Tag Archives: Burda 7786

A burdensome expectation…

11/11/2010 7:03 am \ 16 Comments \

Since I stopped buying any new readymade clothes I am finding it easier and easier to dress completely self-stitched on a regular basis, as some of my older store-bought clothes are starting to bite the dust.  I’ve always found it difficult to throw out store-bought clothes.  Ironically, a garment I’ve made myself is far easier for me to toss out, because I can see all its faults and my inner perfectionist will judge it harshly for not exactly fitting my vision at the time of making it.  I look at some old thing I made years ago and see how tacky and “homemade” it looks (all seamstresses know the vast vast difference between the “handmade” and “homemade” look, I don’t need to go into that now, do I?) whereas a garment I’ve bought readymade I just accept happily for what it is.
Now on a similar train-of-thought, and I’d like to know if any other self-seamstresses ever get this too… since I’m known for making my own clothes I’m often queried by people as to whether or not I’ve made what I am wearing that day… and if on occasion I have to respond, “oh, not this, I actually bought this”; I’m not kidding, people will go, “oh”, all disappointed, and change the subject, moving right along, and seriously, I feel like I’m letting people down.  I feel like a failure, because I’m wearing something I didn’t make… oh dear, just not up to scratch today, hmmm? …  Is this ridiculous or what?!
Now tell me whether I’m alone here, or am I being too sensitive?  Does anyone else get this reaction from others when they wear store-bought clothes?

Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767, first seen here (borrowed from my son, he’s OK with it) turquoise striped cotton
Skirt; Vogue 7303, ivory wool blend
Coat; my own adaption of Burda 7786, beige cotton
Belt; had since teenager years
Booties; Django and Juliette, from Zomp shoes

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The colours of Spring

09/09/2010 9:23 am \ 19 Comments \

Today I attended a very glamourous luncheon and fashion parade with friends, and am now exhausted…   so please excuse any crazy bad spelling or random ungrammatical remarks in this post…
For this occasion I wore my new pink lace dress, and because it is still just barely into spring I took along my trench coat for the anticipated chill factor.  And ended up not wearing it… but here it is draped over my arm just in case (how many times do you take a coat “just in case” and it spends the entire function draped over the back of your chair?!)… 
Also for this special occasion gave myself the first pedicure of the season, released my poor neglected feet from the comfort of their winter wooly socks and given them the once over, including a coat of varnish in a gorgeous golden springtime glow.
He he, this morning I walked the dog in this dress and with thongs (flipflops) on my feet and got a few sideways glances; when I mentioned it to a friend later she suggested that people might have thought I was wearing my nightie?!  What do you think?  Does this look like a nightie?

Details:
Dress; modified Simplicity 3745, pale pink and caramel lace, see here
Petticoat; Burda 8071, pale pink satin
Trench coat; modified Burda 7786, beige cotton, see here
Sandals; Sachi, some little boutique in Melbourne
Necklace; gift from my husband
Nail varnish; Max Factor, Gold Peach

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Tennis, anyone?

03/09/2010 7:07 am \ 2 Comments \

Day 3 of Self Stitched September! and OK, so with honesty I’m not actually playing tennis in this ensemble…
This dress was made for last summer; my own design variations based upon New Look 6699, for more details and a full view of the dress, see here.  This dress goes by the dubious moniker of the Straitjacket dress, for the reason that I installed a much too short zip in the side seam, and so it requires some degree of crazy struggling to get it on and off.  I know, I know, get with the programme, just buy a new zip and put it in already, but really the few minutes of undignified struggling in the dressing room is a minor inconvenience compared to to the prospect of the alternative; fiddling about with the unpicking and putting in of a new invisible zip, and this one is actually perfect (if I say so myself), with all seams on the bodice, midriff and skirt lining up so perfectly I just don’t have the heart to re-do it.  Ho hum, too many other more exciting projects await to be bothered with that, so…  the Straitjacket dress is here to stay as it is… !
And because the air is still a little brisk today I slipped on my seersucker trench coat, which I made for summer two years ago using Burda 7786, first seen here.
And roll on summer!

Details:
Dress; my own design variations based on New Look 6699, two different printed and embroidered cottons
Trench coat; Burda 7786, white seersucker

Shoes; Country Road
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Moebius strip, in wearable form

20/08/2010 4:21 am \ 11 Comments \

Oh, I finished a new scarf.  Or cowl, more accurately.  A ginormous cowl.  I finished it a coupla weeks back and put it in one of my photos yesterday, in the outfit that seemed to have been the most popular with my kind commenters. (and thanks all, for your comments!  I do love comments!)  But the cowl hasn’t been properly introduced here, so here it is in its own showcase post….

I used Patons Jet 100% wool, about six and a half balls.
Tension; 16 stitches to 10cm.

Cast on 50 stitches, K2 P2 ad infinitum until one reaches the required length.  I knitted mine to 175cm long.  Sew the ends together remembering to put one twist in the scarf before sewing up, so it’s really a giant Moebius strip rather than a loop.
Done!

I like it with two drapes around the neck, but it’s easily long enough for three drapes if I want.  It becomes more of a big pseudo-turtleneck collar with three loops.
Seen on my walk this morning below: definitely signs of spring in the air, the arrival of the cygnets.  I love watching the new batches of cygnets grow into adulthood.

Details:
Skirt; my own design variations, based on Vogue 7303, pale pink damask
Top; Country Road
Trench; Burda 7786, modified to be double breasted and with added tabs, beige cotton
Scarf; my own design, cream wool
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggies

 

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Last day of autumn

31/05/2010 5:06 am \ 5 Comments \

Today is the last day of autumn 🙁
So I thought I’d mark it by wearing my favourite autumn made garment; my trench coat.  I’ve got it on over a Tshirt and skirt here, but I like how trenches can actually pass for dresses on a warm day, which it is today, sort of.  I was quite toasty here in this photo and wishing I could take something off…  well, I always feel warm during our dog walk in the morning and only start to slowly freeze when I get into the office.  Australian weather being like it is we don’t have central heating here like northern hemisphere dwellers have.  I’ve got the little gas heater warming up my toes right now…!
I left off the belt I made for the coat and instead donned an old black leather belt I’ve had since teenage years; and I like how the accents of black set off the sandy beigeness of the coat.  The black buttons, black legs, black booties, black belt… the colour of winter is creeping insidiously into my wardrobe and before you know it Perth will be clad all in black and grey, yeah it’s hard to believe on a bright sunny day like today! but it will happen!  One thing is for sure, I will be wearing this coat all through winter too, it’s so comfy and feels so nice to throw it on; instant outfit!  I’m so glad I’ve got it!

Details:
Coat; Burda 7786, modified by me to be double breasted and with added wrist tabs, beige cotton
Belt; had for donkey’s years
Tshirt; Country Road
Skirt; Vogue 7303, olive green corduroy
Tights; Kolotex, David Jones
Booties; Django and Juliette, from Zomp shoes
Bag; Gucci

 

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Orange and khaki combo

14/04/2010 5:56 am \ 8 Comments \

Went into the city this morning with my daughter, and since it was a bit blustery I leapt at the opportunity to wear my trench coat… and am excited about wearing it a lot since it was so comfortable and cosy.  Crazily, I went through my wardrobe for ages this morning, unable to decide what to put on.  My husband laughs incredulously when I tell him stuff like that… “But you’ve got so many clothes!”  yes, but I still wail about having nothing to wear on a regular basis.  Ridiculous, I know.  Perhaps it’s time for a clean-out.
I’m particularly happy with the colours of my outfit today; yeah, it was inevitable that my new knotted necklace would get worn at some time with my burnt orange skirt.  I love this combination of orange with khaki and beige.  My mother has been telling me to wear colours like these for years.  They remind me a little of the outfits that men who like to hunt wear in the US; they would be all decked out in their camouflage gear, but with a neon orange vest on the top.  I was told the orange vest was so they wouldn’t inadvertently shoot each other whilst hunting.  But then why the camouflage, I wondered?  Kind of hilarious, when you think about it…
This little olive top I’m wearing I’ve had for about ten years.  It’s getting a bit thin and mis-shapen and a few times I’ve contemplated tossing it into the Salvos pile, but I’ve kept hanging on to it because of its colour.
My daughter took this photo and the reason I look so peculiar is I’m dying of embarrassment that someone is going to come around the corner of Wesley Church (the lovely brick backdrop) and see us; I loathe people seeing me have my photo taken… I’m too shy and need to be alone.
The other photos I took today I’m keeping for tomorrow; I have some interesting sewing-related observations on famous couture to talk about, but enough from me for now and I’ll be back with more later…

Details:
Trench coat; Burda 7786 modified to be double breasted, stone cotton
Top; Cue, had for about ten years
Skirt; Vogue 7303, burnt orange silk hessian
Necklace; made by me
Shoes; Betts & Betts Brazilian collection, had these for about twenty years
Bag; Gucci

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Autumn trench coat

26/02/2010 2:04 am \ 13 Comments \

I made a trench coat!  Inspired by the beautiful coats in Burberry, but not by the sky high price tag, I set out to make my own….  I actually finished this a few weeks ago and have been dying to show it off(!)
but haven’t been able to wear it because of the 40C+ temps we’ve been having; seriously, the weather has been stifling, and I’m wearing sunnies in these photos to disguise the fact that I’m bleary-eyed through lack of sleep…
I used Burda 7786, which is a pattern for a single breasted trench coat and one I’ve used before here.  I modified the front lapels to be double breasted and added tabs at the wrists to bring the sleeves in, I think this will be a welcome feature when the weather turns cold … (please, turn cold…. ?) 
The coat is made from something called Ribstop cotton from Spotlight, and whilst I think it will be a good, very hardwearing fabric it did present some challenges in working with it.  Firstly I know from previous experience (long story!) to wash it before using it, as it shrinks like nobodies business.  I washed my length of fabric twice, in a heavy duty cycle.  Also it has a very fine dense weave, again good for a coat fabric, but in sewing it the needle didn’t so much glide up and down through the weave as it did audibly punch through this tough semi-impenetrable fabric.
Setting in the sleeves was a bit of a nightmare as this stuff simply would not gather satisfactorily or iron-shrink down AT ALL.  I ended up having to increase the length of the armscye and cut down some of the sleeve cap to get the sleeves to sit in nicely, which they eventually did.
As part of my new resolution to finish things off properly, I used Hong Kong binding on all the exposed seam allowances.  For this I made my own bias binding out of some leftover black cotton.  I am extremely happy with how this turned out.  For the lining I used a nice contrast print shirting cotton which is lovely and soft on the skin and will provide an extra layer for warmth….  ha ha, anyone in Perth at the moment will laugh at that one!, but will be welcome in a few months, I’m sure!
The belt presented its own saga, as I found nothing remotely worthy in Spotlight (although I did get the brass “end” of the belt there), and Fabulous fabrics runs more to diamante buckles! so set out to tour the op shops.  Luckily for $2 found a lovely brass buckle of the right size attached to a hideous vinyl belt.  I’ve said it before; I would never cut up a leather belt unless it was in a really bad way, but a vinyl belt is fair game…  Binned the vinyl portion, attached the brass buckle to my self fabric belt and sewed little miniature “buttonholes” for the belt holes…
And, finally finished.
Any dramas aside, I’m thrilled with my new coat and will be showing it off lots more…. ;D !!!!
(Thanks to my husband for the photo opportunity!)

Details:
Coat; Burda 7786, with some modifications, beige cotton
Top; New Look 6252, white seersucker
Skirt; Louis (?), op shop
Sandals; Micam by Joanne Mercer, from Hobbs shoes

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Summer trench coat

01/12/2009 3:53 am \ 2 Comments \

Every so often I feel the need for a dressmaking challenge, a change from the workaday shirts, blouses, skirts and pants that can be run up in a day or two.  When my Monday morning gals gave me a Fabulous Fabrics voucher for a birthday gift a year or so back I wanted to make some sort of classic.  So I opted for this trench coat pattern, Burda 7786, view A.  
The pattern was a great pattern, one I will use again; though ended up being not extremely challenging.  Large amounts of double topstitching, but all the seams were simple straight easy seams.
Home seamstresses will concur that half the hurdles of DIY are sourcing the fabric you envisage for a project; in this case I went with this seersucker in spite of its white colour which wasn’t my ideal.  I really wanted more of a beige or tan or even chocolate coloured cotton, as a classic trench coat colour but couldn’t find anything which fitted the bill.  I feel this white is a bit too “lab coat”.  As my original career was as an analytical chemist when I wore a lab coat day in day out I’m keenly aware of avoiding the lab coat look!  However the belt on this one makes it less lab coat, and even though its a bright bright white this has ended up being a good useful fashion choice for summer.  I think I’ll keep it going for another summer in this guise, then will probably dye it for next summer, for a change.
There was enough of this fabric leftover for me to make a little top, posted about here.
Wore it out today to meet some friends for morning tea, then it’s back to the office…

Other details:
Skirt; Vogue 7303, olive corduroy
Camisole; Country Road
Sandals; Vicenza, from Soletta shoes
Gold necklace; my grandmother’s
Pink necklace; self-made

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