Burda Style For people who sew

Get to know BurdaStyle member and variation designer Melissa Fehr (aka: squirrellypoo) and check out a behind the scenes look at the creation of her beautiful project based on our Dress Pattern from The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook!

We just can’t get enough of our talented variation designers from The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook! This week get the scoop from Karin Arver (aka: ichigogirl) and the process behind the creation of her gorgeous jacket project based on our Coat Pattern.

We continue our series introducing you to the talented BurdaStyle members who created variation garments for The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook and giving you a first hand look at their creative and technical processes. This week, meet Chie Duncan (aka: Vivat Veritas) who put her own fresh spin on our classic Bag Pattern.

Back in the very early stages of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook, we reached out to a few of our talented members with the opportunity to create a variation garment based on one of the 5 patterns featured in the book. We recently caught up with a few of those members to talk to them about the process behind creating their unique projects. First up, Casey Cartwright – aka elegantmusings.

We partnered with San Francisco’s haven for all things DIY, TechShop, for the official West Coast launch of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook!

Guests could take party in activities ranging from a Make + Take booth with specially printed fabric from Spoonflower, wool felt slipper and bow tie tutorials with Britex Fabrics, fun and games with ModCloth, a fantastic LEGO jewelry booth with Instructables. Tasty snacks were provided by Creme Brulée Cart, The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, and Cynically Delicious Cupcakes; photos by Ricki Ward and The Photo Boof!

Once again we called on the talents of Casey Cartwright (aka: elegantmusings) to share her instructions for drafting the pockets for her dress variations featured in The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook. Check out Casey’s easy to follow guide and grab your own copy of our book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or wherever books are sold!

The e-book version of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook released today!

BurdaStyle member Casey Cartwright (aka: elegantmusings) made a fantastic variation of our dress pattern from The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook and we called on her expertise to give you a sneak peek at how her dress was done. Watch how she alters the skirt of the dress pattern and get inspired to grab a copy of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook and try Casey’s variation for yourself!

You can purchase The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your favorite retailer; download the e-book version now from (enter retailers); international versions to be released January 2012!

We’re headed to the West Coast next week and we’re taking The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook with us! Join us on Monday, December 12th from 5-9pm at TechShop SoMa for The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook Launch Party – San Francisco.

Looking for the perfect gift for that savvy creative? With 5 fantastic patterns and endless variation possibilities, The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook is a great gift for both new and established sewers. With tips on everything from how to set up your sewing room, to how to read a pattern, to how to get the fit of your garment just right – this is the definitive resource for all your sewing needs. Snag it for a friend, a family member, or put it on your own wish list (you know you’ve been good this year!)

You can grab your copy of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or wherever books are sold!

Attention beginners: Ever wondered what the difference between the grain and the cross grain of your fabric is? Or what in the world the word` “selvedge” means? You’re in luck because we’ve called on the talents of BurdaStyle member Sunni Standing (aka: sunnilj9) to help you decipher the mysteries of your fabric before you start cutting and sewing. Check out Sunni’s easy guide and stay tuned for more exclusive coverage from The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook!

Knowing your way around a pattern before you start sewing will save you serious time and headaches down the road. Once again we call on talented BurdaStyle member Sunni Standing (sunnilj9) to help you familiarize yourself with the basics of a sewing pattern like the ones featured in The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook.

Check out Sunni’s tips and share your tricks for mastering patterns in the comments below!

The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook a great resource whether you’re a garment expert or just starting your sewing journey. Not only is the book filled with great patterns and variation ideas, but it’s also packed with loads of helpful tips for getting started including how to set up your sewing room and what tools you’ll need to familiarize yourself with before you begin. One major step in getting started on the right foot is knowing how to thread your machine properly. While each machine is different and you should consult your owner’s manual before you begin, we thought we’d call on BurdaStyle member Sunni Standing (sunnilj9) to show you the basics using a fantastic Confidence machine from SINGER®!

Over a year in the making, The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook has officially been released in the U.S. and we decided to celebrate by throwing a party at Housing Works in NYC! Friends, partners, contributors and BurdaStyle members (some even flew in from out of the country!) all came through for a great night of seeing new faces, catching up with old friends and celebrating our first publication.

Special thanks to SINGER® for making the party possible; Housing Works for the event space; Spoonflower for providing the fabric for our Make + Take booth; Megan Nicolay for her glitter tattoo skills; the great crew at Random House; the folks at Have Booth Will Travel and photographer Vanessa Rees for the awesome pictures; videographer John Sabia; and our amazing contributors, members, friends, and partners – you all made this an event to remember!