There were a couple of things in February that caught my eye but I'm always on the hunt for comfy sweatshirts (old, drafty house) and this one looked like it would work.
Burda 02/2016 #121 (tall sizes)
I also, for the first time ever, used a tall pattern altered down to regular sizes!
Yay me!
I cut a size 80 (40) and used the Burda instructions (printed in the mag and available here). Because I never add hem allowance to regular sized Burda, I shortened appropriately and added no hem allowance; and attached the band using a 1/4" allowance.
The pockets are really simply constructed, which I like. But for some reason, my machine was NOT playing nice with this black ponte. I ended up scrapping a pocket and cutting a new one because it wasn't feeding well and the topstitching looked horrid.
I did bar tacks to mark the pocket opening.
I like the idea but my machine stretched it out quite a bit. I was able to steam it back into place some.
And Burda strikes again. I have no earthly idea what they were instructing with the zipper. Only as I was cutting open my basting stitches did I realize it was supposed to be an exposed (zipper teeth only) zipper. Ah well. I did a good job on my zipper top stitching! :)
The facing extends about 1/2" below the horizontal line I stitched. I didn't want it loose and able to flop around.
I slip-stitched the facings down to ensure it was nice and neat. I wanted so badly to just topstitch it but wasn't confident at all that I could get it clean so I sucked it up!
Lastly, I've never inserted eyelets so I went with tiny buttonholes for the cording to come through.
I had planned on making the entire thing grey, then decided I would make the pockets and collar black and then felt I should do either the sleeves or the bottom band in black.
I ended up deciding on black sleeves because I really scored on this grey ponte! It's such nice quality!!! And I decided that I would make this (1 yard) skirt with it so I wanted to preserve as much as possible.
Now, I was searching and searching for the rest of my black ponte. I'd cut the pockets and collar from a remnant. And I "found it" and cut the sleeves. Yeahhhhh that ponte was different. Not as thick, obviously more poly than the other, and with a very slight sheen. I was worried it would change my opinion of the finished garment but so far, not so much.
I'm fairly certain the collar depends on the fabric and the black is drapier than the grey on mine so it looks best fully zipped and then folded over. I forgot to shorten the cords but will do that.
The *only* thing I don't like is how wide the cord ends up sitting. If I made it again (which I may, because I love it), I would narrow the very top of the center part to tighten that collar up some.
I didn't sew at all on Friday or Saturday and just HAD to get in there today, but didn't want to work on anything too complicated.
This is a Burda young pattern that comes in size 16-26. I cut a size 18 (typical for me). As I mentioned before I never need hem allowance on Burda and I cut off the entire 1 1/4" hem allowance and hemmed it 1 1/4".
Important to note, the front and back is the same. If for some reason I decided to make this again, I'd have to widen the back only as it's a bit snug.
It's 5 pattern pieces, numbered 1-5, top to bottom. Super easy. Zip, zip, zip on the serger, hem, elastic, done!
I really like the waistband finish! They have you sew elastic and turn inside. Now, they tell you to hand stitch, I have no time for that. Because my elastic is very wide (2 or 2 1/2" I don't remember...it's left over from my Minoru), I just pressed it and it stays in place just fine. And SUPER comfortable!!! The elastic is inserted 1:1 so no complications there.
Ab.So.Lutely ADORE this outfit!
And of course, both of these items work extremely well with the rest of my wardrobe.
Lastly, my February post is up on the Fabric Mart Blog!! Check out how I used this fantastic Maggy London border print cotton jacquard!!
