Newsflash - May Burda Preview Posted!

It seems that the Russian website is content linking the announcement to the German website, which only has the garment photos and the line drawings - in separate posts - so it is a bit difficult to assess.  I am hoping it won't stay this way, but with their upcoming "website transition" I won't be surprised if it does.  Luckily, the Italian website is still posting their announcements in the older format.  A bit slower, and only with the model photos, but more useful for my purposes.  You can check it out here.

All in all I have to say this is a pretty good issue - full of lots of dresses, skirts, tops, shorts, and pants - all with a very easy summer feel to them.  Most of the magazine is separates - many of which Burda has made in the same fabric to give the appearance of having a dress.  However, the separates seem more practical to me, so good for them - they fooled me and I like the result.

I thought this was a maxi dress - actually a long skirt and a shirt.

I also really liked Burda's plus sized section for May - it was mostly black, with simple fitted dresses and a few nice skirts and tops.  Simple, classy, elegant, but still practical enough to wear day-to-day, especially if made in the right fabrics:

Love this skirt - style and fabric choices.

I like the shaping on this top.

And this would be a great summer day dress, especially in a lighter color.

The peplum trend...

Though I actually prefer it without the peplum - check out those seam lines!  Lovely!

Burda is also including a special "vintage pattern" in May, instead of a designer pattern.

Not sure how I feel about Pepto Bismal colored velvet...

But I do like the line drawing.

And the back is quite dramatic!
(Also, what's with the Bride of Frankenstein hair?)

And, well, from the rest of the magazine there were actually quite a few things I liked as well:

The pants don't look like much here.

But I do like them in the model photo...  they are a maybe for me.

I liked this skirt

But I really liked this one - with pockets!

Here is the line drawing.

I really LOVED this skirt though.
(I liked the shorter versions, but it was easier to see the design in a solid.)

I predict this top will be made quite a bit on Pattern Review...

Slight cowl neck and looks super easy.

For some reason I liked the color blocked top, but not the dress as much.  Hmmmm

I also really liked the lines of this shirt.

Yay for fitting darts and center back seams!

And I think I have to make this top for summer.

More fitting darts and center back seams!

But of everything, I am totally swooning for this dress!  Loves it sooooo much!

Line drawing - I am surprised Burda didn't capitalize on the color blocking possibilities.
Well, they didn't.  But I might.

So yeah - lots of nice summer clothes.  Which is something I lack (ironically), so hopefully I can get some of these sewn up sometime this year (well, maybe yes, maybe no - we shall see).

Anyway, it wasn't all goodies, though I did have to really search to find options for the worst items of the month.

I am aware that these have the same crotch as the pants I did like.
I am conflicted on the crotch.  Is it interesting?  Is it ugly?  Will it look like a diaper?

Ok, so this is *probably* linen, and yes linen wrinkles,
but they could have at least tried to press it before the photo shoot.
I mean seriously, it looks like it was rumpled up in some teen's closet.

Sack dress.  Need I go on?

So, after compiling the evidence it is finally time to award the best/worst designs of the month.  It was actually pretty easy - there was one stand out design, and one that was pretty awful.  So, without further ado...

The Best of BS May 2012 goes to:

Twisty butterfly dress!

I love this dress, I love the design, and I think I could happily have more than one of these in the closet.  Perhaps more than two.  Possibly as many as five.  Loves it sooooooo much!

And, the BWTF Award for May 2012 is presented to:

Sack dress of doom!

I mean, seriously - in an issue of bright happy colors, nice fitted designs, and trendy patterns, how could the sad shapeless sack of a dress be anything other than the worst design of the month?

But, all in all, a really great issue.  Enough good basics with a few highlight pieces to make it pretty interesting.  What do you all think - are you going to rip this open and make stuff immediately or is it going to ferment on the shelf with the rest of the Burda collection?  Did you have any favorite designs?  What about my best/worst picks?  Are you swooning for the "vintage" dress?  What about the angular crotch detail - crazy or fashionable?  Do tell!

Death By Fabric

Ummmmm...  Ok.  I am warning you guys now - MAJOR STASH ACCUMULATION PHOTOS AHEAD.  We are talking serious fabric p0rn.  You might have a heart attack seeing it all.  I know when I got it home I almost did.  And, well, even if I managed to escape the heart attack, there is serious possibility of fabric avalanche occurring and smothering me in my sleep.

So, anyway, a few posts ago I had great fun in showing off my stash accumulation photos from my recent trip to the LA fashion district.  At that time I mentioned that I would be heading back with a group of skating people in the near future.  I may have also casually thrown in that I now have a partner for skating team dance.  What I didn't mention is that said partner is a TOTAL FABRIC ENABLER.  When all others had pooped out and headed home (luckily we had multiple cars) he and I stuck it out in search of the gaudiest fabric we could find (ah, a skater after my own heart), and he indulged me with an HOUR at the LOFT.  And then helped my lug my 30+ pounds of fabric to the car (in addition to the 15 pounds he bought himself.  Heh).  We are talking serious damage people.  Total wreckage.  So, without further ado - the fabric.

First - these are my semi-legitimate purchases - for skating costumes at some point in the future.

Tan mesh, red and blue stretch lace, and red chiffon.

Now for my Loft haul (note: most fabrics were obtained in quantities of 2-5 yards each, but a few pieces were only available as single yards):

The skating appropriate fabrics

Back: Tye-dye poly chiffon, multi-colored leopard poly print.
Front: Grey fabric for pants, purple is a rayon challis or maybe a
silk/cotton blend, and green is a rayon challis.

Back: Blue and red ITY prints, rayon jersey striped fabric
Front: Purple knit (it is really really nice - perhaps bamboo or modal?),
fancy purple fabric (I know it is poly, and it was $15/yard at the regular store),
and another jersey print (cotton or rayon blend)

The teal collection - all are some sort of fabulously soft knit
(and I was able to get more of the ribbed fabric I was obsessed with from my last visit!)

The silky pretties - mostly for lining, and probably all polyester
I LOVE the blue and white print in the back and the teal prints in the front.

Ummm, yeah.  For those of you keeping track - that is 30 different cuts of fabric in ONE DAY.  Obtained in quantities of 1-6 yards each.  To give you a perspective - when we transfered the fabric from my partner's car to my car we filled a WalMart shopping cart.  This is not a lot of fabric.  This officially qualifies as a Metric Sh*t Ton of Fabric.  And, you might expect that after one buys a Metric Sh*t Ton of Fabric one would feel some sense of shame or embarrassment.  However, I have a few points in my favor:

(1) Of everyone on the trip I got the most fabric, but spent the least money.

(2) I didn't show you the 27 yards of fabric that the partner bought in addition to his 15-pound Loft haul.

(3) Of the 8 people buying fabric, I was one of two that could actually sew.

(4) And, finally, the trump card: As much fabric as I will ever stash, it just isn't going to ever be big enough to compete with this.  Or this.  Ever.  Though we all know I am going to try.

Patterns!

I had a most excellent experience at the Hancock pattern sale - and by that I mean I got all but one pattern on my list, and said pattern was probably the lowest priority of them all, so I really did get all of the patterns I was totally craving.  Also, Hancock is next to the most amazing Chinese food place - so yummy! So, though the total driving time was something just under two hours (round trip) it was TOTALLY worth the effort:

16 new Burda patterns... I love when family members help me skirt the 10 pattern limit.

Also, does anyone else notice that the fabric stores only stock ONE of each Burda pattern at a time?  What is up with that?  My apologies to anyone else who went in looking for the latest patterns... but I guess the Burda-crazed rabid sewist gets the pattern early bird gets the worm?  Or something like that.  Oddly enough I actually didn't have any competition at the pattern drawer.  One lady was sort of casually looking through the $0.99 Buttericks, and looked a little shocked and somewhat appalled when I marched up to the drawers, whipped out my list, and started  piling up patterns right and left.  But, well, I am sure you sewists of the internets understand.  Cuz you are hardcore.

Anyway, here are some of my favorites that I got:

Love the large collar on the trench style coat.

I NEED these pants.  And I like the top a lot too.

I love love love this vintage dress.

This looks like it would be a great summer dress.

While I was there I also got some cheap white cotton to use as lining/underlining for some thin cottons I have that I plan to use for dresses this summer.  Too boring to warent a photo, but at $3.33/yard it was another happy reason for driving all the way out to Hancock's.

And, as if that wasn't enough, I also got some AMAZING Patrones magazines from a certain someone in Europe...

Patrones No. 310 and Patrones Extra No. 12

Ironically, said magazines hail from Spain, but were shipped from a Germany pattern company to England, where they went from one town to another, got handed off to a family friend who was visiting, who brought them back to the US, where I claimed them in what I am sure looked like somewhat shady dealings in a parking lot.  Quite the journey, but I have them now, and I couldn't be more excited.  Here are some of my favorite patterns:

From Patrones #310:

Love this little bolero-esque jacket

And I really love the classy fitted lines on this jacket too - I must make this.

I LOVE the LBD feature in this issue - I want to make ALL of them

How many LBDs does a girl need?  Eight, apparently.

From Patrones Extra #12:

I am always a sucker for a good trench coat.

Love the shirt, both these skirts, and this jacket too.

Another great sleek fitting jacket.

Love the long coat with the 3/4 sleeves, and the dress is cute too!

Yet another great jacket, and I love these pants!

There are, of course, lots of other great patterns in these issues, but those were my favorites.  I am super excited with these magazines!  Between my Burda envelopes and Patrones magazines I am going to be in a happy daze of pattern awe all weekend.  Well, that and I am going to be sewing my fingers off trying to get more skating costumes done...

Pattern Sales: Burda! And Butterick And Simplicity

Burda envelope pattern sales are few and far between, so I am willing to make the extra effort to go to the distant Hancock's to get them.  So, here's what's up:

Hancock Fabrics Thursday April 5 - Monday April 9, $2.49 Burda envelope patterns.  Also, they will also be having a $0.99 sale on Butterick at the same time.

Also, I don't know if I can be held accountable for my actions while in a Burda haze...  so consider this fair warning to anyone wandering about carrying half-off quilting cottons because I will be making a serious bee-line to the pattern drawers and I may or may not be tolerant of anyone who gets in my way...

Oh, and if you are still looking for the new Simplicity Pattern Joann's will be having a $1.99 sale on them Thursday April 5 - Saturday April 7.

Liberty of London Sale!

I have never used or even bought anything from the Liberty of London line of fabrics.  However, I do know that they are a favorite among many home sewers on the internet.  So I thought I would let you all know that Michael Levine is having a 2-day 20% off sale - you can get the fabric for about $28/yard, which is pretty good for the Liberty fabric (usually $35/yard).  You can look at the sale items here.  Also, just so you all know, I have ordered off of this website, and they box and ship pretty much same day - I have had excellent service when I have ordered from them in the past.  So no worries about the ordering or transactions.

You know, I really rather like some of the patterns:

(Doesn't this remind you of some of the latest Butterick pattern cover designs?)

My favorite!

Anyway, I don't think I will be partaking in any of the fabrics, as right now my sewing money is going towards skating costumes (and rhinestones are expensive y'all), but I thought I would pass along news of the sale just in case you might be interested.  Happy sewing!