Burda 7517

So here is Burda 7517, my first ever garment out of linen. These pictures were taken immediately after putting the dress on, no sitting or real moving had been done (I did sit for the last shot after we were done). At this moment you can tell I went about my day in this dress =) that is the nature of linen and I did nothing to help it. I did not underline but I did pre-treat by washing it like Sandra Betzina suggests in Fabric Savvy.



Here you can see the slit which makes it really easy to walk, I believe there is enough ease in the skirt that you could get away without it.



If you are the type that likes pleats to nicely sit closed and perfect this is not the pattern for you. I ironed the pleats but they do open up, maybe with more ease they would sit better, but I don't mind it gives the dress an easy, relax look that I like. This was meant to be a dress to wear on really hot summer days in Maryland, even though today was cool, breezy and beautiful.


One more just because...

Burda dress update

I got some time this past week to work on my dress and all I have left is the hem. This dress has a side zipper which I had never done before. I look at some of my rtw tops that have them and they are installed upside down (the zipper opening up all the way to the hem) which makes sense to keep the tab away from your underarm. With a dress however having the whole side seam open would take a mighty long zipper. So anyways I installed per the instructions and it feels just fine in the underarm.



Burda's instructions for finishing the armholes with a bias strip (as described by Melissa recently) are wonderful. I use them in all my sleeveless garments.



This dress also has a side split. I finished my seams with store bought seam binding using the color I had on hand but for the split I cut bias strips of the linen to bind the seam allowance.

School is finally out and although I will still have to work my interpreting load is much lighter yay!! Now to keep the kids entertained...

Father's Day - Día de los Padres

Missing my father
Extrañando a mi papá


Celebrating with my husband
Celebrando con mi esposo


Wishing a joyful day to the newest father in our family, my brother
Deseándole al más nuevo papá en nuestra familia, mi hermano, un día lleno de alegría

Moving on

While I ponder what to wear with my Simplicity skirt I started the next project on my (mental) list. Can you believe I have never used linen? Don't know why, maybe because summers are so busy and I usually don't sew much then. I have had this linen for a long time and I have a lot of it (5 yards/60 inches wide), I bought it during a Michael's Fabrics sale. The fabric is wonderfully soft and drapey (I did wash it following Sandra Betzina's directions in Fabric Savvy). After sewing the darts I basted the side seams and shoulders to try it on and I have no ease on the waist so I have to go back and give myself some room. One thing that I thought it was weird is that Burda printed the ease at hip without taking in the darts, how helpful is that?



I started knitting the above dress. This was not planned, evil Elann had the yarn on sale and I fell in love with the design, and a few days later pattern book and yarn was in my hands. The lace pattern is a 20 row repeat but not difficult, it really looks pretty in person, the picture does not do it service. The above was frogged (rip it rip it) because of not enough hip ease. I'm having a hard time getting an accurate gauge for this project...but I'll persevere.

Today is my last Spanish tutoring session with the kids I have been seeing for almost two years, I'll miss them since they are not taking Spanish next year. I'm planning on a Cuban flavored snack for them so I'm glad I have no interpreting jobs today. Later on I'll be helping my son coach (more like trying to keep them focused since I will have no advice to offer) his ultimate frisbee team since my husband is traveling, wish me luck.

One last random comment...A robin decided to make a nest on the wreath by my front door and we were all super excited, careful not to get close so as not disturb mom and eggs. Sadly she abandoned the nest, as you can see the eggs never hatched. They have been there now for months I wanted to make sure she wasn't coming back before taking the wreath down and taking pictures. Aren't they just perfect?

Simplicity 2512

I finished this Cynthia Rowley skirt a couple of days ago. It is a shape I haven't worn since I was much younger (and my hips were smaller) so I wasn't too sure how I was going to like it. Of course I have nothing in my closet to wear with it so I can properly see the effect on me. I want a top that will add width to my very narrow shoulders to balance out the hips. More on the top in a little bit...

The fabric is from my modest stash from PR weekend in Philadelphia and it turned out to be a strange fabric. When I first saw it I thought it was a woven but it turned out to have stretch. Once I washed it the texture change, it became spongier and very stretchy. I found out though that even with all that lycra it wrinkles by just looking at it. I also had to be careful since ironing left shine on the surface. The fabric cost all of $2 so I'm not that upset.



I used Bemberg rayon in gray for the pockets (like the pockets!) to reduce bulk. This fabric is considerably bulky; when inserting the invisible zipper the area where the facing joins the skirt was quite hard to handle, and I couldn't really pressed and pound with the clapper because the fabric showed it.



I'm not happy with the instructions in the zipper area. After you apply the binding you just turn the seam allowance in and place your zipper on top, you are supposed to leave the zipper top just hanging there? I un-stitched part of the binding and place the zipper top to be enclosed by it. I'm still not happy with how it looks but because I realized that this fabric was kind of a bust I let it go. For binding I used a poly brocade from Joann's to give this fabric some much needed...something...it just looked bland to me.



Okay so what to wear with it...I like the shape of the top in the envelope, so I went through my patterns/magazines and came up with this pattern. I thought the peplum will be hidden under the skirt and the top would "blouse" nicely .



The reason that I picked it is that I found the royal blue fabric you see in the picture and thought it might work. Now my fear is that this outfit will scream 1980's and I have been there, done that. I don't mind channeling the look but I don't want to go straight there. I'm also not the matchy-matchy type. What do you think? what color would you wear with it?

A surprise gift

Edited to add some clarification to the illustrations I showed.

A few weeks ago we visited my mother in law, and as always we left behind some things. Yesterday we received a package with our forgotten things and a few surprises. I am thrilled to have received her sewing book "Sewing made easy" by Mary Lynch with a copyright date of 1952.



I love the introduction "This is a book for the modern woman,..." And the illustrations! There is a note thanking Simplicity for the use of their patterns.


Illustrating how not to elongate your figure more if you are tall

I started to sew on my MIL's Singer(1950's vintage). When I moved to my present home I needed curtains and she offered me her machine since it had been many years since she had used it. I had it cleaned and fixed and it served me quite a few years until I got my Bernina.


Illustrating how "if you have an average figure" to "keep proportions according to your figure"

I am thrilled with this new addition to my sewing library!

Thank you all for the wonderful comments you left on my orange dress post. You are the best!!