My dress form (dolly lama) is bigger then I am so it looks like it will not close but I assure you it fits. In fact I cut it out a size bigger so I could actually wear clothes under it. Making a Burda magazine pattern
If you have never made a Burda magazine pattern I'll give you some idea of how I go about it. It will seem a bit daunting in the beginning but after a few (or 30)years it becomes second nature.LOL! I remember how complicated it seemed at first but after making that very first dress I was hooked! The only so called hard part is copying the pattern pieces , but once you have done that it's a piece of cake, you just sew it together!
The first few years I worked with these Burda magazines they were completely in German which I neither speak nor read but there were pictures and illustrations so I went with it. By the time they started translating them to English it was so poorly done it didn't really matter to me because I was so used to figuring it out by myself. But the instructions are so much better now. I was young and broke and it was very good bang for my buck- in fact I still think it is when you consider here in Canada we can pay 35$ plus for just one Vogue pattern! Yeah- sometimes it's a crap shoot as to whether you will like any of the styles that month but I usually find a few things I like. For example this jacket is from issue May 2010, and it never struck me then but seeing all of the Military looks around these days it was great to know I had it in my pattern in my 'Library'. Some times it would be a pain to have to search through crates of books when I was on a mission but now I look on the Burdastyle website to find the model then I just search for the issue. Way easy. Yes you have to add seam allowences but again, it's not that hard. Practice makes perfect right? And isn't that why we like doing this in the first place - so we can get better at our skill? At least that's part of my process.
Picking a style for me is not just about the fashion layout. I need to look at the illustration and the shape of the pieces to determine if it's what I want at the moment. It maybe too complicated or what ever - same as on a pattern envelope, all that info is inside the mag in the instruction booklet.
All the styles are multi sized , so after choosing your size ( European sizing) using the corresponding dash type line, you search for the pieces in the giant map ... This is the daunting part!! Maps are labled A,B, etc,and pieces are colour and number coded. Then what I do is, using a sharpie marker trace over my pieces. All the darts, notches, grain lines etc are there, so make sure you get them all. Then I place tissue paper over top and re-trace. I add my seam allowences when I'm cutting out to avoid even more paper work. Any additional info is in the booklet so be sure to read it. Most models will require you to draft extra pieces like facings or pocket pieces cuffs or bindings. Again make sure to take note of these because you will need them too!! All the dimensions are included.
notes of caution, if you are using a sharpie it could bleed through so make sure you protect the surface you are working on - I'd hate to see a dinning room table ruined! I trace mine the first time so I can clearly see it and not get lost. If I happen to need a different pattern on the same map sheet I will use a different colour sharpie.
Personally I don't find this procedure any more difficult then down loading a pattern, taping the tiles together and cutting them out.
Some of the benefits I have found of using Burda through the years have been vast amount of styles contained in each issue, such as all the current trends for women, children, men, babies, costumes, vintage, and accessories. There are craft ideas, re-fashioning, and styling suggestions. Some times I have thought an issue was pretty lame, only to re- visit it a few years later and realize it was way ahead of its time. Every issue offers at least one garment used in an in depth picture tutorial, but for most, some level of sewing skill is assumed. There are articles on designers - up and comers and old. Photo shoots are usually in a beautiful locations and there is always something interesting to read related to fashion, fabric, and sewing techniques. For me the best part of my month is when that brown envelope arrives in my mail box! It's time to put the tea pot on, sit back and escape into my own little world ! Burda over the years has offered me countless hours of enjoyment and provided me with a wealth of information and education. I have carted boxes of them with me through all my moves and I would not give up a single issue. So if you haven't yet tried one they are available for purchase as single issues and subscriptions or you can down load an individual model / pattern from the website. I subscribe to mine through a German-Canadian news company - GCNews
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