One of the things I looked forward to over the holidays (in addition to seeing family, of course) was going back to Golden D'Or in Dallas, where I had scored so handily last year.
I have not been crazy about Burda lately (so much with the shapeless!), but I was definitely interested in the Burda 11-2011-114 drapey faux-wrap top. I didn't have anything in stash really suitable for it, and when I found the drapey pink sweaterish knit at Golden D'Or it seemed perfect.
I have already sewn up the copper sweaterknit. My dear friend and neighbor (we bought condos next door to one another) loooooves copper, and I immediately thought of her when I saw the fabric. Metallic copper sweaterknit for clothes is a little whackadoodle, even for me, but it is great trim for accessories. I made her a fleece hat with sweaterknit brim and a fleece-lined scarf. I bought a pair of gloves and hand-stitched a copper cuff to the inside lining, for a full set. My photo is terrible but the gift had already been handed over before I realized it, but you get the gist.
You may recognize this silk jersey as the same print in a different colorway as the perfect knit wrap dress I just sewed. I believe the silk jerseys were originally $24/yd. I got the turquoise print for the wrap dress on sale for $12. And then I saw this on sale for $6. When you see silk jersey for $6/yd, you just buy it. Unfortunately, I hesitated for a day and only got two yards of this, which is all he had left. It is extremely narrow. I would like to make another McCall 6069 cowl dress (with a non-cowl back bodice), but haven't investigated whether I have enough fabric for it.
Ever since I first saw this Robert Rodriguez dress, I have been wanting some copper silk. Not to try to copy the dress (way above my skill level), but just because it is so rich and gorgeous! When I found it on the $7.97/yd table, with 25% off sale plus a coupon, I had to have it. I am thinking maybe Burda 7519, or at least the sleeves from it. I dig the carapace sleeves. In pre-washing, I realized the copper silk is a stretch, so I may have to do something to take advantage of that property.
I have this giant fleece robe I wear when it's cold. It is red with plasticky dragons on it. I got the fabric on clearance from Joann and it's fairly hideous. Also, the robe is about 9 years old at this point and pilled (on the plus side, the plasticky dragons in the seam allowances that used to poke me have finally worn off). So, it's time for a new robe. This leopard print amused me.
This was my first purchase of 2012, and already I made a mistake! In the store, the mushroom-colored knit on the left looked gray, but then I got it into sunlight and saw that it is brown. Argh!!! I don't wear brown. I guess I will use it for knit muslin.
I am almost always allowed to buy knit prints when I find them and I like the colors in this border print. Orange! There is never enough orange.
The Schiarparelli pink silk charmeuse caught my eye on the $7.97/yd silk table. It will make a fabulous lining for something.
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I have bought more fabric since these items--including on the Baltimore Fabric Crawl--but I am so slow in posting this that I won't wait until I have photos done.
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I am terrible at answering questions. I apologize for that. Here are two recent ones:
MySummerTouch asks:
I wonder what do you do with your traced Burda patterns? Save them or throw them away?
I generally save them. There are probably a few I've thrown away because the pattern was terrible on me. I fold the pattern pieces together into a rectangle bundle (making sure the pattern number is facing out) and put it into a plastic page protector sleeve. I have giant three ring binders with the patterns arranged chronologically in them. With three ring binders, it's easy to open up the rings and put the latest pattern in the proper order.
However, it is getting to the point where I have a LOT of traced patterns. I need more binders, but the giant ones are expensive! I get lazy about actually filing the patterns, too. I should probably do a cull of patterns I will not realistically sew again, but the tracing is so much work that it's hard to just toss it!
Has anybody developed a brilliant system for saving these tracings?
Thank you all for your supportive and helpful comments on my pants post. I have looked through the resources you recommended and may eventually be ready to tackle them again. I actually sewed up a muslin of a Palmer/Pletsch pattern that fit better out of the envelope than the Burda did after 4 muslins! However, I made the stupid mistake of assuming that a P/P pattern would not have the ridiculous ease of a normal Big 3 and sewed according to what size I "should" be. The good crotch fit may only be because the overall muslin is way too big.
JENL observed:
I think a lot of the problem was the weight of the fabric-it looked too light and shimmery? Perhaps a little bit of a pressing issue-though I know you were just making a sample.
I actually like using "worst case scenario" fabric for a muslin. Not to mention I bought like 10 yards of that stuff at Jomar, only to get it home and realize it was too loud to be used as lining! The shiny, unforgiving fabric reveals every fitting issue in stark clarity, so there will be no surprises in real fabric.
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14 comments:
You got some great fabrics, especially the silk jersey. Too bad about the brown knit. That is a color I wear so if we ever meet up, let's make a fabric swap. I must have something in my stash that you'd like.
I just got rid of my big 3-ring binders because I switched over to a storing in a file cabinet- hey I could swap you my binders!! They ARE expensive.
And finally, I got my StyleArc pants patterns and sewed up both already. They were SO MUCH EASIER to fit! They weren't perfect out of the envelope but I did not need to do much compared to sewing Burda or any of the Big FOur.
Love the fabric purchases. It's giving me the itch to do a little online shopping and send it to my parents while they are in Florida...
Pretty fabrics! I did a major haul at the end of December/start of January, so I haven't been doing a lot of fabric buying lately. It is fun to see what other sewers of the internet are getting...
As for the Burda storage, I have a manilla envelope for each of the issues I have traced from, and I put all patterns from that issue into the envelope. Then I store all my traced patterns in a filing box in chronological order. Granted, I have only been tracing for about a year now, but the storage seems to be pretty reasonable, and it is pretty easy to search through and pull out what I am looking for.
OK Trena, I am salivating over some of these purchases. And, brown knit is perfect for me. Come to Oregon and we'll do some trading!
Enjoy sewing up these lovelies.
I think your idea of putting the traced patterns in a sheet protectors and binders is pretty brilliant. I have just been pinning mine together and hanging them from a clip that's attached to the side of one of my sewing cabinets. It looks really bad, and I need to work on changing that setup.
Pretty fabrics! I love the copper silk. Can't you use the brown in color blocking with better colors? I also loved your last dress and how you styled it, but couldn't leave a comment. Hm.
I've noticed that too with Burda... Not every woman can pull off a boxy shirt. And their plus size clothes do NOT thrill me...
Right now, my tracings are safety pinned together and laying on a heap. I should probably figure out a way to file them too.
darn.
I only fairly recently started buying Burda and Ottobre, so I don't have a lot of tracings, but this is my storage technique. I bought a box of the large manila clasp envelopes and I scan the picture of the line drawing or print a picture of my finished item and tape it to the front of the envelope. Then I can also scribble my changes from one version to the next or ideas of things I want to try next time.
Love the poly knit print!
I have two huge binders with traced patterns, one for me and one for my daughter. They are almost full. When I will actually will make them, I'll get rid of tjose that I don't like, one in, one out.
Do you sew every day or just on weekends? Do you have the desire to sew every day after so many years of sewing? I seams to move on to another hobby when I figure out how to make it well, like it was with my knitting and crochetting. And I'm thinking about jewelry making after sewing.
When I trace from Ottobre or Burda, I make a copy of the sewing instructions as well as the line drawing and glue them to the front of an envelope. On the back I make a list of all the changes I made to the pattern to make it fit me. That way I by now have a list of ''the ususal suspects'' when I try out a new pattern. The envelope is then placed with the original magazine in a storage box. One box pr. year :-)
I actually use the exact same filing system as T. Sedai (above). Works for me!
I've also made the Burda 11-2011-114 - and I loved it (I've got a review at patternreviews.com or on my blog). Highly recommend!
I give the traced patterns to a girl that is learning to sew around here. She can't really afford the patterns, even on sale (such is life when you live in the country and unemployment is high) plus the fabric cost, so at least she is able to make modernish clothing, and I don't have to hold onto them. And if she needs help, then I can do that obviously, since the directions are sparse.
I also let her trace my Burda mags, so I have a few traced that I haven't made up. Luckily we're about the same size.
If there's a pattern she doesn't want, I plan on putting it on my blog to someone that does want it. So far, tho, it never has got to that point.
I got a ton of the binders from Craigslist when a business was moving for a buck a pop. (They are the 5" ones.) About the only way *I* could afford them, myself.
Oh. I. Have. Fabric. Envy.
Those printed knits are awesome! I look forward to seeing what you make with them.
I don't know if sombody has suggested this, but I remember when being at Goodwills or other thrift shops, that there were OFTEN binders of every size available. I just remember being boggled once at how many they had, tons of new ones because people hate throwing out binders so donate them. I am guessing you could get brand new giant ones for $1 if you ever find yourself in a thrift store.
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