Sunset

    Being able to sew for oneself is an absolute pleasure. Being flattered about your talent to sew and make your friends jealous they can't have the awesome blouse you made for your self is even more awesome! What's a better thank you to a friend for all the good words, than a piece of your work? A friend of mine liked my Coffee Blouse so much I thought it would be only right to make her one too. 

    I couldn't find any similar fabric with an interesting print as mine has, so I chose this ombre satin, with shades of yellow and orange. This time I got to cut the front piece on the bias, as the pattern suggested and the results were more spectacular. The fitting and draping are lovely. 

This is me modelling the blouse before I gave it to my friend.

I'm so happy she liked it!

I suggested that she should wear it with white pants, then it will be sunset in Santorini!

source

See you around

Maria

Burda 7/2012

     I was trying to find the right words for this post for days now. I didn't! I'm not thrilled by this issue either. There is only one dress I like and it's the main reason I did buy the issue. I got to like that dress more because I found this ideal fabric for it. I hope I'll have time in the following to sew it. Lately my time has been so limited traveling and taking exams. I have not sewn for at least a month and a half and I have not found time to show you all whan I sew before things got so tight. I'm optimistic about the rest of the summer. I have two more summer dresses to sew. At least two, that's my main goal. I'm also going to make a navy style purse and couple of things for presents. If I meet these goal I'll be very happy and by the end of August I'll start planning for autumn and winter sewing.

    So here are this issue's models that might interest you, starting with my favourite one.

I know it probably doesn't look like anything to special, but with the right fabric it can become! It's a vintage pattern, from the 50's, supposed to be a working out garment, accompanied with shorts, but they altered, omitted the shorted and lengthend the hem.

I really really like this one too, probably most because of the colour combination...

...but I know it wouldn't look good on me. The pattern is boxy and my curvy back would look weird, I would end up adding darts and it would be a totally different dress. I'm keeping the inspiration though.

Here's a few vintage looking dresses too. Don't get me wrong, I like the style, I adore anything vintage, but I probably wouldn't sew them. It's nice to have the patterns though.

 

If by any chance you are a tango dancer make the last one,

 I'm sure you would look fabulous on the dance floor

This is a quite interesting dress

and there's a skirt with interesting darts that I'd like to try some time

I totally adore this top's colours and style, but it's nothing more than two scarves, which I would be luckier than Gastone Mc Duck if I could find them anywhere, so...

The plus size collection is much more interesting and quite unique...you lucky girls!

I loooooove this skirt, so summery, so simple yet so special!

See you around

Maria

Burda 6/2012 full preview

     This issue has really few interesting patterns and I remain disappointed. The one that caught my eye is this beautiful dress.

   Surprisingly a few more patterns popped in my head, from old Burda issues. Surprisingly because I have the memory of a goldfish! 

This is pattern 126 for issue 6/2010

Pattern 127 from issue 5/2008

I remember falling in love with this one...

It has an attached neck scarf.

and pattern 121 from issue 3/2009

    Can you spot the differences? They are slight and they are the king that all of us would make, by using different kinds of fabric, lining and embellishments.

     I would prefer sewing any of the old dresses, lucky me I have those back issues, because I would use so much less fabric. They yellow one for example takes 2,50 meters, the pink one 2,20 meters for my size (great issue that one, get it if you don't have it already, you may take a look here). But the dress from the current issue requires 7,20 meters!!! Plus you have to have the fabric pleated. I don't know how that works to the rest of the world, but here in Greece, this is a very expensive thing to do (don't get why, but it is). Also if you have wide hips pleating don't always flatter them. Gatherings may be more gentle to your appearance. So I'm sticking with the back issue pattens!

    I also consider this pants pattern to be interesting, especially because of it's unique side seams and pockets.

    This plus size, cargo style skirt is beautiful.

That's all folks!

See you around

Maria

Burda 6/2012 early preview

    Well I'm officially disappointed and I'm seriously considering to not buy this issue. Burda can get me up to the skies and have me dreaming of outfits all day long, or look at the models and think "what on earth...". Maybe it's the fabrics, the prints, the colours, I don't know but I don't think I would bother making these ones. Let me show you the few highlights I found.

     That's it! An interesting dress, mostly because of the texture, a unique jacket, a basic dress and pants that I bet I can find in back issues and a really pretty dress, but if I can see correctly, you would have to use a pleated fabric (never found one of these) or have it pleated, which cost awfully a lot. I remember a similar dress a few years ago, I'll find it for you.

     I'll wait for the full preview and the techniqual drawings, which offen reveal an interesting pattern, before I make my verdict. Now they seem to me shapeless, weird, you know the kind that makes you rise your eyebrow! If you like check the rest of the preview here.

See you around

Maria

Burda 5/2012 preview

    So I'm looking through the preview and I'm thinking "OK I'm not going to buy this issue" and then "damn now I have to buy it!". At first I didn't see any patterns worth making, according to my style and taste of course, but then I changed my mind. Here's what caught my eye...

 

Skirts and dresses, dresses and skirts! I know 5 patterns is a good reason to buy a magazine, but I wish there was more variety in the rest of the patterns.

Here's what I mean.

Apart from the above there are a few more patterns a bit more interesting.

Simple but basic for beach or vacations

I don't like the elastic waist on the pink dress, but it's good for inspiration.

What do you think?

See you around

Maria