I currently subscribe to three different sewing pattern magazines: Burda, Manequim, and KnipMode. I don’t post reviews of Burda because so many other blogs do already, and also because Burda are great about publishing all the line drawings in advance, so you probably already know whether you like an issue or not without me harping on at you. All three have reliable delivery schedules, with Manequim appearing in the first week of the month, then KnipMode around the middle, and Burda bringing up the rear at the end of the month, or the beginning of the next. This month I ended up getting KnipMode only a few days before Burda, but I think it was just a combination of Knip being a bit late and Burda being a bit early. What it’s meant for me is that I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with breakfast reading so I’ve only just now been able to properly digest each issue along with my porridge, let alone get out the scanner!
As a total aside, I find it interesting that Manequim is the cheapest year subscription at about £65, then Burda at £70, followed by KnipMode at about £90. All I’m saying is, KnipMode has been alright since their new editor took over, but they better step up to awesome territory again soon if they want to stay in the sewing budget…
The first ten or so pages of this issue are taken up by the wide array of styles you can create with their mix & match coat patterns. They’ve done this in the past with dresses and cocktail dresses but essentially you choose the various sleeves, bodice, collar, etc, and build your custom coat pattern that way.
My favourite in this issue is this leather top! I’ve been eyeing up similar leather tops in the fashion magazines, but LindsayT’s recent leather shell top has totally upped my interest again! I’ve even got some green leather I could use, too… The cool thing is that this pattern also looks great in some orange wool coating later in the issue, too!
There were actually a bunch of leather styles in this issue, as one of the features involved mixing leather with stretch fabrics, which made for some really cool seaming, like you can see on the skirt above and the dress on the front cover, too. There was also a cool pair of leather trousers, but I personally like Burda’s pair in their November issue a bit better.
I’m always a sucker for trousers with sailor-style fronts (though I’ve yet to actually make any, hrm), so of course I like this pair with their little pleats and interesting leg shape. This pattern also has big, illustrated instructions for the front closure which should help to work out how the facings and overlaps go together.
These slim trousers with their bow tie waistband really remind me of the ones the Selfish Seamstress shared a tutorial for a while back! So really, you don’t even need this issue as you can just take your favourite trouser pattern and draft the bow according to her instructions…
And finally, the Take 5 feature (where they show a pattern in 5 different fabrics) this month shows off a big cardigan (yawn. I’m so over these!) and a pair of slim, seamed trousers which are so close (only one seam off!) to the pale blue trousers I made from the October 2010 issue (onthe right)! I think there’s a bit of pattern recycling going on here, but that’s fair enough since the October version were only shown in one photo where you couldn’t even see the waistband.
There was also a section at the back of the magazine with a bunch of sewing crafts, but I must say, KnipMode’s craft sewing didn’t inspire me any more than Burda’s usual offerings! The lampshade made with old jeans was particularly abhorrent to me, I must say.