterday is a giveaway for a couple of US envelope patterns - drawing for international readers only this time so check it out if you would like to put your name in.

Happy Summer Sewing,
Beth

today's garden photo - this is a giant (and I do mean giant) hydrangea that lives at the front of the house. I never dreamed it would get so big, and it always tries to crowd out the two on either side, which are the mophead variety that I prefer. but the blue is so nice!