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Inspiration, Magazine

Burda Classics magazine FW 2012 (& MyImage sale!)

We’ve been away in France last week and I’ve picked up a few souvenirs, including a stonking awful cold, which is unfortunately delaying my resumption of normal life and blog activity. So just rest assured there will be much to talk about as soon as my brain is functioning again. Until then, please accept my apologies for anything that doesn’t make sense here!

So, what is this “Burda Classics”, I hear you ask? Well, it’s part of a new series of Burda pattern magazines, set to run alongside the existing monthly issues. It’s available in English & French only, and produced by Burda France as a test run. Apparently there’s going to be 8 “special” issues per year, two of them Classics, two Plus, and the other four are anyone’s guess!

I bought my Classics mag last weekend at Eurotunnel Calais on our drive back – the one and only copy, bwahaha!

Two of these patterns are definitely reprints of earlier patterns (see below), but some may be new, I’m not sure. As you’ll see, there are lots of jackets, which aren’t exactly staples in my own wardrobe!. Sizes range from 32-50 but the bulk of the patterns are 34-44 or 46. The instructions and patterns sheets appear to be similar to those in the regular magazines, though as I have the French version, I can’t vouch for whether the English instructions make any more sense than the usual “Burda WTF” coming from Burda Germany’s head office!

Here’s my favourite pattern of this issue, a great little sheath dress for wovens or stable jerseys, in three hem lengths and three sleeve lengths:

A “Chanel” suit (albeit with a 2 piece sleeve). I intended to place a little rant here about how any chanel-type suit has the magical properties of making its wearer look at least twenty years older, but seeing as how this model looks to be about 60, that actually doubles my earlier estimate. Want to look old and frumpy? Wear a boxy boucle jacket and matching matronly skirt!


(Ok, this is probably a cranky side effect of my cold, as it’s not this pattern’s fault, it’s the “style” I take offense with!)

Omg, it’s the knit wrap dress I made back in 2007! This is a great pattern, appearing first in the May 2006 issue of Burda magazine, and then appearing again as envelope pattern Burda 7953.

Inspiration, Magazine

Burda magazine October 2012

The last two issues of Burda have been so spectacular that it was always going to be a hard act for poor October to follow, and it’s gotten a bit of a kicking online for so many lazy, square, and shapeless designs. Indeed, I couldn’t find anything to like in two entire features (the Pastels one and the Hippie-Outdoorsy Crappe one), but there was enough in the “New Sophistication” feature alone (photographed with the dressmakers dummies, see below) to justify this issue’s existence to me!

So let’s skip right to the afore-mentioned “New Sophistication” feature, shall we?

I’m not entirely sure why, as it’s wholly impractical, but I really like this long, wool waistcoat (which reminds me of the Sept 2010 jacket that was way too big and boxy). There’s another version in this magazine that’s longer and has integrated long, ponte knit sleeves, too. I know my arms get chilly before the rest of me, so a body warmer really isn’t very practical for me, but the addition of sleeves, well, that changes everything!

This surplice top is nice but nothing new (I’ve seen this design at least 3-4 times in Burdas over the years), and I even quite like the quirky “hip wrap”, which is somewhere between a kimono-belt and a waist pack. It’s definitely a good use for those odd-sized scraps of coatings and leather I’ve got lying around!

I like this cowl top but I hate how Burda flattens these to one side though, ugh! let the cowl free! These high-waisted, slim legged trousers would also be a great wardrobe staple.

Inspiration, Magazine

Manequim September 2012

Hot on the heels of August’s issue, it’s another Manequim magazine, this time celebrating the first of the Spring fashions down in sunny Brazil!

The model’s pose on the cover of this issue totally cracks me up. I thought it was the most corny, awful pose I’d ever seen until I saw the rest of her photoshoot inside, and I have a feeling now that she must be a real ham, and she’s doing the dorky poses to be funny, which I quite like now!

In the celebrity section there are four patterns for maternity dresses, including these two gowns. I’m not sure if they’re just regular gowns which are maternity-friendly, or whether they’ve actually drafted them to account for extra belly. The tech drawing would suggest they’re altered, but the pattern pieces in the layout don’t (the straight hems are a giveaway!).

You know me and shorts (ie: I don’t wear them, full stop), but how cute are these, with their retro hems, piped front seams, and integrated pockets?! So cute I almost overlooked the biker jacket in my size, that’s what!

Inspiration, Magazine

Manequim August 2012

August is a funny transitional month in the fashion world – for Burda magazine, August is traditionally the first issue full of Fall fashions, but for Manequim in the Southern hemisphere, this August issue is the last of the Winter fashions!

I’ve had this issue scanned and ready to share for a while, but it was receiving the (very Spring-y) September issue in the post this week that really gave me a kick to post about August. Sorry for the delay – the magazine review posts get slotted in around my other sewing escapades, since I assume you’re all more interested in what I’m actually making!

There’s only one Plus-sized pattern in this issue (with the inspiration dress modelled by the amazing Brazilian comedienne, Fluvia Lacerda!), and it’s a lovely shirt dress with pleated details around the neckline & sleeves.

I see a lot of classic button-down shirt patterns, but this one’s got an interesting twist – diagonal pleated inserts on both sides. It’d be an easy feature to add onto an existing shirt pattern you already have, too!

From the same feature, I totally love this sheath dress with square neckline where the bust pleats extend down from the neckline. It’s a really subtle bit of shaping, but I think this would translate nicely into a top, too.

Inspiration, Magazine

Burda magazine September 2012

Thank you so much for all your compliments on my Fuchsia party dress (and marathon legs, ha)! Apologies if any of you had trouble with the link – I’d originally categorised it wrong and had to correct it, which changed the URL.

Also, big thanks to everyone who entered my competition for the MyImage magazine – I was blown away by the number and wonderful variety of pattern request ideas in your comments! Now, if I ever had a chunk of time spare to draft them all, I’d be a rich woman… Anyway, the random number generator drew 32, which means Silvia is the lucky recipient!

The calendar might still say August for another day, but at least in London, there’s a definite crispness in the air that signals the return of Fall, and Burda’s already got this covered with another fantastic issue!

We had a similar (but A-line) dress in the May issue, but I actually prefer the lines on this petite dress instead, and that it can be worn with a bolero to give it sleeves is just a bonus!

Both garment here are really simple, but as you can see from the photos that you can really create a lot of interest just with fabrics. The top is really just a long sleeved teeshirt with inserted seams at the shoulders (like my Knipmode rose and lace teeshirt!) and the skirt is just a basic pencil skirt, but together, they really work, and are within reach of most beginner sewists.

Inspiration, Magazine

MyImage Fall/Winter 2012 & Giveaway

It’s the latest edition of the bi-annual, quadri-lingual My Image magazine! They’ve also got a new edition of Young Image magazine, too, but as I’ve not got many kids to sew for, I’m more interested in the women’s patterns.

It seems nuts that all the pattern companies and fashion magazines are into long sleeves and heavy coats already, but I suppose we’ll thank them when the weather cools down and we’ve got the perfect patterns already in hand!

This cardi is nice (but nothing particularly new), but I’m mostly into the trousers. I’m not fond of the ankle shirring detail, though, so I think I’d just leave that off for a nice straight leg instead. Maybe that makes me boring, but there’s enough interest in the top half for my liking!

Contained in this one image are my two favourites of this issue I think – the coat is just amazing and I love, love, LOVE these slim trousers!! They’ve got some fantastic seaming on the legs and have added pleats to give great texture there and really play up the extra panels. These are for stretch wovens with an elastic waistband, in case you’re wondering (like I was, eyeing up my fabrics before the issue arrived!).

Inspiration

Manequim July 2012

I’ve had a few weeks to mull over this issue, and in my opinion, it’s another really great one, full of garments for “their winter” that could easily be worn in “our summer”!

In the section showing dresses inspired by Brazilian soap stars, I really like this dress with an integrated side-tie – it’d be really easy to just draft this as a separate piece, but the tie itself is cleverly integrated into the shaped seams, like something out of Pattern Magic!

I totally squealed when this issue first arrived, because the cover dress with curved black knit side panels is just too fabulous (and clearly inspired by the famous Stella McCartney “Octavia” dress) but it’s also only available in my size!! Yess!

Doesn’t this silk dress with draped skirt overlay and yoke look like something a certain Duchess would wear?

Inspiration, Magazine

Burda magazine August 2012

I’ve been buying Burda magazine (formerly “Burda World Of Fashion”, now “Burda Style”) since 2005, and I’ve seen its greatness come and go (and then come back again) in waves. It’s been getting steadily better over the course of 2012, but this August issue is the best one in a LONG time! Definitely the best this year (along with May 2012), but possibly it ranks up there with September 2010 and August 2006 even in my own personal Burda Issue Hall Of Fame!

I pretty much love everything in this feature with the white background, but let’s take these one step at a time.

First up is this blue tuxedo with slim trousers and a great jacket with interesting, non-standard lapels. How could I not love this, when I’ve already made a blue tuxedo with slim trousers and a jacket with interesting lapels back in 2008 (and also from Burda patterns)??! LOVE.

I really love the shape of this dirndl-inspired dress, with its cap sleeves and interesting bodice seams, but part of me is also concerned by the sharp seaming – they look awfully similar to the seams on a Burda slip pattern I tried that really didn’t work for me (ahem, pointy boobs) so I’d want to definitely muslin this bodice before going further.

Inspiration, Magazine

Manequim June 2012

I’ve had this issue for a while now, I’m not entirely certain why I’ve been dragging my feet to review it. I mean, I should be all over this – they’re are some great designs, and our “wettest, coldest summer in 16654687423 years” means I can wear Brazilian winter fashions right now anyway, but I think maybe I’m just in pattern overload shellshock or something. It’s a genuine malady, I’m sure of it.

I think this convertible coat is a great idea – you can remove the bottom of it to change it between a short winter coat or a longer one. It’s the kind of catwalk fashion that can really translate into people’s reduced income and wardrobe space and be really wearable at the same time…

The soap opera cover star is showing a side gather dress with a leather tab here – the dress itself is nothing special, but I really like the leather accent idea!

The designer this month is Ferragamo, and I really like this dress with a peephole neckline, especially since I’ve not seen any similar patterns around (yet?).

Inspiration, Magazine

Burda and KnipMode July 2012

I’m never usually a big fan of summer issues or summer clothing, so I’ve again decided to share my picks from the Burda and KnipMode July issues together. I’ve already decided to not renew my KnipMode subscription, after the new editor turned it from the best pattern magazine out there (in 2010, and IMHO) to the worst one out there in little less than a year. It’s also the most expensive, which makes the decision a bit easier! So I think this is probably the last of my subscription to arrive, and as I’m pleasantly surprised by this month’s Burda, I’ll start with it….

Burda Style (formerly “World of Fashion”) July 2012

Most of the flapper-style dresses were misguided, ugly, and unflattering, but I think is bias-cut, cowl neck number could actually the the opposite of all those things if made in a flowing, lightweight fabric.

I can’t even remember the last time I sewed (or wore!) a button-down shirt, but something about this pattern really grabs me. It could be that waist-seam, which mimics a peplum without being too trendy, or maybe it’s just that I’m happy to see long sleeves in a July issue (hello English summer!).

There’s another variation of this gathered, raglan shell in the magazine which adds short sleeves and is worn with the slit in front instead of the back, but for some reason, in their lightweight cotton, all I could see was “hospital gown”. But here, in a soft, solid silk, I can suddenly see a lot of layering possibilities – both for multiple layers of silk (how about a blue charmeuse with a purple voile or chiffon on top??), and for wearing under jackets or cardigans for officewear.