Reading other people’s posts about Burda I
seem to have come to sewing the opposite way round to most. My first sewing experiences were from the Burda
Magazines from the eighties. In those
days all I was able to get was the German Language versions, which taught me to
manage largely without instructions.
Later on, when the English Language versions became available I realised
that the instructions were only slightly more comprehensible in English. Unfortunately I don’t still have those early
makes, largely because I was twenty odd then, and am not now. I did try the big four pattern companies, but
somehow garments always came out HUGE, so I stuck with Burda. When I started my family I again tried a
couple of “normal” patterns. Again, the
resulting garments were huge. (Of course
this is less of an issue with young children’s clothes as they will fit
eventually) When I came to get married Mum was determined to sew my dress, but
I sewed the bridesmaids’ dresses and waist coats for the men. It was the first time I’d embarked on a
sewing project with anyone else. So did
I learn anything from sewing with my Mum?
Absolutely – I learned that “other” patterns already have the seam
allowance on them! This explained, or
course, why the sizing was always wrong.
I was adding seam allowances because I always had. It never occurred to me that a pattern would
include a seam allowance.
Despite solving the major fit issues I
still continued to sew largely from Burda magazines. In recent years I have had brief flings with
the big four, and more recently, learning to draft my own patterns. Despite
this, some of my favourite makes are still Burda.
This jacket from 2007 has been re-invented
in red and black and black and white
Although the curious kiwi was not delighted
with this trench
I was
This wrap dress dates back to January 1999
...and I currently have four versions in
circulation
Not that Burda is without its share of
disasters.
These pants never truly
worked...
...but I still get every issue, I have
sewed something from over half of the issues I have, and now my daughter is
discovering them too.
It's great to read that you sew mainly from Burda! :)
ReplyDeleteHow funny that we both stitched up that coat! Your looks great, I agree. I think my problem with that project was that it was my first ever trench and I "settled" for the fabric colour that I never really loved as much as the colour I envisioned in my head. Still you are right, I feel more flattered in the new Robson coat so I will stick with that and enjoy the lessons learned :)
I also learnt to sew mainly with burda magazines in the eighties. The magazines always seemed to have more exciting patterns than the other pattern companies at that time. I love the jackets from 2007 burda.
ReplyDeleteAnother Burda sewer here, I learnt to sew as a teenager in the 80s with (french) Burda magazines - I could persuade my mother to buy me magazines, not so much sewing patterns :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I can so relate to the huge garments from paper patterns - I still haven't worked out what to do with my ginormous Sewaholic Minoru, I chose the wrong size and added seam allowances, and cut straight into 100€ of fabric - it was only when I went to make a renfrew with a cheap stretch of knit I realised my mistake :S