MADE: Sun Hats Galore: Burda 05-2009-141

For Mother's Day gift, I decided to make sun hats for my mom, mother-in-law, and grandmothers. I originally was going to use Amy Butler's Blue Sky Hat pattern, but did not have it in my stash. One day I was browsing through my Burda magazine archive and noticed this pattern 05-2009-141... it was perfect!

I ended up making five because my first one was an utter failure (more on this later), and I have one more cut out for myself. It might be awhile before I finish mine because I need a break after the first 5.  The 5th hat is not picture, but it's the same fabric as the bottom hat.

Searched to see if anyone had made it and turns out there were some already made up. Reviews can be found here on Pattern Review. One of the reviews said she just used a serger to make most of the hat. I thought that sounded pretty good and that it would make the process quick so wanted to give it a try. Big mistake for me! I could not get the tension correct even after several attempts. The stitching on the crown could be seen in the right side, and I didn't have enough control to line up the crown pieces easily.

Also, I realized I cannot serge in the round very well, which resulted in the brim being partially eaten up. :(

I just didn't have enough control/experience with my serger to actually use as a main method of construction. After that mess, I decided to mostly machine stitching and some hand stitching. I ended up having to buy more fabric because I didn't have enough of the first one to make a second hat, which my mom consequently chose to be her fabric. The results are much better!

Pattern:  Burda 05-2009-141
Fabric:  various quilting cottons from Joann
Notions:  fusible woven interfacing
Cost:  no idea... various costs for each of the quilting cotton pieces.
What I loved:  2 pattern pieces!
Notes:  With careful layout, 1 yard of exterior and 1 yard of lining can make two hats.

The Burda directions were ok, but their finished hat's crown seams didn't line up. I pretty much followed Melissa's steps listed in her review here. My detailed steps are listed here for reference.

1. Trace pattern the two pattern pieces (crown and brim) twice.
2. Add 1/4" seam allowance to one set of pattern pieces.
3. Use the pieces with seam allowance to cut out exterior (6 crown pieces and 1 brim) and lining pieces (6 crown pieces and 1 brim).
4. Use the pattern pieces without seam allowances to cut the fusible interfacing.
5. Fuse interfacing to exterior pieces.
6. Stitch exterior crown pieces in pairs.  Press seams.
7. Stitch two of the pairs together, and then carefully stitch the 3rd pair to the other two while carefully matching the seams.  Press seams.
8. Repeat for the crown lining.
9. Stitch the single brim seam for both the exterior and lining.  Press seams.
10. With right sides together, stitch the exterior and lining brim pieces together at the outer brim.
11. Flip right sides out and press seams.
12. Pin exterior crown to both layers of the brim with right sides facing each other and stitch.
13. Press seam allowance for the crown lining.
14. Drop crown lining into hat with wrong sides of the crown exterior and lining facing each other.
15. Pin in place and slip stitch crown lining to brim lining.
16. Press all seams.
17. Optional: Topstitch a few rows on the brim beginning at the outer edge.

More on the dress coming soon~!

MADE: Burda 07-2013-130 Knit Skinny Pants

I've been wanting skinny pants for some time now. I have/had a couple of ready-to-wear jeans, but they just don't fit me well. I have to find something that will fit my hips and thighs, which usually means the waist is too big. I do have two pairs of Clovers that I wear sometimes, but they are not the best fit. Enter knit pants that look like normal skinny pants!

Pattern:  Burda 07-2012-130
Fabric:  Ponteroma Knit from Hancock Fabrics in Black
Cost:  $18.18 (fabric 2 yds at $9.09/yd) + magazine
Size:  42 with adjustments
What I Love:  I love that this trouser pattern is for knit, but it's not an elastic waistband! I also love the back yoke and the center back seam on the waistband, which made it much easier to make waist adjustments.
Notes:

• 1" seam allowances to help with fitting
• took out 1" on the front pattern piece
• had to go back after wearing and take in additional 1.5" at center back
• 1st fly front zipper application, and it was much easier than I thought except for a couple of snaffus on my part.  I used this video tutorial by Susan Khaljie.
• Remember to place zipper right side down. It's not mentioned in the video... it might've been self-explanatory, but when it's your first time it's hard to keep track. I made it with right side up, so I had to take it all out after I had already completed the fly front.
• In this particular video, the fly opens to the right instead of the left like most pants/jeans. I didn't really notice this until way later and wasn't willing to re-do yet again. 
• On a side note, we went to Half Price Books and found Power Sewing Step-by-Step by Sandra Betzina.  She has a very similar fly front method but also includes the facing. I'll probably reference this book more than video since it's easier to look at each step via picture rahter than pausing the video to work and then going back to push play. Also, Sandra's method has the fly opening to the left. ;)
• Finished the bottom of the waistband with bias binding just to make it look nicer and more fun!
• Wanted low rise (measured front and back of some pants to get the correct length) and made adjustments to the pattern.
• Used hook and eye instead of a button at 1/2" away from the end of the extended waistband... so it's doesn't lay as flat as I would like.  I will probably add a snap at the corner.
• Little bit of fabric pooling at the back thigh will need to adjust for this.
• Need to add pockets!
• Did not do the turn up hem, but did a 2" machine blindstitch hem.
• Used blindstitch foot to help me stitch in the ditch at the waistband... it was difficult for it to go over the thicker side seams but worked pretty well has a guide.

Here's the line drawing which show the back yoke details:

Here some of the line details on the actual pants:

My first fly application... I was so proud until the last picture... the zipper is on backwards!

Fitting pants is definitely not easy! Like I said, I have two pairs of Clovers that do not fit correctly to show for it. I'm not a muslin-ing type either... There are lots of online references on fitting; however, they didn't seem to help me with my particular issues. There are a couple of books I want to look into but haven't made any purchases yet. These fit relatively well. The front fits pretty well with no smiles or frowns other than the little bit of twisting near the knees. The back is actually not too bad except for the extra fabric along the back of the thigh. I need to do a little bit more research to fix that.

I DID have front and back pockets planned for this particular pair of pants.  I was going to put back pockets in the seam of the yoke and back pieces but I ended up putting the first one in backwards.  After that I didn't want to mess with them anymore... plus I would've had to add black facing in case the pockets gaped and showed the bright print. After basting all the seams to get the fit correct and working on these for so long, I didn't want to go back and cut the front pockets out either.  Haha... in the end these don't have pockets because I was just plain lazy, which makes me a little sad. How can you have pants without pockets?!  Oh well... I only have myself to blame.

I will make this pattern again. I already have the fabric pre-washed and ready to go! It's the same beautiful double knit that Susan used to make her beautiful skirt. I will definitely add pockets to this one!

FAIL: Burda Blouse

Most things I've made have mistakes all over them... imperfect stitching, un-matching thread color, etc. It's not that I don't like to have things perfect, but I would never wear anything if it had to be perfect.  And then I have the "Too many things gone wrong and I just don't like it!"  Here this particular specimen:

From afar, it seems really innocent.  I know I could just go back and remedy all the minor things, but I'm just not feeling it for some reason.  One of these days, I'll go back and make this pattern again, but for this particular top... a wadder.

Pattern: Burda 08-2009-117
Fabric:  Navy poly chiffon from a fabric swap so it was free!

There is nothing particularly wrong with this pattern (other than the difficult to decipher Burda instructions, but that's with all their magazine patterns).  Actually, I love this pattern and this particular issue is one of my favorites!  So what's the problem?  Well when I list them out, they're all really minor...

• I wasn't paying attention (I had pretty much already given up on this top anyway...) and I attached the facing incorrectly in the front.  There's supposed to be a keyhole in the front, but stitched it all the way up.  My head barely fits through the neckline.
• This was the first time I've tried a rolled hem on my serger.  I did practice and it's not too bad but it doesn't help how I feel about this top.
• There's a "tape stain" on the front.
• The facing keeps flipping out even though it's understitched.

MADE: Burda 05-2012-113 Starburst Skirt

I've had a subscription to Burda for a couple of years now, but haven't used them much.  Recently, I'm making a conscience effort to use these magazines, and have traced several patterns.  This post has been sitting in my drafts for a few months now and was completed in 2012.  I need to be better about posting in a more timely manner.  I have a few more catch-up posts as well after this one... sigh... one of these days. :D

Taking pictures by myself is so awkward for me... I don't look happy at all. :P

Pattern: Burda 05-2012-113 Starburst Skirt view C (can be downloaded here, too)
Size: 42
Fabric: 1.5 yd remnant of floral watercolor knit from The Common Thread
What I Love:  ONE pattern piece!
Notes:

• Added 1" seam allowances to adjust for fit... since I haven't made very many Burda patterns and I'm all over the size chart, I decided trace the middle size and add large seam allowances.  I also measured the pattern piece to see if I was even close, and I was.  In the end, I didn't need the 1" seam allowances.
• Fabric choice is important on this one... need something not too thick but not too thin with nice stretch and good recovery. There are no closures or zippers on this skirt so the waist needs to be able to go over the hips.
• Cut slightly off grain due to fabric limitations
• Hand basted the pleats prior to sewing
• Weirdly graded pleats once sewn together to reduce bulk
• Cut the length for view C, but then cut off extra 2" in length (probably more like view A)
• Took in waist about 1"
• Didn't look at directions... just trace, mark and cut fabric, pleat, hand baste pleats, serge facing bottom edge, sew side seams, grade pleats, serge side seams, fold over facing and attach at side seams, flip facing, and hem
• Fabric is a little bit on the thin side and the waist is very flimsy... need to add something to stabilize... maybe elastic?
• Fabric was easy to sew, but was very "sticky".

Overall:  Easy, cute skirt and probably would not make again. I would recommend this to others... just beware of the bulk at the pleats.