Burda 5-2011-113: Wool Military Jacket

    I stopped subscribing to Burda Style a couple of years ago when I began to be disappointed in every issue.  It seems though that in the past year they have really stepped it up.  I am considering re-subscribing because there have been several really awesome issues that I have purchased as single issues.  I did not purchase the May 2011 magazine but downloaded this jacket pattern from the BurdaStyle website.
     I really don't enjoy putting PDF paper patterns together, but I wanted this jacket so badly that I perservered.  I usually end up with some of the lines not matching, but this one went together pretty well.  There was one place where I did not line up perfectly, but it was on a curve so I just fudged it a little.

     For Burda, the pattern was pretty well-written.  I did not have any real trouble deciphering the instructions and it was well-drafted. I made the jacket exactly according to the instructions.
    The fabric was a lovely wedgewood blue wool flannel that I bought last year from the Wool Connection.  I am absolutely obsessed wool flannel, which is pretty sad, since the temperatures never stay cold enough for long enough where I live for me to really indulge myself in a lot of wool flannel garments.  Unfortunately, we are having another warm winter so far in south Alabama with a cold day about once per week.

     I knew that my main problem would be finding enough buttons that were all alike.  As I recall, the jacket calls for 18 buttons with 6 of those being on the sleeves.  I had 14 military buttons that were alike but knew I would not be able to find 4 more.  I looked at my local Singer and found 6 smaller buttons that we like the ones I had.  They were used on the sleeves.   I did not work any buttonholes on the lapel of the jacket since they were really unnecessary and I was lazy.  

    I wore this jacket to work in this outfit below.  I have been unable to take pictures outside because we have had a number of dreary, cloudy days.  

Blouse:  JCrew

Skirt:  Thrifted

Shoes:  Amazon

Lt Gray Tights

shoe closeup

Happy Sewing!!

  

   

V1013: Simple Lace Top

First, thank you so much for the lovely comments about the passing of my kitty.  

I  have really loved the lace trend that has been everywhere this past year so I decided that I needed a simple lace top to include in some outfits.

The pattern I used was  V1013.  I eliminated the sleeves and added a lining.  The lining method I used was to stitch the neck and stitch the armholes.  Then, pull it through the shoulders and turn it right side out.  At that point, the side seams of the top and lining were stitched with one continuous seam.  I hope that made sense. Here is a tutorial I found on another blog.

The lace fabric which was previously used here and here came from Moodfabrics.com.

I am always afraid of not ordering enough fabric so I usually end up purchasing more than I need. The amount I purchased has certainly served me well having been used in two dresses and now a top.  The lining is a beige polyester I had in my stash.  I did a simple opening at the back of the neck and tied it with ribbon.

There is not much to say about this pattern except that it was very simple, especially with my modifications.  Here is how I wore it.  I see it working well with several different outfits.

Cardigan:  JCrew Jackie in Burgundy

Polka Dot Mint Jeans:  Old Navy

Booties:  JCPenney

Happy Sewing!!

In Memorium: My Cat Minor

Minor

July 1997 - Jan 14, 2013

   In August of 1997, my husband brought a sweet little 5 week old kitten from the Humane Shelter named Minor.  This past Monday,  I lost Minor to cancer.  He was 15.5.  I have owned lots of cats and he was the sweetest one I have ever owned.  He loved everybody and thought everybody should love him.  He was a great sewing assistant, as you can see in this picture of him sitting by my serger.  He also liked to "help" me cut out patterns.  He thought if he laid on top of the patterns while I was trying to cut them out that it would hold them down better :)  He was such a huge part of mine and my husband's lives and we miss him.   He had a long life and was much loved by me and my husband.  

S2056: Green Faux Leather Biker Jacket

Hello and a Belated Happy New Year!!  I haven't posted much because the sewing I was been able to get done during Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays (not much) was mostly wadders.  Those are so discouraging  but unfortunately are all part of the sewing process--have you noticed they seem to come in threes?  I was successful at making a biker jacket that I have wanted to make for a long time.  Last year I came across this gorgeous green  Diane von Furstenberg biker jacket.  Who knew she made something other than wrap dresses?

DVF green leather biker jacket

It was only $777.

Anyway, I decided to make an inspired version...if I could find some appropriate fabric.  I already knew I would be using S2056, View B.  There are some biker jacket patterns in Burda Style and on their website, but having never made a biker jacket before with the asymmetrical zipper, I decided I needed pictures.

When I start looking for fabric for a project, I generally come across it when I have given up.  Back during one of Fabric Mart Fabrics leather sales, I purchased some forest green lambskin leather, but it was just not the right shade of green.  I will use it for something else eventually.  Well, I was walking around the discount fabric and crafts store located between the town where I live and the town where I work and out of the corner of my eye I saw the most beautiful  kelly green  faux leather.  I was not even looking for it having never seen faux leather in there before.  I had to touch it to believe it was not real.  However, the fact that it was on a bolt instead of a skin gave it away.  I bought all that they had--about 5 yards for only $3 per yard.  I took it home and promptly got to work  I made something else to from it that I will blog about later.
     I knew that the challenge would be finding the perfect green separating zipper to match the fabric.  I looked at my local stores to no avail, but then  I looked on amazon.com and found a perfect match--a YKK separating zipper in Lake Green.  It matches my faux leather perfectly.
     There is not much to say about the pattern other than I followed it exactly and it was very well-explained.  I did remove some of the ease from the sleeves because, well, leather and faux leather just don't ease very well.  I did not use any special technique for eliminating the ease.  I just trimmed around the sleeve head tapering down to the notches until I got it to fit.  Sewing this jacket was physically challenging in that faux leather is not as pliable as even real lambskin leather.  You have to really let it know you are the boss.
Here are several additional pics of my jacket:

front

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topstitching