New Look 6808

Pattern Description

blouse / top for woven fabrics

Unfortunately the pattern and the black colour make it hard to see the details, but if you click on larger view, you see a little bit more.

Available Sizes

8 – 18

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope after sewing it?

somewhat

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes. Everything is explained in detail and I had no problem whatsoever to sew the top.

How is the fit of the finished garment?

Perfect. I made size 18 from a soft jersey knit. Yes, yes, I know, I was supposed to use wovens. Normally I’m a size 20, so the pattern for wovens worked out great in 18 with jersey. I’ll grade it up to 20 for non stretchy fabric. But what is most important about the fit is that the proportions (bust/waist/hip) are good for me, so I am confident that 20 will be fitting well without major alterations.

Likes / Dislikes

like:

• versatile
• quick to make
• goes well with vintage and modern outfits

dislike:

• View B 😉 . But nobody forces me to sew that one, so: no dislikes

Fabric used

Rayon jersey from a Dutch fabric market, collar and neckline fortified with fusible interfacing.

Pattern alterations or design changes

• Jersey instead of woven
• Mix between View A and D
• shortened the top by approx. 4″

Would I sew it again?

Yes, I am going to try a woven version.

Would I recommend it to others?

Yes, definitely. It is a cute top that goes well with almost everything and it is easy and fast to sew, so make it!

Misc

• time for sewing: 1.5 hours
• cost of fabric/notions: approx. 8 Euro
• cost of pattern: approx. 12 Euro incl. shipping.
  In the US, NewLook patterns are available for less than 5 $, here in Europe they are hard to get and much more expensive. I already have a long wishlist for my next trip the the States.

Burda Style 10/2010 – Blouse 118 A in knit

Knit. Again.

I am totally enchanted by knit tops at the moment, they are quick to make, comfy to wear and perfect for the winter. (You may ask, why I always make them short sleeved if they’re intended for winter? Our office is not air-conditioned and tends to be overheated during the winter months, 5 people, 5 computers pluse heating can get a bit warm sometimes so a bit of fresh aire on the arms is desirable.)

But somehow I always end up making knit tops from patterns which were not originally designed for elastic fabric. This one is Blouse 118A from Burda Style 10/2010 (the one with the smaller bow).

Pattern Description

Short-sleeve blouse with gathers at the front and a bow tie collar.

Pattern Sizing

European sizes 36 – 44 for non-elastic fabric. I made size  44 from elastic fabric.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope after sewing it?

Not exactly. The bow tie on the blouse in the magazine looks much smaller than mine even though I cut the collar exactly to the indicated measures. I like the larger bow tie, though.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Um, no. Burda sometimes explains things too complicated and I often catch myself not bothering with the instructions at all. Like in this case. And obviously, the bow tie was supposed to be only attached on the back up to the shoulder seams but I sewed it on right to the front slit which I only understood this morning after having made the top and after having read the pattern review by Heather on SEWspicious Minds. Funny, she had quite similar problems.

How is the fit of the finished garment?

After a few alterations very good. I shortened the hem and took in the waist a few centimeters due to the stretchy fabric, but the sleeves and shoulder width are perfect.

Likes/Dislikes?

Like:

• an interesting, unusual top
• easy and fast to sew.

Dislike:

• the bow tie is too heavy and pulls down the slit in the center front. I think this is due to the weight of the heavy knit, the pattern just wasn’t designed for that sort of fabric and furthermore, had I followed the instructions
• That the blouse has a slit in the center front can not be seen on the photo neither on the technical drawing in the magazine. This is one of my major points of criticism for Burda style: they often photograph the garments in a way that no details can be seen, the models slouching  or sitting down. It may have some artistical value but to make a decision whether to sew a garment or not, it’s not helpful.

Fabric used

Orange Polyester Knit from Stoffkontor. Looks nice but it is an electrostatical desaster. Therefore, the sweater will not have a long life expectancy in my closet. As a last resort I’ll soak it in fabric softener, if this isn’t helpting it’s “Adios, orange sweater!”

Pattern alterations or design changes

Hem shortened by 5 cm, Sleeves lengthened by 10 cm, Waistline taken in slightly; knit fabric instead of woven fabric.  

Would I sew it again? Would I recommend it to others?

Sew again: yes. I’ll make it from knit again and choose a fabric which is not shooting sparks 😉 .

Recommend: Yes. It’s easy to sew and looks nice, so make it!

Miscellaneous:

• Time for sewing: approx.  2 h
• Fabric requriement/cost 1 meter of knit frabric, 150 cm width, approx.  4.50 Euro (Stoffkontor)

Pattern Description

Dress with princess seam bodice, high waist and flared skirt.

Pattern Sizing

Two mulitsize sets:

A: American sizes 10, 12, 14, 16, 18

BB: American sizes 20, 22, 24, 26, 28

I made size 20

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope after sewing it?

Yes, except for my little mistake (the fold on the side skirt front doesn’t match the princess seam of the bodice).

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Well, ahem … they WOULD have been if I had bothered to read them. Promptly I messed up with the folds on the skirt. 

How is the fit of the finished garment?

The bodice was slightly too large in the waist and considerably too large around the bust. I took in the center front and back by 1/2″ each and adapted the princess seams. 

Likes/Dislikes?

Like:

• The high waist is figure flattering.
• Many variation possibilities from elegant to casual.
• Suitable for a modern look as well as for vintage style

Dislike:

• nothing

Fabric used

A lightweight linen-cotton mix. I am using the same fabric for lining a matching Chanel jacket which will be finished soon. The trims are made from the selvage of the the Chanel fabric.

Pattern alterations or design changes

I took in the center front and back as well as the princess seams by 1/2″ inch each.

When transferring the pattern I forgot to trace the fold in the side front of the skirt and had, of course, difficulties to fit the skirt to the bodice. I ended up with a fold that doesn’t align with the bodice seams, but I would have to have taken apart the whole thing to change this and simply couldn’t be bothered.

Would I sew it again? Would I recommend it to others?

Sew again: Yes, definitely. I already made a sleeveless variation from plaid wool. I don’t think that I’ll make the view with the collar, though. I like the neckline without the collar.

Recommend: Yes. It is suitable for beginners with some experience, the hard parts are the princess seams and the front facing, the reast is really easy. It is a versatile dress pattern well worth the effort of sewing and fitting it. 

Miscellaneous:

• Time for sewing: approx. 4 hours
• Cost:
  fabric approx. 15 Euro
  long metal zipper at center back approx. 20 Cent (from a bulk purchase)
  trim: “drop-off” of a Chanle jacket (selvage)
  pattern: 10 Euro (plus shipping) from Simplicity

Wearing History 1002: Smooth Sailing

Pattern Description

Reproduction of a 1930ies sports outfit: long trousers or shorts and a blouse with yoke and puff sleeves.

Pattern Sizing

2 Size Packets:

Packet A: Bust 30-32-34, Waist 24-26-28, Hip 33-35-37

Packet B: Bust 36-38-40, Waist 30-32-34, Hip 39-41-43

I graded the largest size from packet B up by 2 sizes

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes. The method described for sewing the trousers was different from the method I use for making pants. I stuck to my original method and it worked out fine.

How is the fit of the finished garment?

Trousers: They fit very well, but I had to make them tighter again by 12 cm which is a lot! So after all, I could have saved the time for grading this pattern. The pants have a high waist and low crotch which is typical for period pants and they are very comfortable to wear. 

Blouse: even after enlarging the pattern, the blouse is a little tight, especially the armhole and the sleeve cuff. I know that this is a standard problem with vintage patterns, at least for me, as I have large upper arms. The armholes are extremely narrow and the the bodice parts are getting wider under the armholes, this looks a little strange on me, but I think the main problem is the small armhole.

Likes / Dislikes?

Like:

• Detailed instructions.
• The pattern is very precise, all parts are fitting together perfectly.
• The trousers fit very well and are extremely slimming. It is a versatile pattern which will look good both with a modern and a vintage look.
• The blouse is very nice. Sweet but not too girly (I’m past 40 – I’m done with girly stuff) The yoke and pockets are good for variations like two-tone styles or cutting pieces on the bias.

Dislike:

• The sizing was completely off for me. I really don’t know why I ALWAYS have sizing issues with each and every pattern. I am plus size, but well proportioned, so I would have expected the two parts to have more or less the same waist diameter, but far from it. Maybe the problem is with me, I really don’t know. Pattern sizing remains one of the mysteries of the modern world …

Fabric used

Pants: a lightweight herringbone patterned cotton

Blouse: cotton with little puffy dots, acutally a scrap piece from a nightgown a made some time ago

Pattern alterations or any design changes:

I enlarged the pattern by 2 sizes

After the first fitting I had to take in the seams and darts of the trousers by 12 cm (approx 4.5″).

I made the front tucks of the trousers longer because the end was sitting right in the middle of my paunch – not very flattering.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I will sew the trousers again – more than once, I’m sure. I am goingt to add some pockets to the front and/or back, for convenience. The blouse will also get a second chance after I enlarge the sleeves. But even if I end up with “only” a good pattern for trousers it will be worth the money.

I think the pattern is suitable for beginners with some sewing experience: gathering the bodice of the blouse yoke and inserting a zipper in the trousers are the most difficult parts.

Miscellaneous:

• Time required: Trousers approx. 2 hours, Blouse approx. 3 hours
• Cost of fabric/notions: 5 Euro for the trouser fabric, approx. 0.20 Euro for the zipper, the rest from my stash
• Cost of pattern:  22 $ at  Wearing History

Overall Impression:

A nicely made pattern which is well worth it’s money.

Evadress 9126

Pattern Description

Reproduction of a 1930ies Blouse Pattern.

Pattern Sizing

American Size 20 only. Not a Mulitsize pattern.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Alexandra of EvaDress doesn’t give “modern” instructions with her pattern reproducton. She uses the original instruction sheets that came with the pattern. For people with sewing experience, this is ok, but it’s not recommendable for newbies.

Likes / Dislikes?

Like:

• The princess seams. The pattern consists of 10 pieces, many of which are very narrow and can be placed excellently on fabric scraps. You can make the blouse out of the fabric remainder of wide pants for example. You can also go for a two-tone design without major pattern changes.
• A very versatile pattern. Depending on fabric, trims etc. you can make it elegant or casual.

Dislike:

• Very tight sleeves. This is a problem that each and every Vintage pattern seems to have and since this is a one-on-one reproduction, it is the same here. I wonder if women had either stick arms back when or if they just didn’t move around so much …
• no Multisize pattern. I prefer Multisizes as those are easier to enlarge / alter.
• The Peplum is extremely wide and since it is also rather short, the blouse ends up with a bit of a “duck tail” look at the back. I’ll make the peplum smaller and longer the next time.

Fabric used

Gabardine of unknown composition. It was a scrap piece from a friend which was rather narrow (she made a blouse out of the fabric and I ended up with the strip around the fold).

Embroidery with dark blue Madeira Rayon

Pattern alterations or any design changes:

I added 1/4″ at each princess seam. Next time I will do this only from the bust downwards as the blouse ended up with too much shoulder width.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Yes, I am going to sew it again. The yellow blouse is actually my second blouse after this pattern and I am thinking of a least 2 more: a casual one from corduroy and an elegant one as the bodice of a 2piece dress, combined with a mildly flared skirt.

I would recommend the pattern for intermediate to advanced sewers, not for beginners. To get the extremely curved princess seams to lie flat is quite challenging.

Miscellaneous:

• Time for sewing: approx. 3 hours
• Total cost: no direct cost, everything came from my stock k

Simplicity 2501

Pattern Description

A nice “vintag-ey” looking blouse in 4 views. I made view C

Pattern Sizing

Es gibt 2 Multisize-Sets, american Sizes 6-14 and 14-22. The pattern has separate pieces for A-, B-, C- and D-cup sizes. I made Size 20, D-Cup.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

As far as I read it, the instructions were fairly easy to understand. The collar construction was different than I anticipated, the part in front of the loops is not attached to the neckline, it is loose, rather like a scarf. The collar construction was well explained.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

Like:

• The sleeve. It is one of those sleeves with 3 darts in the sleeve cap which were also popular in the 1930ies. Additionally the slieeve cap is eased slightly and it leaves a lot of room for movement. Also I prefer this over a real puff sleave, as these ar not flattering on a plus size figure and are, in my opinion, most suitable for young girls. View D offers an alternative  sleeve, which is puffy and gathered, but much longer than most of the regular sleeves these days. I am going to try this one too.
• I like the versatility of the pattern. With the small pieces you can go for two-tone designs as well as single fabrics, you can make the blouse with or without the waistband and there are different types of collar.

Dislike:

• As so often: the measures indicated in the table to determine the right size are completely off. According to the table I would have needed size 22, but I am fine with the size 20. Also, according to the instruction, I am a D-Cup, but the blouse is too wide in the bust area, whereas the waist is fitting very welll, so I’ll try the C-Cup variation next time.  I really do not understand why these measurement tables NEVER EVER are correct. No matter if you take a pattern from Vogue, McCalls, Butterick, Siimplicity, whatever or if you sew from a magazine like BWOF or ottobre, I have made it a rule to make the garment one size smaller than indicated. Perhaps it’s just that I am aiming for a more “vintage” look which is more fitted than modern garments, I don’t know.

Fabric used.

A poly-blend fabric with linen character (a gift from a friend), some scraps of light blue cotton for the contrast and red jersey for the piping.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I added a cuff to the sleeves and made them 2 inches longer. I do not like the modern short-sleeve designs on me. I have rather large upper arms and with very short sleeves I look like the butchers daughter, so lengthening the sleeve is one of my standard alterations.

After finishing the blouse I saw in the instructions that I was supposed to double the waistband. Well, too late! But it’s fine as it is.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Yes, I will sew it again. I really want to try view D with the gathered puff sleeve and the variation without the waistband. And the 3-dart-sleeve has just become one of my favorites, I am sure, this will appear frequently on my future garments.

I would recommend the pattern to sewers with intermediate skills. The collar is a bit tricky so it’s not a good project for beginners.

Miscellaneous:

• Time for sewing: approx. 3 hours
• Total cost: 10,- € for the pattern, the fabrics have been scraps and gifts, the beautiful vintage buttons were gifted by Miriam – a really thrifty project.