March Burda Blouse a Bust

I had high hopes for this pattern.  The muslin (with small FBA) fit reasonably well and the instructions weren't terribly cryptic.

So what went wrong?

First:  stretch cotton poplin is pure evil.  What I like about it is the added stretch.  What I hate about it is the added stretch.  How can fabric play with my emotions like this??  Sigh.
 

Second:  the collar stand and sleeves were difficult to attach and the extra stretch did not help the situation at all. There are puckers everywhere and no matter how hard I tried, there was no way to get rid of them.  

Third:  the collar and collar stand are HUGE.  Like massive.  The collar covers my neck and part of my face.

The second photo shows a normal collar (top) and this giant-sized collar (bottom).   Look at that thing!!   

From collar stand to pointed end, the collar measures almost 4.25 inches...soooooooo less than an inch of my entire shoulder seam.  Unreal!  Only one person who reviewed the pattern said they made the collar smaller.  After looking at other pictures again, I can see that the collar is super-sized; I definitely didn't notice this before.

I am not even going to bother finishing this.  It's not worth the hassle and I have way too many other things I want to sew.

 Moving on.

I don't know what I will make for the April Burda challenge.  I am working on a non-magazine Burda shirt.  Does that count? =)

Burda 7136

It's almost finished.  I just need to decide on buttons, attach the sleeves and add buttonholes.  More on this in the next post.

Before I forget, way back in January, Nakisha at Dressmaking Debacles offered some sewing goodies in celebration of her 5-year sewing anniversary.  I was the lucky winner of a notions pack filled with stuff that I use regularly.

top:  ceramic pin dish; tailor's chalk

bottom:  pins; sew-on snaps

not pictured:  wonder tape (looooove this stuff!)

Thanks Nakisha!  =)

Until next time, peace!

L

Burda Challenge 2018

Despite my lack of blogging (again), I am still sewing - slowly - but certainly.

Every year, I say I am going to join the Burda challenge.  I keep my word on that.  Actually doing the challenge, though, is another story.  So far this year, I am almost 3 for 3.  Yay! 

January:  11-2008-104

To begin the challenge, I chose something I thought would be simple and easy to fit.  I pretty much know my Burda skirt size and the alternations I need to make.  

I cut a size 44 and added one inch in length to the back, tapering to nothing at the side.  I also shortened the skirt all over by some amount that I can't remember. 

So much meh.  The seam that joins the two flounces to the side its oddly uncomfortable on my leg and I don't like the length.  The skirt is sort of okay, but not enough for me to invest any more energy in finishing it.  I wish I had used the wool for something else.  Ah well.

February:  3-2012-121 (same as Burda 7107)

I cheated a little with this one.  Burda 7107 is the envelope equivalent of the magazine pattern, so I used that instead.  This pattern was on my radar for a long time, but moved up to NEXT when I saw Dressmaking Debacles' version. 

Yeah my ties are long.  The bottom half of the top is attached to the ties which wraps around the back.  The ties as drafted were too short for my taste...in chocolate.  Plus I cut the ties on the straight grain which means they don't have any stretch at all.  So I lengthened the ties by adding some scrap fabric.

I cut size 42 in the neckline and shoulder and size 44 everywhere else.  I didn't do an FBA, but I did add 1 inch to the front and back length. 

The fabric is wool merino from the stash.  It's the same fabric I used for another Burda top.  When I first bought both of these fabrics, I was underwhelmed.  Now I wish I had more!

I sewed all of the seams on my machine and then serged them together.  I used my coverstitch machine to finish the hems.  Nakisha is right, there is A LOT of hemming.

The pattern includes a back neck facing strip thing.  Uh...why?  I just folded the back over and coverstitched.  Done.

The pattern suggests setting the sleeves.  Nah.  I sewed mine in flat.   I don't know why it's so wrinkly; there aren't any puckers and I didn't stretch the armhole too much...I don't think.

I haven't worn it yet, but intend to soon.

March:  8-2007-117

This is another pattern that's been on my radar for a while.  I first noticed it when Trinicity sewed it way back in 2007.  I suppose at this rate, I'll be sewing patterns from 2018 in 2029.  Hah!

The pattern calls for stretch fabrics and I've grown to loathe stretch cotton poplin.  This stuff is the devil because it's almost impossible to sew seams without some puckers.  I dread setting in the sleeves.

I like how it looks so far, but I have a ways to go before it's finished.  I  need to attach the collar, sew the sleeve plackets, set the sleeves, and add buttonholes.  Hopefully it'll be done by the end of the month.

Peace!

L