Burda February 2014 – My picks

One of the main feedbacks from your comments was that you would like more plus size related topics. I thought that commenting on the latest Burda issue would be a good way to ease into the subject. I will talk about the Plus size segment of this issue in general, I will show you my 3 favourites and I will talk about patterns from the non plus features, explaining how I would tweak and upgrade them (the lazy way).

Now, you all know that Burda has good and bad months. To me, this issue is a good one. There are really cool things both in the Plus section and in the other articles. The theme for the Plus section is « Just Charming ». They use easy patterns with refined details. They have chosen nice Crepe, Linnen etc. Fabrics in neutral colors. I think that the patterns here apply mostly to work situations. Here is my top 3! You can find the technical drawings here.

The dress herself is quite basic, it's the color blocking that makes it interesting. I would love to try it with light fabrics for the summer : one neutral tone and one color with more punch such as tangerine-ish.

This is a + pattern so I would not have to upgrade, I would cut the 50 from the shoulders to the waist and switch to a 52 down. What would be tricky ?

• the sleeves : I have larger biceps. I usually avoid long sleeves. In this case, I would maybe make a biceps adjustment, depending on how the muslin falls.
• The back darts : I would have to make them deeper to mark the waist a little bit more. I found that a defined waist/hips at the back does wonders for a rounder silouhette

This double breasted coat is really cool and classy. This year, I already got started on another pattern (Cooper from Colette). If I had gone for this one, I would have picked a light pink canvas and home made matching buttons.

I would also draw a 50/52 version. I would only worry about the fit of the sleeves on this one.

My dear plussy friends, I don't know about you, but I can NEVER find the perfect trousers patterns. I only purchase RTW ones but I have been dying to try jeans and I could not find a good AND affordable version. This one looks great. Well, it is obviously cut too big for the model.

I would try this one with a slightly stretchy denim fabric, cut a 50 all the way so it's nice and snug. I have no idea what would be tricky with this. I think that it would gape a little at the back and I have no clue how it would be around the crotch area. But it would be a great adventure trying!

The magic of sewing is that you are not limited to « plus size » patterns. They are sure more straight forward to trace and they are good at camouflaging if that's what you are after. I chose to no be limited by that. If you just put a little bit of energy in upgrading as you go, it's really easy. Sometimes, too much upgrading damages the proportions or the design. Then it's up to you to make it work !

There are a few designs I would probably try on myself. I usually chose patterns that have a shape that would work well on me (no reactangles or boxy things etc.). I also choose something I LIKE !

I am sure this would look great! V neck, larger at the hips, flat front, cute detail at the back.

Make it work : upgrading to the equivalent of 50/52, check how the sleeves fit, maybe shorten them.

I love to dress up but I also like my comfort. This dress looks so interesting with 2 tones, one in stretch, one in woven.

Make it work : upgrading to 50/52. The sleeves would be fine as they are stretchy. I would have to wear a belt to define the waist.

Doesn't it look cool ! I would wear this with jeans or colorful pants.

Make it work : upgrading to 50 (maybe 48), no problem with the stretchy sleeves. This construction is not a basic one, I wonder what upgrading would do to it. I would also have to see if it does not become too long or short.

This would make a lovely summer top to wear with a skirt. Dressy in a plain fabric or playful with a cute print. The open shoulders would fit me well and the cinched in waist would be great combined with skirts

Make it work : upgrade to a 50/52. Explore the results around the shoulders. Will there be some gaping or not... Do not wear with trousers or jeans (at least for me)

This is basically what I think about when I open a new Burda, when Vogue releases new patterns etc. When you look at patterns, do you only look if they look interesting or not ? Do you immediately see what would have to be tweaked ? What do you usually change ?

Let me know if you like this kind of post, I can do that with the patterns of the big 5 or with Colette etc. Are there some details that you would like me to pick up ?

Burda January 2011

As usual, I am posting my brief review a bit late. I have had the January edition of Burdastyle magazine for more then two weeks now... and the February edition is due out in two weeks :S But it is never too late!

When this January edition is concerned, the basic things can be said. A few features: some are interesting, some are not.

- "Blue": is packed with navy blue items. There was nothing exceptional, as far as my taste is concerned.

- "Feminine Sensitive": or the 40's revival. This feature is gorgeous! The photos are really nice, and their quality is superior to what Burda usually goes for. They show pretty dresses, blouses and coats. Half of their models use the same basic pattern that reminds me of the "Alexander Blouse" of Burdastyle. There are, of course, quite a few differences, but it is interesting to know. If someone likes the style of those 40's items, he/she can use the Burdastyle pattern and tweak it. I am writing this because some people do not have an easy access to the magazine or do not enjoy tracing the patterns...

On Burdastyle

Made into a dress

The feature blouse

With long sleeves

- "Relax at home": is a lounge wear feature. It has pieces that remind me of the worst of the eighties, but they have a useful legging pattern. However, I do not know how many more harem pants I can take...

- "In the Nature": shows comfy pieces for the outdoors. They have basic shapes and are sewn with dark fabrics. Nothing exceptional here...

- "Plus"! As usual, the plus size feature is my favorite. Most of the pieces are pretty and classy. The feature is called "Business Trendy", and shows clothes in subdued classic colors. They all look so nice and flattering!

- "Carnaval": as usual, this is the time of the year for a few European countries! I love some of the children ideas! Hello Octopus!

As usual, I have a top three. It is not a huge surprise as two pieces are from the Plus feature (133-dress, and 137-skirt) and one from the 40's feature (109-coat).

I love that kind of neckline! I also really like the waistband. I would however used a more "flared" bottom as it would hide things I want hidden ;)

I love the gathered sleeves at the wristband. The front hidden sleeves are also handy and pretty. Don't you just like the global shape? Because I do!

Ok, I am still looking out for flattering pencil skirts, and I think that this one might work! Why? Because of the pockets! They are such a nice detail that would attract the eye! I also love the front yoke! I would however do a normal blind hem.

That's it for the review. I will write soon about the progress on my "coat lining re-do" project. It is getting somewhere ;) Somewhere nice, I might even say ;)

Who has this January edition, and which pieces are your favorites?

Burda December 2010

I have completely forgotten to review the December edition of Burdastyle mag! And the worst thing is that the January edition is almost out! But I thought, I am drowning in Christmas prep, and this post is always fun and easy breezy to write.

In this December edition, there was as usual a few features. Some good, some not.

- Wild and romantic brings out flowy and frilly patterns. I like the dresses but not that much of the rest...
- Elegant and pretty shows evening wear. I am not crazy about their fabric choices but, once again, they have nice dresses.
- The Business look one has garments with pure lines. I am not a fan of those shapes as they do not hug the waist. But I must admit that they are the best that Burda has done concerning the crazy 80's revival. Nice and simple.
- The Christmas feature makes me feel happy and warm inside, just flipping through the pages. They have a few crafts like toys, bags, and other crafts. They also have aprons, men cabin gear and children pieces!
- The plus size feature is called "Party Clothing" and I fell in love with a few of the pieces! There is a GORGEOUS body fitted dress and a few other pretty draped garments.

Within those different parts of this issue, I have my top three. Two dresses and an apron!

Dress #1 comes from the "Wild and Romantic" feature. I like it because it looks interesting. It has 9 or 11 pieces, you decide, which allows you to play with different fabrics. I would go completely "Mondo" on this one!

Dress #2 is the GORGEOUS plus size number! They have two versions: a long one and a short one. It has nice princess seams and a gathered neckline. I wish I had more time before Christmas to sew it! I would make a short red version with the red "wild silk" fabric I got from my Grand Ma's treasure box. OR use black silk cotton for the side panels and white for the middle ones.

Last but not least, I have a crush on the apron (140). Ok, it is pretty basic and only made of rectangles, but I'd love to mix and match different cottons (polka dots, stripes, flowers...).

These were my two cents about the December edition of Burdastyle. Now, I go back to my Christmas prep ;)

Burdastyle: November 2010

Ok, it is a little bit late for it, but I thought that a little Burdastyle blogging could be fun. Here are my thoughts about the November issue!

In this issue, you see the return of the evening dresses! As usual, it has a few features: warm fabrics, party clothing, Orient express, at work, children, and the plus size. I'll be blunt. This is not my favorite issue. Even if the photos are really really nice. Let's do the bad points first, and finish off with the good points.

What are they doing to their coats? They are all almost shapeless. Ok, you can cinch them at the waist with a belt, but the look like something is missing to me... They have other shapeless pieces too, like an asymmetric dress that has no waist whatsoever. I guess that they could work on a woman that has a boyish shape...

But I have a top 3 ;)

Weirdly enough, they have my favorite piece so far in this issue: a very simple dress that reminds me of the latest Louis Vuitton collection. In the magazine, you can see it long, short, in heavy wool or in party fabrics. And I totally agree. I love the idea of having it as a winter warm dress...

They also have a plus size dress that is almost the same as the one I made for my mum. But it is better for two reasons! First, the neckline is a sweetheart shape on the front. Second, the flattering pleats are ALSO on the back, which adds a nice hourglass impression.

My last favorite is actually a pencil skirt. If you have been following this blog, you already know that I love pencil skirts, but that it is really hard for me to find one that works, as they usually show a part of my body that is not my best asset ;). Therefore, I try to find a pencil skirt that has *something* on it that camouflages those bits. This one would maybe work.

And you, what are your faves of the November issue?

Vogue Winter: my top three!

Hello people!

So far, I have only written about the Burdastyle patterns that come out every month. This time, I change up a little! The winter Vogue collection has appeared this week end on their website and a lot of bloggers have already picked their favorites. I love a lot of the dresses, but unfortunately, quite a few of them would not work for me.

My top 3 is a combination of what I find pretty AND of what could look good on me.

1) Dress from Cynthia Steffe - V1207

I think that this dress looks more interesting when you look at the technical drawing. I would prefere it with a plain fabric and a belt though.

What would work for me?
- the sleeves (they hide the top of the arm)
- the pleats of the skirt (they hide a few bits are better left alone)

Why do I like it?
- the back!!!
- the neckline
- the sleeves

2) Dress from Rachel Comey - V1209

This dress is so cute. I am not sure that I could upgrade it, but I would love to try!

What would work for me?
- the sleeves (same idea than the previous one)
- the front draping will cinch at the waist to show off the bust area (my favorite)
- the skirt is almost A-line

Why do I like it?
- I love the peplum at the back, especially as it does not continue to the front in a way that it does not cut the silhouette
- once again, the back!!!

3) Wardrobe - V8701

I really enjoy those Vogue Wardrobe. They have very simple pieces that you can make your own!

What would work for me?
- the dress (sleeves and the shape of the skirt)
- the blazer (fitted and a nice cleavage)

Why do I like it?
- the dress seems quite easy to sew
- the blazer has such a nice back to it!

So basically, I cannot wait for the sales ;)

Tomorrow, I will probably post about a quick project that I am making now.

What do you think about the winter collection?
Do you have any favorites?
Do you like their designer patterns?

Burdastyle: October 2010

Today, I went to pick up my Mister a the airport, and as I was checking out magazines, I was surprised to already see the October issue! And very happy too! So here are my two cents...

The October issue is the very awaited Karl Lagerfeld issue. Indeed, Mister Lagerfeld designed two pieces: a jacket and a skirt. I love the skirt! but I do not see any way to make it fit for me. It will be too short, and I feel like lengthening it will kill what makes it nice. Oh well... The jacket is very interesting! It looks like it would be so fun to construct. But once again, I am not sure that it is upgradable...

There are also some features: "In the nature", "Aviator", "Evergreen", "From another planet", "Children", and "Plus size". As usual, there is one feature that I really do not like: "From another planet".

I was really disappointed by the Plus size feature. It had basic shapeless tees, weird leather pants, collar-less coats, an elastic-waisted skirt, and a shapeless kimono tee. However, I really like the skirt part of this dress (see below). It is another smart way to make a pencil skirt and still hide unflattering bits with the piece that hangs in the front. I would totally try it as a skirt, with a built in belt.

The "Aviator" feature is very nice. It shows great coats and classic shapes. It is so Amelia Earhart! I really like the pants. They are nice and wide at the bottom. I also enjoyed this coat/cardigan. I would completely try it in a heavy knit.

The first feature printed in this mag is "in the nature". It has cute comfy country pieces. I really like this skirt. It looks so comfy, and still nice to wear. It seems like you can pair it to so many tops! I would construct the waist differently. I would do tiny pleats and a built in belt, with an elastic back. I has in-seam pockets too! It would look great in a more flowy fabric.

I must admit that my favorite feature is the one called "EVERGREEN". I love every single piece of it! They are cute and colorful! Everyone is going to love THE dress! It has a wonderful skirt (side pleats, cute fitted top, nice cleavage, cap sleeves). The also have an underskirt pattern for it in the magazine. It looks very upgradable! And it definitively will be upgraded *winky winky*. Next is a cute simple skirt. I have been in such a skirt mood lately, it must be because I realized that I have very few of them. I love the pleats! And last but not least, a bow shirt! It is simple, and easy to personalize. You can use a quirky fabric for it!

Did any of you purchased this issue?
Do you plan on getting it?
What is your favorite piece?
What do you think about Karl Lagerfeld?

The surprisingly amazing Ottobre

Let's talk about a great European magazine: Ottobre!

Ottobre comes from Finland. It used to be a children patterns magazine but a few years ago, they have started women clothing! My story with it is very different then with Burda or Vogue. Ottobre spring/summer 2010 was in the shops for a long while before I felt like giving it a try. I already had a few Burdas on my shelves. One day, I just splurged and went for it! I really liked a few patterns and used one for a dress I wore to a wedding: "The Lovely".  It was a very easy pattern that fitted with very few alterations (compared to all my other Burda projects).

On Saturday, I have purchased the fall/winter issue and I have decided to use a few of their patterns, first, a jacket. Then, I started thinking about their concept... They do patterns for EVERY woman. Big, tiny, young, old, classic, funky, corporate, mother, sportive, relax, etc. And it is not only something they say. It is something THEY DO! The women in their catalogues are true women, with flows that Burda or Vogue wouldn't show. But, they also have an authenticity that the models from other brands don't have. When you see the pictures or the technical drawings, it is way easier to project yourself into them.

Some people, and it has been proven, tend to pass pictures promoted with normal women, slightly older, slightly bigger, or with a non Caucasian looking ethnicity. I must say that it is also partly true for me. I tend to have a biased first impression. However, I am conscious about it, and it helps me getting over it. For example, they have a very pretty top, the Nora, that is showcased on an older woman with wobbly bits. It wasn't love at first sight. But then I saw the technical drawing, and I came back to the picture and my point of view had dramatically changed.

There is also a little thing that made me love them even more. To make it a short story, I live in a Dutch speaking country but I am a native French speaker, and fluent English speaker. Therefore, my Dutch (intermediary) is sometimes good enough for patterns instructions, sometimes not. The jacket that I am planning to make had a very long and complicated explanation in Dutch that I didn't see myself completely understand. So I tried my luck... I e-mailed Ottobre, and they helped me very nicely! That really made my day, and I decided writing this note.

I also felt like making a table that would help you visualize what Ottobre is, and how different or not it is from other magazines or pattern makers. Of course, I have only started sewing this year, so I am no encyclopedia. These are just a few observations...

		Burda	Vogue	Ottobre
	Type	magazine	envelope	magazine
	Frequency	12 burdastyle/year + 2 easy/year + 2/plus size/year	New patterns 6/year	2/year for women + 4/year for children
	Price	around 6 $	around 20 $ (special offers around 5 $)	around 8 $
	Designers	Karl Lagerfeld in 10/2010	A lot!!!	None
	Web	patterns download, sewing community, articles,...	patterns download, articles,...	previews, blog, shop
	Pattern fit	Good	Good	Good
	Pattern type	Novice to expert	Intermediate to expert	Novice to expert
	Pattern readability	Mixed	not mixed	Mixed
	Instructions	Technical & clear	Technical & clear & illustrations	Technical & clear
	Tutorials	One garment as a lesson; Added featurettes (same every time)	NA	Featurettes (change often)
	Models	size 34/36, young + size 42/44 for plus size, young	size 34/36, young (sometimes older for a few)	34 to 52, pluri-age, pluri-ethnicity
	Size range	34-44 + petite + plus size feature 44-52	32-44 + petite + little plus size	34-52 for almost every pattern
	Plus size  appeal	7/10 ( not every issue is as good)	5/10 (not cute)	9/10 (cute and fitted)

I really hope this interested you. Don't hesitate to check out their website or their blog!

Burda: September preview

I am not the first to comment on it, but here are my two cents... It's an easy post, after my IKEA trip and the groceries shopping and Saturday cleaning to come!

Usually, I fall in love with one of the features in normal sizes, I hate the second, and I kind of like the third.  The plus size part is sometimes really nice, and sometimes really crappy... This time follows the rules and it is one of those NICE plus sizes!

I am so in an autumn mood at the moment, and I was really expecting this preview. As often lately, I don't like one of the features, the loathed "Folklore". I would also enjoy more the graphic bits if I had less bits around my bones... Anyway, here are my faves:

I will have to work on the pattern for sizes, but I like that classic shirt. It would be great on a full skit and the V looks very flattering. To be tried...

And then there was the plus size bits! It actually is very nice this time! The fabric choice can make this dress work so so so well... I love the sleeves of this one, they make the arms look more delicate and they would work well with nice vintage buttons on their sides. The V neck is, of course, a plus for me, and the bow as well, and I love the fact it is a button up too! The skirt seems nice and A-line! To be tried!

Still in the plus size, THE trench coat! I have been wanting one for a while. I am a huge Burberry fan! I wonder how fitted it is... I just hope it is not too straight. I like a waist in coats. And, Tim Gunn says that a Trench Coat is a wardrobe essential... Last week, I have found that gorgeous coat fabric that would be perfect for it in a local gorgeous shop. Completely on my to be tried list!

My final fave was still in the plus size section: jacket! I would love to make it in tweed, with quirky discreet pimpings. I have plenty of ideas for that one!

Here it is! I think that I picked up very sober things this time around. It must be because I have to dress for job interviews, and I am in that kind of corporate mood... I still think that they can become quirky so so so easily!

TO BE TRIED!!!!!