Birthday season - Burda 08/2022 #115 summer version

Each year since I started the blog I have typically made a new dress for my birthday which comes just around Labor Day (our end of summer holiday here in the US). During the pandemic I kept with that habit, although I have not worn those dresses as much as I ordinarily would. I finished this dress a few weeks ago and decided to call it my birthday dress for this year, mostly because I really like it. Expect to see this pattern used again as it's very simple to sew, works in a lot of different fabrics and seasons, and it's fun to wear!

The fun things about this dress is the flounce at the bottom. I'm very partial to dresses with this feature, or skirts like this one. 

I'm not sure these days how blog posts look on a phone or tablet, as I compose them on my laptop, but have started to use Chrome as it works better with Blogger. But the photos may not appear in full if you are reading on a phone, so I'm adding images in different sizes.

Here's a look at the skirt with the flounce, which is sometimes called a circular ruffle (as opposed to a gathered ruffle). This one is not very flouncy - just enough for the proportions. 

Speaking of proportions, I did a few adjustments for fit and style on this pattern.

Here's a look at image and drawing from the magazine.

So the obvious difference is sleeveless, I saw the line drawing and decided it would be an ideal dress for summer, minus the sleeves. Recently I really like bodice shaping that is accomplished by pleats so that caught my eye. 

For fit I changed the proportion of the skirt quite a bit. After making a few things that are longer than knee length, I've realized that I just don't like to wear them. I think they make me look shorter and just don't suit me. Also they take too much fabric! So for this dress I cut out a Burda size 38 at the neck and shoulders, graded out a bit to land at about Burda 42 at the hip. I also raised the armholes about 1/2" and think it could have had another 1/4" raise but it's still wearable. The biggest change was shortening the skirt, I took a big horizontal tuck, maybe about 3 inches at the low hip, so shortening the upper portion of the skirt. This left the bottom edge where it met the flounce unchanged and easy to sew. I also made the flounce about 2 inches shorter. This was mostly due to not wanting a below knee dress and also to use the fabric I had which was I got at a fabric swap. It was 45" wide and I think there was barely 2 yards. In fact I had to piece the flounce but you can't see that. 

It has a center back seam with a small opening at the back and is finished with a bias binding. I also used a bias binding on the armholes.

The placement of the waist casing was a bit lower than I wanted. If you look a the image above the waist drawstring looks a bit low to me. I marked it as the pattern indicated but tried it on before I sewed on the casing which is inside the dress, and decided to raise it 1.25". I think if I sew this again (likely) I will do the same and wait to see how whatever fabric I choose works out before deciding on the placement of that waist drawstring. 

Here's a closeup look at the center front waist. I put a small piece of fusible interfacing over the center point, then made two machine buttonholes at either side of the center front. That allows a casing on the inside and the ties to pull through to the outside and be tied at center. 

And my little secret for very comfortable and easy to wear drawstrings is to use mostly elastic and then the self-fabric ties sewn to that. The ties extend about 6 inches inside on either side when it is tied so it doesn't show. 

You can tell I really like this dress - the silhouette is one of my favorites. And this fabric is both weird and lovely. The colors are also my favorites, and it's an odd combo of floral, polka dot and plaid. I wish I had it in another colorway but I do think it's vintage, you can just tell by the feel sometimes plus the 45" width, that it's probably 20 years old, was in someone's stash and now I've let it out into the world. 

And because taking photos for the blog or IG makes you feel a bit goofy, plus my photographer said try a different pose.

So that's the latest but probably not last dress of this summer. Which here is going on and on. Tourist Tip for anyone coming to San Francisco: September is the nicest month. Less fog, more sunshine. Although with the heat waves hitting the rest of the US and Europe, I read that the SF tourist organizations are considering promoting the city with "come cool down in SF". However if you do be prepared, as we have every weather option in a 30 mile radius. OK I exaggerate but we are bracing for a heat spell this weekend with several days of over 107℉. That's where I live, in SF they are expecting around 80℉. So something for everyone and a bit too much for me!  You can find me floating in the pool this weekend, being lazy, reading my library books (hurray for libraries!) and just doing as little as possible. 

Next week I have a Pants class on Thursday in Danville and I have listed all my upcoming in-person and online classes here on a new page I added to this blog. 

I hope everyone has a relaxing, safe and healthy long Labor Day weekend. 

Happy Sewing, 

Beth

Today's garden photo, this morning glory on the back fence finally put out a few blooms and they are worth the wait for that color. 

Part 2: Finished Dress with Ruffles - BurdaStyle 05/2022 # 102

Here's my finished dress and I am really happy with the combination of fabric and pattern. Sometimes that just works out perfectly and this is such a case.  Plus this post is something of a two for the price of one - you get a look at my garden project which has been taking up a lot of my time this year. It might not look all that different but like any project there's a lot going, and I will include more details below. 

But back to sewing - this fabric is a woven rayon challis that I ordered from Fabric-Mart, maybe last year? I really liked the color and was waiting for a suitable pattern to use.  In my last post you can see the pattern details with pictures from the May Burda magazine issue. Also in that post I wrote a bit about doing fit adjustments on this pattern. 

It was all finished and I took a few pictures, then looking at those decided I didn't like the length. In the right style longer skirts and dresses are something that look nice but every time I make one for myself I never feel comfortable. I like dresses to hover around the knee, either just above or below.   So these dress form pictures are the longer length and then above it has been hemmed about 4" shorter.

I have a feeling that some people might prefer it longer but I prefer the shorter. Over the years things I have posted that were longer people seem to like and make comments to that effect which I find interesting - but we have to be comfortable in our clothes and I prefer a different proportion. 

Here's a look at the longer length. 

I also went back and forth on adding the ruffles which is an option in the pattern, but the fabric was so nice and soft so it seemed like it suited the style well, and I'm glad I did. Without the ruffles it's just a basic shirtdress. 

As I mentioned in the previous post, I did cover an existing belt to make the belt for this dress. I didn't have any belt backing in my stash of this width (1.25") which I thought was the right width for this style. So I rummaged in the closet to find a belt that I could use, and found one that I've never worn but it was just right. Well actually just right would have been a lighter color buckle but this worked out well enough. 

I made eyelets on my sewing machine for the holes and then stitched it on by hand starting at that end. Then another eyelet at the end for the tongue of the buckle to fit into, hand stitching it closed along the length of the belt. I made an extra loop and stitched that about 3 inches away from the buckle as belts without that always look messy to me. I know the inside of the belt doesn't look perfect but I don't mind at all if the inside is messy when it looks fine on the outside. 

Another change to the pattern was to add pockets, of course. A shirtdress with no pockets - unthinkable! I like to have slippery lining type fabric for my pockets so I don't usually use the same fabric. If you look at the side seam you can see on the back of the pocket I put a facing using the dress fabric so you don't get a glimpse of the lining when wearing. 

Side by side comparison of the dress at different lengths. I will say that the longer one on the left is not looking too bad in the image but I think the breeze is doing a bit of work there. 

I actually took more photos the first time, prior to shortening. Here's another one. See I think that hem lands at the wrong place, it looks too 1950's for my style plus I prefer the proportion of more leg. Well, that's why we sew  - to get just what we want, right?  Also this is a bit of a blank area in the garden, covered with mulch. I have to resist putting plants everywhere as the ones I've already planted are going to get bigger and take up space, plus this time of year is too hot and dry to start them off. 

Looking at that picture I think I've reached the limit of my home haircutting ability. Yes I'm still doing it myself - some months it comes out better than others. I was just thinking of going back to a hairdresser but then the urge overtook me this morning and I cut it myself with a good result. 

So that's the latest on this rayon shirtdress. Up next - I just started another version of my very modified Myosotis dress so that will be great for hot weather. Looking at that post you can see the garden in the before stage. 

I'm teaching some in person classes here in the east bay and I will write about upcoming ones in my next post. I just got a really cute vintage t-shirt pattern which is perfect for the Color Blocking challenge on IG via @sewover50 so I'd like to get that sewn up this month. 

A few notes about the garden update. My water company offered a rebate for removing lawns, and cutting back on water using landscaping. Being that all the existing irrigation system front and back were very much past their prime it needed to be reworked. After being at home for the last two years I could water as needed but here a timer is essential to water before 6 am and also to be able to go away for longer than a day. So that was the impetus to update everything. The front is still a work in progress but there my lawn area is gone and will be replaced with more succulents, a rock river and a lot of penstemon and salvia for color. In the back we took out the grass completely, made it a bit smaller in area, and replaced the grass with Kurapia which is a low-water use ground-cover. So far it's working out well but I think it takes some getting used to. Also you have to wait a while before mowing it down to be a low ground-cover so it looks a bit unruly or as I call it fluffy, right now. 

The crepe myrtle trees stayed (of course) as well as the roses, hydrangeas and all the existing salvias. I planted quite a few new salvias and penstemon, plus some slightly exotic pelargoniums, some dusty miller to lighten things up, and then a few foxgloves that I had been growing in pots. And a few petunias for instant color. Some daisies in one area and a couple of gardenias which I will call vintage but seem happy enough to put out plenty of flowers. The salvias and penstemon will fill out nicely by next year and be really pretty as well as loved by the hummingbirds. I have three albutilons in the back in different colors and they are lovely as well. Plants are a bit like fabric, it's very challenging to resist buying them when you see them but then when you get home you have to find somewhere to put them! 

"Should I buy more plants or more fabric?" is what I'm thinking in that picture. 

Speaking of finding spots to store fabric, next week I'm going to Britex with my friend Heather - so let the fall sewing planning commence :)

Happy Sewing,

Beth

Here's today's garden pictures, two of them. First is a close up of the Kurapia groundcover which grows laterally once it is mowed and settles in, but until then it's flowering and covered with bees. Which don't bother me at all, I'm so used to them and we ignore each other for the most part. (now wasps - they are the enemy along with gophers, racoons and other burrowing nemeses.)  Second is a look at my newest Albutilon (which is a flowering maple, member of the Mallow family) in a lovely peachy pink. I think it's in a nice spot and should get about 8 feet high in a couple of years. 

With Ruffles: Part 1 Fitting - BurdaStyle 05/2022 # 102

So much for my resolution to blog more this year, but now that summer is here and I have some free time I hope to get back to it. I've been busy teaching classes at a couple of local quilt shops that wanted to expand into garment classes. But my big project has been necessitated by the climate - we are in our third year of extreme drought, and prior to that in the last ten years we have only had a couple with plenty of rain. It looks like this is state of things now and all our water districts in N. California are urging people to change their landscaping to use less water. I was happy to do it and lessen my water bill, plus all the irrigation fixtures were at the point of needing replacement. Here's a little look at the work in progress. 

Working with the existing footprint I have changed out the lawn for a drought tolerant groundcover, and then put in a bunch of low water use plants in the back. The front is still a work in progress but that will be more hardscape, with succulents and salvias.  This picture was taken at the end of May so as of today the hydrangeas are fully covered in blooms and it looks so nice. 

Back to sewing - along with many other subscribers had noticed the number of repeat patterns in the recent Burda magazines. It doesn't bother me as I generally find at least one (sometimes up to 5) patterns per issue to sew and I don't have a big backlog of magazines. I expect that with the pandemic their output is reduced and I am just happy that the magazine keeps arriving every month. 

When I saw the preview of the May issue I was interested in the dress on the cover so that was what I traced right away.

I had the perfect fabric in my stash, a rayon woven that I ordered last summer? from Fabric Mart. Here's a sneak peek of the finished dress. This is part one of this dress and I will follow up with finished photos.

As I was making it I really debated on whether or not to add the ruffles but without it that would just be a very basic shirtdress. And the one on the cover of the magazine is so cute!

Here's the technical drawing for this dress. It has a slightly cut in shoulder (my fav) but also a low armhole (not my fave). The skirt is both pleated and then gathered, which works nicely in a very lightweight fabric like woven rayon but wouldn't be suitable for anything thicker. 

Time to talk about fit. I know it might actually take more time, be more work but I like to adjust the pattern and perhaps add a bit extra, and then take away when I sew the side seams or attach the skirt. 

Here are the front and back bodice pieces, which I have traced at size 38, my usual Burda starting size. That is similar to a size 12 in Vogue/McCalls/Simplicity.

Noted on the image are the adjustments that I did to the original size 38 pattern pieces. 

- lengthen at Center back 1/2"

- add length center front 2"  note I make the addition of length match up at the side seams

- lower dart 1/2"

- raise underarm about 1.5"

- added to the shoulder seam length about 1/2" outer edge so not quite so narrow.

- add on side seams, about 1" at top and closer to 2" at waist. This will be too much but I like to fit on my body.

Once I had cut out and sewed up the placket/ruffle on the front bodice, and then sewed the shoulder seams, attached the collar, it was ready to fit on me. Actually I do use a dress form which I have "sculpted" that matches my measurements fairly closely for the initial pinning. If you click over to this post for my red coat and scroll down you will see the coat pattern piece pinned to the dress from, which is wearing a color blocked dress I made ages ago. That dress has a great fit, a defined waist and thus is ideal for keeping on the dress form to use as a comparison. 

Once I had tried it on and done a little basting of seams I came up with a fit that I liked. It's difficult to show those adjustments but I think this photo below illustrates it. The pink dotted line is about where I ended up sewing the dress bodice. 

So I kept the armholes raised. Moved the armhole edge a bit closer to pattern original at top of shoulder. Used only about 1/4" of the added back length, and only 1" of the added center front length, tapering to match the back at the side seam. Used the original side seam at the underarm, and gradually added about 2" on either side at the waist. 

What that tells me is that I was overly generous with my additions - but I like to have room to fit and keep the amount of ease that looks right for the style and fabric. 

Here's the illustration from the magazine, I shortened the skirt by about 4 inches. This was a good pattern to choose as it's the pattern shaded in pink - super easy to trace. 

Lastly I thought it needed a real belt. I had a good chat with Laura Mae at the last Bay Area Sewists meetup (our first in person in two years, a pattern swap) and we talked about how hard it is to find some sewing supplies that used to be basics. In this case I was rummaging in my stash for 1.25" wide belt backing, and didn't have any of that width. I have some narrow and wider, but I think 1.25" wide looks just right on dress so I guess I used up what I had. It doesn't seem to be available here in the bay area. I have a couple of old belt making kits so I guess I will hoard them and use with discretion. Perhaps it's available in NY? I should post a photo of what I mean, will do that in part 2 of this dress.

Which meant I needed to get creative, so I found this belt in my closet which was a knock-off someone gave me ages ago, and it was just right for covering with the fabric. I made some eyelet buttonholes for the holes and then hand sewed the fabric over the existing belt.

I will say that the inside is not the most beautiful workmanship but it holds together and the price was right!

Up next some pictures of the finished dress and a start of another summer dress. 

Meanwhile I will continue on the never-ending garden project. Actually it has to finish this month as I applied for a rebate from the water district so there is a due date. You have to show your completed work. Sounds like school!

Happy Summer Sewing and I hope everyone has a relaxing and safe holiday weekend. 

Beth

today's garden photo, this Spanish lavender which appeared in 2 places in my yard. A complete mystery as I did have a scraggly purple flowered one which is long gone. Sometimes volunteer plants are the good kind :) 

A different kind of wrap dress: Patrones 423 #10

Almost every month I buy the digital issue of Patrones pattern magazine. While I don't make all that many things I like to look at it almost like a fashion magazine, plus it's on my iPad so always at hand if I want to browse. I still haven't quite figured out their sizing and details for my fit. Their number sizes are shifted slightly from Burda, but with my metric conversions I determined that the Patrones size 40 is pretty much the same as Burda 38, at least in the bodice so that's what I start with. Although I think last winter I made a coat that wasn't quite roomy enough. Like I said - still working out the fit on these patterns. If you want to see my first project with Patrones here's that post from last summer. 

Here's a dress I just made from their recent Issue 423, "Vestidos Faciles" which is "easy dresses" and I can say I complicated it a bit as I didn't quite understand what I was making based on their photos. But it came out well in the end.  

By the way I took all these photos in the morning which I usually don't do but we were having a triple digit heatwave and I wanted to get outside before it was too hot. So the colors are a bit all over the place. 

Here's a much better look at this dress on the dress form. As usual with any pattern I did some changes as I went along, and ended up with very long ties, but since it is a lightweight fabric I think it looks ok tied as a bow. The fabric is from FashionFabricsClub.com. Once in a while I order from them and I've been quite happy with the silks and rayons so that's mostly what I look at on their site. 

Here's the page from the Patrones pattern App with their version and the diagrams. I like the red version but since I wanted to try this dress and had this lightweight woven rayon in my stash it was a good match for the pattern. 

And now I will confess that I saw that photo of the back and ties held open and didn't really think through on how it would work when worn. In fact I got it all finished and then wrapped it around and it made a big bunch in the center back. After playing around with it for a while I figured the only way it would work would be to go through an opening just like a regular wrap dress, DUH! and then I read the Spanish instructions with a bit of translate help and realized that yes - you need to leave an opening in one side.  

So that's how it works, the one side passes through the side opening just like any other wrap dress, just that is one wraps in the back. I don't think I've made a dress of this style in a long time or I just wasn't really paying attention. The back V-neckline could have used some interfacing so that it held the shape a little better I think, as it is a bit wobbly. 

Since I really didn't pay attention to the instructions I constructed the whole back, including the tie ends, and then attached the skirt portion with zipper completed to the back bodice. I also constructed the whole front, including skirt, and then sewed the shoulder seams and the neck lining seams. Turned it inside, pressed and under stitched, and then I can fit the side seams as needed once I try it on. This is the order I do most all dresses. 

I turned it inside out on the dress forms so you can see the lining. I used a cotton voile for the bodice as it is the most comfortable for summer dresses, but for the skirt I had a bit piece of rayon bemberg so that  is the skirt lining. I really thought about making a separate half slip instead of attached lining as them I could wear it with other dresses and I still might take the lining off and do that. Maybe next summer!

There is something about the V-neckline on this dress that I'm not so happy with. I followed the pattern as designed and the V came out very straight, like a triangle, and I prefer a V-neckline to be ever so slightly curved. But probably only I noticed it. And now you, as I have pointed it out :)

For the skirt I also did a bit of cheating, as I had looked at the Patrones skirt pattern pieces and realized they were almost exactly the same as the skirt pieces on a Burda dress I made previously, so I used those.

Here's a quick look at the pattern PDF from Patrones, they are just 9 pages with the pattern pieces overlaid on those, but SO much easier to trace than a magazine as it is just one pattern.

If you want to see the whole Patrones PDF I put a short video here. 

Another sewing detail on the lining is that I don't use the pattern pieces to make a lining for the skirt portion, I just approximate the width, length, and angle of the seaming and then cut out a front on the fold and a back with a seam, and then add to the bodice by folding in pleats as I pin it on prior to sewing. It saves fabric and is quite quick to sew.

So that's the latest on my almost end of summer sewing. It's getting dark earlier and I think I'm ready to make a jacket or two.  

At Hello Stitch Studio we have in-person classes scheduled starting in September !! So exciting. And as Stacey, one of the owners predicted, they are filling up fast. In fact the first two classes I'm doing which are aimed at beginners are sold out. Whew! I think a lot of people got a little taste of sewing during their lockdown time and are ready to branch out into making their own clothes. Other classes coming up are a Fit Lab, Garment Copying, and then later in the fall a Quilted Jacket class. Plus I am doing a 6-week online Jacket Making class starting in October. Some people have found that the live online classes really work well for their life and schedule (not to mention location as we have people from all over the country).  If you want to get updated on any of these classes I suggest you get on the email list for Hello Stitch and then you will get the class updates. 

I'm not so sure about the color or the polka dots of this fabric, but it is a cheerful dress and I will probably wear it next summer. This year I just got to wear some of the things I made last summer!

Perhaps the bigger win of the pandemic is that I have been cutting my hair - for better or worse for the last 18 months. And I can't see all that much difference from when I went to the salon, so I don't know what that says about my style. Anyway I think I will continue for the time being. More $$ for fabric, right? 

Happy End of Summer Sewing,
Beth

Today's garden photo, a hydrangea that has lived in a pot for more than 3 years and is still putting out these luscious pink blooms. I'm hesitant to move or repot as it is doing so well. 

Hello Spring. New season, new style

It's a bit weird to sit down and write a blog post about sewing a new top when the news is so dire. I want to acknowledge that and say I hope everyone is well and doing what's needed. We can all emerge someday (hopefully soon) and show off what we made while stuck at home. I've actually not done all that much sewing since our stay-in-place order was issued. Faced with at least two weeks at home I made a very long list of house, garden, sewing, baking and closet cleaning. Joking with friends I said if I get through all that I will be amazed as it is easy to get distracted by a book or talking on the phone.

That said I will try to provide some sewing content here as we are looking for things to occupy our minds and hands - it keeps us off the news feed, right? News overload doesn't really help and I'm so glad to have the ability to entertain myself with sewing and to share with fellow stitchers all over.

This is my attempt to try a new style or silhouette. I was going for that boho look and not sure if I got there, but I do like this top. The colors are my favorites and it will go with plenty in my wardrobe.




It's a Burda pattern. What else?  Are you getting tired of reading about mostly Burda magazine patterns? It's just that they are so convenient! and now with two years of magazines I have what seems like a dress, top, jacket for any look or shape I want to sew. Let me know in the comments if there are some other patterns that you would like to see me make and how you feel about my steady stream of Burda magazine sewing. I think it doesn't make any difference as clothes are a collection of collars, closures, pleats, sleeve styles etc and any pattern company is going to mix and match in similar ways (eventually).  This one is Burda August 2018 #103  here it is on their website.





I really tried to get the stripes to line up and it's reasonably well matched, one side is a bit better than the other but across the sleeves and body it lines up. It has a separate button band so that needed to match as well. a bit wiggly in places. I didn't really pay attention to what the pattern did with the sleeve cuffs, I just decided to go with the a channel for elastic. Which at least means that when the sleeves are bugging me I can just push them up to the elbow to shorten. (by the way I always think of these sleeves as pirate sleeves - it seems in movies, pirates always have these floppy shirt sleeves)





Yeah, this expression says "I'm not really sure about this style on me".






I bought this woven rayon fabric at Piedmont Fabrics back in October on that beautiful day when I met Yoshimi and Carolyn. So I will wear it and think fondly of them and how great it was to meet in person.

I have a obsession about button sewing, in that I can't stand it when the buttons are not spaced correctly so that one spacing is off and it creates a ripple or makes the hem uneven at the bottom. Although I usually sew on the buttons before I hem and then sew the hem so that it is even at the button band. Told ya, obsession.  So here is a button sewn on, button it, and then mark the spot for the next one.



A closer look at the neckline, it has a very narrow shaped band and a couple of pleats on either side. I would make this again in a cotton voile maybe, or a silk crepe de chine. But for now it will go in the pattern binder as I have plenty of other new patterns to get to.






Back view and wearing with my most recent version of the Ash jeans. I think that pattern is great. They aren't hemmed yet. Maybe when they are they will get their own blog post.




There I was trying to show of those sleeves. Still  not sure about them. In fact now that I look at it the whole thing looks a bit "old-fashioned nightgown" in shape. But I do like the fabric!

We finally have had some rain after not a single drop in February, so the plants are doing better. The pink jasmine on the fence behind me is about to burst into bloom.



Up next, I'm making a boucle jacket with some interesting sleeves. I'm only a year behind with the year of the sleeve, right? I think this is the year of the ruffle based on what I've seen with the latest spring patterns (was their a McCalls pattern without a ruffle?) I stopped into Stone Mountain Fabrics on my way home from teaching what turned out to by my last class for a while and got a couple of great fabrics for tops that go with the jacket. So my stay at home sewing is at the ready.

I hope you are doing well, staying safe and I'm so appreciative of our online sewing community. Seeing everyone's blog and Instagram posts is cheering and inspirational.

Happy Spring Sewing,
Beth


Yes, it's the first day of spring and the garden is starting to look that way. I hope this beautiful tulip is another bit of cheer for you.