Newsflash: Fall/Winter Marfy Patterns Announced

Marfy is one of those pattern companies where I admire a lot of the designs, and I love when other people make things from their patterns, but I just can't bring myself to shell out the cash for a single-sized pattern without instructions.  I keep thinking about it, and maybe sometime I will find a pattern I am willing to spend the money on, because I think the details on a lot of the patterns are exquisite, but I just haven't gone there yet.  Still, there are a lot of fantastic designs for this fall, you can see them all here, so let's take a look:

F3060 - I love the collar on this jacket, it just feels so elegant.

F3206 - Love the seam details on this biker jacket.

F3010 - Another lovely and elegant design.
Though I see it being a bit more practical for spring than fall, but I still like it.

F3179 - I like the collar and the back.
With the high neck it looks like a great winter coat.

F3195 - Love this trench coat!  Super classic details.

F3219 - Another great trench.  The semi-circle pockets are an interesting detail.

F3201 - Trench coat with a cape.

F3200 - Another coat/cape design.
There was also one of these in the Burda Easy.
Apparently it is a trend this fall?

F3175 - The pocket details are so cute!

F3177 - Loving the collar here, and the pockets as well.

F3188 - An interesting take on the color blocking trend!
Might have to try this on one of my current patterns.

F3215 - This is a pretty basic dress, but really like it anyway.

F3068 - More color blocking.

F2940 - Love the draped neckline on this dress.

F2704 - Looks a lot like the vintage Burda pattern from a few months ago.

F3233 - The neckline on this is stunning.

F3147 - I really like the draped detail on the front of this dress.

F3227 - I love the style of this lovely evening gown.

F3228 - Another stunning gown.

There are lots of other great patterns on the full preview page - even if you aren't a Marfy fan I still recommend you check out the page because there are lots of fall designs that are way more interesting than anything else we have seen this year.  So, what do you all think?  Do you have any new favorites?  See anything that inspires you to pull out your pocketbooks?  Or does the single sizing and lack of instructions put you off, regardless of the design?  Feel free to discuss in the comments!

A Little Bit of Baking

I wouldn't call myself an expert in the kitchen, but I do like to cook and I also enjoy baking from time to time.  And this seems to be the summer of blueberries.  First I saw these awesome muffins over on Clio's blog.  And then The Curious Kiwi made some excellent looking scones.  And then Clio went and made pancakes.  And so I really really wanted some pastries with blueberries in them.  The slight hiccup is that, for a little over a year, I have been eating a gluten-free diet.  It started as an experiment, that actually had a big impact on the way I was feeling, and now it is a way of life.  I haven't been medically diagnosed with this problem, but I do feel incredibly sick with intense stomach pain when I eat foods that contain gluten (basically I avoid wheat, barley, and rye, though wheat is the most common and causes me the most severe reaction), and I am smart enough to figure out that I probably shouldn't eat it, even without a doctor's warning.  However, when people post awesome looking baked goods I can't help but feel a little left out.  So I did what everyone in my generation would do - I turned to google.

And lo - it had answers!  I found a ton of recipes for gluten-free baked goods, and I have been having a lot of fun trying them.  Baking with non-wheat flours is definitely an interesting experience, as they behave very different as far as cooling, and firming, and maintaining consistency go.  But the end product is still delicious.  My latests attempts were based on the recipe here, though I used one cup of fresh blueberries instead of half dried and half chocolate chips.  The resulting scones - delicious!

I doubled the recipe to get about two dozen scones.

Mmmm, blueberries.  Omm nom nom.

I definitely see more gluten-free baking experiments in my future!

Book Review: Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded

Yet another back-logged book review post, this time for a book I finished in early June - Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded by John Scalzi.

This book is a collection of posts from his blog (called "Whatever") from 1998-2008.  It covers an interesting assortment of topics, from personal relationships and nerdy interests, to politics and world events.  It is fascinating to read, especially since it spans the "growing up" years of my life.  For me it was interesting to read about these events from an adult's perspective, when I had experienced most of them as a child or teen.

However, I have to say, if you are one to be easily offended, this probably isn't the book for you.  John Scalzi has some strong opinions and he really isn't worried about who he offends in expressing them.  Of course, being me, I rather enjoyed reading his somewhat snarky writing style.  And, well, even when I didn't necessarily agree with what he was saying (though I actually did find myself agreeing with him for the most part), I still enjoyed reading his arguments and random musings.  He arguments were at least logical and well reasoned, besides being fairly hilarious, and I appreciated that aspect of his writing when dealing with the more polarizing topics.

Since this is a collection of short writings, it was a good book to read when I didn't have a lot of time to devote to a long story.  However, I found this book oddly compelling and read through it fairly quickly despite not having a lot of time to sit down with it.  I really enjoyed John Scalzi's writing style, and I definitely want to read more of his books in the future.  I don't know if I would qualify this book as a must-read, but at times it was rather thought provoking, especially for a lot of the events from my younger years, while other sections were simply fun diversions.  I enjoyed the writing and the rather wide-ranging topics, so I thought it was well worth the time to read, and I would definitely recommend it.

Newsflash: Burda Style Easy Fall/Winter 2013 Full Preview Posted

The Russian Burda website has posted the full preview of the Fall/Winter Burda Easy Magazine.  There aren't as many patterns since it is the Easy magazine, and I actually feel like I already saw most of the good stuff when I looked at the early preview, so I won't bother re-posting the same images.  However, I thought I would show you guys the line drawing of that coat we were all ooh-ing and aaah-ing over before.  I liked it before, but I really like it now!  Enough for me to buy the magazine?  Probably not, but it looks like a great pattern anyway.  Really wish it was in one of the regular issues...

Everyone loved this coat from the preview.

Look at those yummy sleeve details!  Fab.

Pattern Review: BWOF-02-2006-128

This was actually the first garment I sewed up after returning from nationals (though first I spent a week cleaning my sewing room, and then waited a few more days to start sewing after that), but the photo taking got delayed a bit.  Of course, then I got distracted sewing dresses to wear to some local summer concerts, so this has been sitting around, unblogged, for a few weeks.  Anyway, I was at a recent pattern sale at Hancock fabrics, and they had this fabric on sale in the clearance section.  I really loved the colors, weight, and pattern, and at less than $4 for the remaining piece I couldn't leave it behind.  I didn't want to add to the stash, and I wanted to sew something easy as my first project back, so I whipped it up into a fairly basic pleated skirt from the February 2006 Burda Magazine:

BWOF-02-2006-128

This skirt was a fairly quick make, though it took a lot longer than it should have because I kept getting interrupted in the middle of the construction.  I think it is one of those garments that needs the correct styling to look good, and I am a little worried it might end up as an orphan in the closet because I don't have a lot of tops to wear with it at the moment, but overall I am fairly pleased with the results.

My pleated A-line skirt!

Here is the back.
The hem is actually even, I am just standing a bit crooked.

The pleat detail gets a bit lost in the print.
But I sort of like the subtle design element.

Close up of the fabric print.

Here is my official pattern review:

Pattern Description:  Pleated front A-line skirt with curved waistband and side invisible zipper.

Pattern Sizing:  Burda sizes 36-44.  I used a size 40 at the waist, a 42 at the bottom of the waistband, and a size 44 at the full hip.  I think because of my size choices the skirt sits a bit higher on me than on the model, but I am ok with that.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Well, they weren't terrible, but I also feel like they weren't the best.  Luckily this skirt is fairly simple to figure out, so you probably don't need instructions that are too detailed.  I think this wouldn't be the best pattern for a very new seamstress because the instructions aren't very clear, although the skirt itself is very simple to make.  An experienced seamstress should be able to make this without much difficulty.  Also, as a side note, is it me or does it seem like the more recent Burda magazines have better translations than the older ones do?  Just something I have noticed when I go back and make patterns from the older issues.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it?  Yes, I think so.  The print makes it a bit difficult to see the pleating detail, but the overall shape and fit look very much like the magazine images.

What did you particularly like/dislike about this pattern?  Likes:  I like the style, and I like that it was very easy to make.  I find that the diagonal pleat makes this more flattering than a lot of other styles that add unwanted poof over the stomach area.  It also used very little fabric (I had barely a yard, and I managed to fit this pattern onto what I had), so that was a great bonus as well.  Dislikes:  The instructions weren't the best, but since this was pretty easy to figure out that wasn't too much of a negative.  Otherwise this pattern was great.

Fabric used:  Cotton sateen print with slight stretch.  I bought it from the clearance section at Hancock's, so all told this skirt probably cost me less than $6.  You definitely want a fabric that will be able to hold the pleat well, so a slightly heavier cotton works great.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made:  None.

Would you sew this again?  Would you recommend this to others?  I might sew this again, but I have a lot of pattens I want to try, and I don't know how many skirts with this pleated front style I really need in my wardrobe.  I might consider making one in a solid, just so the design detail is a bit more pronounced though.  I would recommend this pattern to others - it is easy to make and the A-line shape is usually quite flattering.  This skirt is also a nice way to have a pleating detail without adding too much bulk around the stomach, so I think it would look great on a wide variety of body types.

Conclusion:  I am very happy with my skirt!  Because of the print I don't know that it will be a wardrobe staple, but it is a fun piece to have, especially for the spring and summer.  I think a version in a solid fabric could be very versatile, so I might consider making another one in the future, and I think it would be a great pattern for others to try as well.

My stubborn summer sewing continues...  Though now I am making a bunch of easy tops.  It has been dangerously close to triple digits and ridiculously humid, so I am actually getting a lot of use out of my projects at the moment.  More pattern reviews coming soon...

Book Review: The Rithmatist

Continuing in my attempts to get my blogging up to date, I have another book review, this time from a book I finished back in May.  It wasn't a long read - it is a book written for a younger audience - but at this point I am pretty much willing to try any book by Brandon Sanderson, even if it is written for kids.  So when The Rithmatist came out it immediately jumped to the top of my to-read list.

The Rithmatist is the story of Joel, a young boy who attends a school that trains Rithmatists, the people who learn the chalk-based magic system of this world.  Joel himself lacks the ability to perform these magical feats, and is able to attend the school only because his mother works on the janitorial staff.  However, his interest in the subject of Rithmatics makes him one of the most knowledgeable students at the school.  He must use his knowledge, and the skills of his Rithmatist friends to help solve the mystery of the missing students of the school.

The world is a steam-punk-esque version of the United States, except that the country is actually made of a collection of Islands, connected by a vast train system.

I really love the world and magic system created by Brandon Sanderson in this story.  As someone who often visits Nebraska, I can't help but think of it now as the "Wilds of Nebrask" and in my head during my journey through Arizona I couldn't help but think of it as "Zona Arida."  The magic system is fascinating - based on two-dimensional drawings made of chalk it is both very simple to understand, but also interestingly complex.  There is a wonderful mathematical quality about the magic that I really enjoyed.  However, the ability to draw free-form creatures also appeals to the my more artistic side.  I really enjoyed that there was information and drawings in between each chapter that explained the magic system in more detail - it allows the reader to understand it in greater detail without long explanations bogging down the actual flow of the story.  My favorite part of this book is definitely the system of magic that Brandon Sanderson has created.

The actual plot of the story is fine, but I was a bit disappointed by the characters.  Granted, this is a children's book, so I don't expect the layers and depth that I would from one of his adult novels.  However, I sort of felt like a lot of these characters were watered down versions of the characters from the Alcatraz stories.  While Joel is definitely a very different character from Alcatraz, it sort of feels like Melody (the female Rithmatist counterpart to Joel) is a more annoying but far less kick-ass version of Bastille.  I felt that the characters lacked a bit of dimension, and I wasn't necessarily a fan of sitting through all of Melody's whining.  Girl, you can do magic!  Suck it up and practice already.  And while I understand that this story is being told from the young male perspective, I feel like the female characters are portrayed as being far more incomprehensible than young girls actually are.  Though, to be fair, I did find a lot of the other girls in my class to be quite incomprehensible when I was that age, so, ummm, maybe Brandon Sanderson isn't so off the mark there.

All in all I enjoyed the magic system and world Brandon Sanderson has created, but I wasn't particularly inspired by the story or the characters.  I feel like fans of Brandon's other works would enjoy reading this book, and I also think it would be a great book for younger readers.  However, I don't know that I would recommend this book to the more general adult audience.  It was a fun, quick read, but it lacked a lot of the depth and richness I have been enjoying in a lot of the other books I have been reading lately.  I don't regret reading it - and, let's be honest, as a Brandon Sanderson fan I am sure I will read the next installment when it comes out - but I think that there are a lot of other books that he has written that would be better enjoyed by a more mature audience (The Mistborn series is still my favorite).  A fun read, and nice as light entertainment between more weighty books, but not necessarily a story I will want to re-read in the future.

Pattern Review: BS-02-2013-115

In my previous pattern review post I showed off my other knit dress that I made from this year's February Burda Magazine.  I have to say I was really excited about this issue when it came out, and I am even more excited about it now that I have made some of the patterns.  There are a lot more that are still on my wish list.  The second pattern I made up from this issue was the pretty twist-top maxi dress:

BS-02-2013-115

I wasn't on board with the whole maxi dress trend when it started getting really big last year.  And I really wanted to avoid anything that made the words "frumpy" or "muumuu" come to mind.  On top of it all, I wasn't sure how practical a maxi dress would actually be.  But, well, when the February Burda came out this pattern stuck in my mind.  Then, when I was at Nob Hill Fabrics in New Mexico, the ladies in the shop were talking about how they had made some really comfortable knit maxi dresses.  They were trying to sell me on a really basic tank-neck dress pattern, and my brain was like, uh, no, if I am making one of those it is going to be from the February Burda.  Of course, then I couldn't get the idea out of my brain, and when I found out I was going to a few summer concerts I thought I would make this as an option for something to wear.  Happily, I decided to wear this dress the second evening, and I have to say it is super comfortable!  The ties in the back are maybe not the best to wear if you are going to be sitting in hard plastic seats for a long period of time, but otherwise this dress is great.  I was worried about the top being too low (I mean, it is Burda after all) but I felt very covered.  My only complaint is that there was maybe a bit too much side boob action (not indecent, but more than I would have liked), but otherwise this pattern was great.  I don't know if I am a full maxi dress convert, but I am really happy to have at least one in my wardrobe.

My summer maxi dress.

Back of the dress.  You can't really see them,
but there are long ties that hang down the back.

Front knot/twist detail.
The most complicated part of the dress construction, but worth it!

Side seam - the back ties are attached here
and not a continuation of the front detail.

Pretty happy with my summer dress!

Here is my official pattern review:

Pattern Description:  Twist-front maxi dress with gathered shoulders, v-neck, and long ties on the back.

Pattern Sizing:  Burda sizes 36-44.  I used size 38 around the neck, graded out to size 40 at the bust, and a size 44 at the hips.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Well, this is the illustrated pattern for the month, so they actually weren't too bad.  The written instructions themselves were oddly detailed at the easy parts and super confusing at the hard parts, so I was really happy for the illustrations, because I don't know if I could have made it without them.  Though about halfway through making the top I was suddenly able to "see" how it all fit together and at that point I only used the instructions to make sure I wasn't doing anything terribly wrong.  The only part that was confusing was illustration #5 and #5a - you need to make sure you have a small opening so that the lower front can come through the hole to be used for the under bust gathers.  I had to do more than a bit of stitch unpicking when I screwed up that step.  Otherwise it wasn't too difficult to figure out.  Granted, last year I made the twist-front dress from the March issue (BS-03-2012-108B), and the construction was somewhat similar, so I think that might have helped me puzzle my way through this dress fairly quickly as well.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it?  Yes!  I thought it looked very much like the photo and line drawing in the magazine.  I was very pleased with the results.

What did you particularly like/dislike about this pattern?  I really liked the style of the dress (the neckline and knot detail are very flattering), and I was really happy that this was the illustrated pattern for the month (don't know if I could have made it too easily otherwise).  Dislikes:  These are only minor complaints, but I felt like the armholes were a bit too large on the front, and because of the gathering knot detail the dress puffs a bit on the front over the stomach area.  I feel like this isn't too bad or too unflattering, but it is something to consider.  Otherwise I really love this pattern.

Fabric used:  ITY knit print from Fabric Mart.  The print is my favorite color combo - teal/blue and purple!  I had been thinking about making this dress when I saw this fabric online and I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.  This is a fairly thin fabric, which I think helped keep the knot detail from being too bulky or the dress from being too heavy.  I think you could use a slightly heavier knit, but I think the fabric must have a nice drape for the final dress to look good.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made:  The only change I made was to add extra length at the hem.  I thought it looked a bit short on the model (though, to be fair, she is wearing rather high heels and I was planning to wear flats) and I am about an inch taller than the regular/average Burda sizes.  So I added three inches to the hem when I cut it out, and ended up needing about one and half to have the length I wanted.  Otherwise the dress is made as drafted, and constructed as described in the instructions.

Would you sew this again?  Would you recommend this to others?  Yes, I would sew it again, though I might make it as a shorter length dress rather than as another maxi-length.  I really like the fit of the top (and it will be even better when I made the minor adjustment to the armhole) and I would love to have another one of these in my wardrobe.  I would recommend this pattern to others, though I will say I think it will be more flattering on ladies with fuller busts, simply because of the size and position of the knot detail.

Conclusion:  Love this pattern!  I am much happier with my dress than I thought I would be, especially since I wasn't really a fan of maxi dresses to begin with, so I am glad I decided to give this pattern a try anyway.  It was super comfy to wear, and great for an outdoor event (not too hot during the day, but great to be covered when the evening got chilly).  I am very pleased with the fit and the style and I think I might make another version (though perhaps a shorter length) in the future.

The print might be a bit more than what I usually go for, but I am really happy with the way this dress turned out.  It was something that was really comfortable and I forgot I was wearing it (which is really the best thing - when you don't feel self conscious, and you aren't tugging or pulling at things that don't stay put).  I don't know how many more wears it will get this year (as we head into fall) but it will definitely be a large part of my summer wardrobe rotation next year!