Burdastyle Shift Dress
I'm the lamest sewing blogger ever. I've had TWO different opportunities to photograph my latest dress and have failed miserably both times. Time One was when I was in Los Angeles with Qui and Jessi for the party at Sew LA. You'd think that I would have thought, "hey, maybe I should ask Qui if she could take some photos of me in my new dress." NOPE. My mind must have been so
The pattern is from the latest Burda book, Sewing Vintage Modern, and it is the shift dress pattern. I used a mystery fabric from the Michael Levine Loft in downtown Los Angeles. It's stretchy, thick, and appears to be good quality. Since the fabric has stretch I decided to omit the zipper because if I can get around sewing a zipper I will.
I only made one other adjustment and that was to remove some bagginess from the neckline. It was very appropriate that I learned how to do this from Gertie's book and I got to meet her the day I wore my dress for the first time. Something I should have done was try and match the pattern on the fabric at the side seams. Learning how to match fabric is on my to do list for the year, but I didn't do it for this project :( However, I did take my time with the construction and the inside is finished really nicely.
This was my first time sewing a Burda pattern and I'm not sure if it will be my last or not... The directions were great, but tracing the pattern and then adding seam allowances was a lot of work. I would have to really like a pattern to want to do that again. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just super lazy? hahah
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I love that print! Perfect with your coat, too. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gillian!
DeleteI love that print too - very pretty colors and bonus for being stretchy! I'm not crazy about printing out and taping patterns either - I'm impatient because I want to get right to the meat - sewing!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree and love how you phrased that! "Meat." So perfect!
DeleteWell the one photo of you in it is super cute! That's an awesome print! And how great does that go with your jacket?
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to tackle pattern matching this year too but my head has a hard time wrapping around matching and curves and angles. :P
Thanks, Tasha! My mind also has a hard time which the matching. I think, "if I change this then it moves that..." and then I get confused!
DeleteReally cute! I love how well it goes with your coat. Pattern matching is something I'm trying to work on too. It's hard though! I feel like when I get one area to match up, another area is off. Grr.
ReplyDeleteI thought your dress turned out great, you did such a good job matching everything up on it!
DeleteIf you are lazy, then I'm impatient and cheap! Cause I love the instant gratification of downloading Burda patterns immediately and only paying like $5.40/ I don't usually trace off patterns tho--that is a lot of work, and I am lazy too. Sheesh! Lazy, impatient and cheap?! If I was tracing off a pattern, I would try to add the seam allowance as part of the tracing--I wouldn't bother with drawing it all twice (does that make sense?) I love your green dress--it's obviously a winner cause you've already worn it twice! :) (sorry for the novel)
ReplyDeleteQui, that is a good idea! I'm going to try that next time (?) I need to trace a Burda pattern.
DeleteI love your dress! It looks great with the green jacket! :) Don't feel bad; I'm a WAY worse blogger.... I have two finished projects that I haven't photographed yet, and another one started! I really hate having my picture taken so I procrastinate something fierce when it comes to shooting my makes :P
ReplyDeleteThanks, Symon! Some times it seems like such a big task to photograph and then blog a finished project. It's not, but sometimes I get in a lazyyyy mood :)
DeleteThat print is gorgeous! It suits you beautifully!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mela!!!
DeleteYou are funny, this picture is so cute! I love that dress too, the colors look so good on you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Krista!
DeleteLove how you styled and the shape is timeless...
ReplyDeleteThank you! I might make a couple of other versions of this, it's a fun pattern!
DeleteI love it! You look so pretty in it and it looks so good with your coat! I have that book and I want to make the gathered dress. Now that you said you had to add seam allowances I would be scared but I just bought a tracing wheel and tracing paper from Sunni's shop. The tracing wheel has two wheels one marks the line and one marks the seam allowance. I'm lazy myself and adding seam allowances is a real bear.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool! I may have to invest in one of those!
DeleteI love this dress so much! That print is great and the colors...perfect!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Deletethis is the coolest shift dress i have ever seen. it's like you're wearing a piece of modern art, i love it!
ReplyDeleteReally!?!? Thanks, Oona! Coming from you that means a lot! xo
DeleteI love this! The print is so rad and it goes perfectly with the '60's style! Loooooooove it! I just gave away my copy of the first BurdaStyle book because I'm too lazy to trace, add seam allowances, and cut out the patterns (nothing in there that I was crazy about enough to go to all that trouble).
ReplyDeleteThat's the exact look I was going for! Thanks, Ginger!
DeleteWow, it looks great on you. So cool! And, as for BurdaStyle patterns... That seam allowance guide has been my key to getting through Month after month of patterns without seam allowances for fabrics in which it would be impossible to just trace just outside the stitching lines,like my silk from this month. I'm surprised your tattoo didn't come into play! Anyway, to each their own. There are so many pattern companies out there that you're not really limiting yourself if you only stick with ones that come with seam allowances!
ReplyDeleteI started out using my tattoo, but found it easier to use a seam allowance guide (for this project at least). :)
DeleteErin, that is one fabulous dress! It look so great on you and I especially love those colours!! Well done :) I have no love for Burda Patterns, so I always give them a miss.
ReplyDeleteGosh you look so gorgeous in this! And this is too funny because I was just browsing Burda online for shift dresses! I sort of always forget about them because of the pain in the ass of printing out the patterns, taping that shit together, tracing it, adding seam allowances etc. etc. etc... It's like my idea of sewing hell! Haha! Anyway - you and this shade of emerald/jade green are really, truly meant for each other! And I just might be descending into this particular circle of hell because I love this so much! Imitation = sincerest form of flattery, and all that!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Sallie!! You should totally make this dress. It's an easy sew and you would look adorable in this style. And if you make it we can be twinnies and I like that! xo
DeleteNope. adding seam allowances is a painful process. V. painful! But I've loving the fabric and this dress on you - that emerald green is totally your colour!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's one of my favorite colors.
DeleteWhat a cool print, it matches perfectly with your coat!! :D Nice one!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jo!
DeleteThis is gorgeous! I love the print, and it looks great with the lovely green coat.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lynne!
DeleteThat fabric is hot and totally matches the dress style Loving this make- you look rad!
ReplyDeletehhaha thanks, Amanda! You're rad!
DeleteWhat a great and simple dress. When you eliminated the zippers, were you still okay with getting in and out of the dress? There have been many times when I try to eliminate the zipper and oops, I can't get the dress on!
ReplyDeleteI made a muslin first and had no trouble getting in and out of the dress. I was worried about that though because my head is huge and I wasn't sure if it would fit haha
DeleteLove that fabric, it looks great on you. I usually just cut the next size pattern and use the difference as the seam allowance, rather than add seam allowance - it seems to have worked so far! There are probably many reasons I shouldn't, it probably wouldn't work for very fitted styles but where there is a little room for error it seems to be ok!
ReplyDeleteI like that idea, thanks for the tip! I may have to try that next time :)
DeleteVery cool dress, love the vintage mod feel!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angela! That's the look I was going for, so your comment makes me happy!
DeleteLooking super cute:) Also loving the coat with it, perfect match!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rebecca!
DeleteGorgeous dress! I really like the print and colours. I love shift dresses but they always seem to make me look gigantic.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kat! I don't think this dress is the most slimming on me, however it is very comfortable!
DeleteLove it with the coat! What a great bold print!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! It's a coat I rarely wear, but I'm glad I hung onto it for this dress!
Deletewow it turned out great! I love it!
ReplyDeleteRegards from viola - Denmark
Thanks, Viola!
DeleteThe print is magnificent! This dress is uber perfect with your coat - love the whole ensemble!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Meg!
Delete