New Year's Eve has come and gone, but if you're anything like me, you had been concentrating so much on sewing Christmas gifts that New Years caught you by surprise! Good news, though, because you don't need to have a super-complicated pattern in order to make a special occasion garment. Sometimes even the most simple pattern can result in the biggest WOW factor if you use a bit of special fabric.

I've showed you how to sew with silk before, but there are lots of other luxxe fabrics that could light up your New Year's celebration, no matter what your dress code...

How about an Ute or JJ blouse in silk satin to dress up plain trousers? Or Gail with lace overlay for a very "now" Prada look? Francesa is just begging to be made in shiny taffeta to show off those curves, and Azalea in georgette or chiffon would be perfect for those in the Southern Hemisphere, or Danielle in crushed velvet for those in icy climes.

And for the guys, a David bow tie in black sequined fabric is guaranteed to get you ALL the attention at midnight!

Photos: Members gma, Polychromatin, and jd98

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?

I was born in Durban South Africa (on the coast), and still live here - South Africa is a beautiful part of the world. I spent a year in Houston TX as an exchange student after finishing high school and enjoyed experiencing the American way of life.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?

My mom sews very well - she has a magnificent Bernina sewing machine that she got for her 21st birthday! When I was younger she tried to teach me to sew but I would always get impatient and she would end up finishing the task for me. About 5 years ago I joined a sewing class and started learning to sew properly. The first thing I made was a knee length straight skirt with darts. I still go to sewing class every Wednesday with 6 other ladies, we have a brilliant sewing teacher. We often do more talking and drinking tea than sewing but everyone looks forward to our 'girl time' on Wednesday nights!

3. What role does sewing play in your life?

I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't sew!! I am always thinking of things to make and dreaming up outfits and if a weekend goes by that I don't get to sew it doesn't feel like a proper weekend! I try not to buy clothes, if I see a garment I like at the shop I come home and try to make something similar. It is hard to justify paying a lot for clothes when you sew! The problem is I am running out of wardrobe space because I have way too many clothes now!! I am currently making myself some maternity clothes.

4. What is your favorite and what is your least favorite thing about sewing?

My very favourite thing about sewing is fabric shopping - I have an obsene amount of fabric and have run out of storage space - my husband threatens to ban me from going to any more fabric shops until I use up my stash!! I love seeing how a garment of clothing that fits perfecly is born from a roll of fabric simply lying at the store. I also really love Indian saris - my mom and I go to the fleamarket at 7am on a Sunday to find these treasures (which are always less than a dollar each!). I also love embellishing garments with sequins, lace or ribbon and adding small details to make items unique. My least favourite thing is finishing items like the hemming or the button holes...(my very worst!) although my Bernina makes nice button holes and this has lessened my phobia slightly!

Last year I started my own clothing range called Yay! clothing. I had a seamstress who helped sew but I was cutting out all the garments myself every evening and on weekends, and sewing the samples. On Saturdays I would have Open Days where people could come and buy the clothing. I really enjoyed doing this and sold over 200 garments but it got too tiring and stressful because I also have a full time 8-5 job in marketing. One day I would love to do something like this again, my dream is to open a shop that only sells beautiful dresses - to wear in the day or evening.

5. If you could make something for anyone who would it be and what would you make?

I am having a baby in April and am really looking forward to making this new little person in our lives some clothes and toys and decorating the nursery. We are finding out if it's a girl or boy tomorrow and then I can go fabric shopping for nursery material! I can't wait! If it's a girl I am hoping that she will grow up to love sewing as much as I do.

6. What are you looking for on our site? What do you think should be improved and what do you really like?

I really really love the BurdaStyle site! The patterns are amazing and always fit so well and there are such fashionable designs. I am very inspired by all the members who sew - I love viewing other peoples' creations, seeing their unique take on garments and I love the fact that BurdaStyle is a community of like-minded people from all over the world.

I don't think there is much to improve at all - I love the new design of the site. I would like there to be a list of members somewhere, maybe categorized by country? I would also like to see what patterns people use if they are non Burda patterns.

7. What is your motto?

"Be compassionate and take responsibility for each other. If we only learned these lessons, the world would be so much better a place" - I'm not sure who the author of this quote is but I try to live my life like this. In SA we have many problems, but if we all helped each other out and shared more, things would be better.

fabricaddict has over 50 incredible creations that she has shared with the community, and some really cute dogs. She has inspired many people and I hope she keeps up the great work

After the whir of the holidays and finally getting all the presents made I have turned my eyes to the future, and by the future, I mean the New Year. It's a great time to start a new, turn over a new leaf and stick to your resolutions, as hard as that may be.

After a year of working here at BurdaStyle, I have decided to actually make more of what I wear. Though there have been missteps (my first 100,000 member T shirt is still kicking around the office) I have learned from them, and am making the pledge to make more and buy less for 2009.

What are your sewing resolutions?



photo from springm

Need to get snazzy for New Years Eve? Check out these quick and easy projects to dress up your get up:

Make a Fascinator

Fabric Origami

Bow Tie

Mock Tuxedo Bib

Ruffled Party Necklace

Shawl

Osman Tie

Make Silk Flowers

Quick Party Skirt

Make Applique Flower Pillows

"Drape" can mean a lot of things when it comes to sewing - it can be a fancy covering for windows, or the way a fabric folds and falls, or it can describe a technique used to create new garments.

You're probably familiar with pattern drafting, where the shapes of pattern pieces are drawn on large sheets of paper based on body measurements, but you may not be aware that there's another approach to designing clothes called draping. I didn't know much about draping myself until I watched a master draping demonstration at a V&A Museum event last year, and I was mesmerized. The draper started off with just a large sheet of muslin fabric and a dress form, and as he expertly folded and moved the fabric, cutting and pinning as he went along, a beautiful dress began to emerge. After the dress was perfectly pinned on the dress form the way he wanted, he then carefully took it off the form and used those muslin pieces as his pattern to recreate the design in fashion fabric.

While it would take years to learn the craft and skill demonstrated to us that evening, even beginning sewers can learn to drape a basic garment now with the tools available on the internet. Expert sewer Mimi Goodwin has posted a series of videos on Youtube showing How to Drape a Bodice that is clear enough to follow along at home.

In the end, it doesn't matter how you create your pattern, whether it's on paper with rulers and curves, or in muslin on a dressform, in the end you'll still end up with a creation that's totally yours, and then you can (of course!) upload your pattern for the rest of us to share!

Photo by tanakawho under Creative Commons

I am reporting directly from the North Pole where hundreds of elves and little helpers have just done an incredible job of finishing and delivering thousands and thousands of presents for children all around the world. Santa Claus returned from his trip a few minutes ago. I had the chance to catch him for an interview just before he goes home to have a hot bath, eat and rest a little while before celebrating Christmas with his family and his friends:

Mr Santa Claus, BurdaStyle members around the world, are curious to know where you find your inspiration year after year, after year.

Well, that is one of a question, which of course I cannot fully answer as not to jeopardize my company’s secrets. But let me tell you that, yes, I have finally discovered the internet as valuable source of inspiration.The greatest difficulty is to maintain individuality when all children around the world are just asking for standardized designer toys and clothes. I say, fashion trends are the straightjackets of free societies.

How do you create individuality?

I have one principle: do it yourself. If at all possible, I don’t fulfill dreams but give kids the tools so that they can make their own wishes come true. I wish, more parents would do that.

We at BurdaStyle are of course most interested in the story of your own dress, is it true…

… that Coca Cola has designed my dress? – HOHOHO, in their dreams!!!

I was already seen in red-and-white outfit in the 19th century as you can see on historic postcards dating from 1897 –written by a father who couldn’t come home for Christmas. You can also see Father Christmas in a red coat in the letters from Father Christmas annually written and illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1942.

Before the media (and Coca Cola) started to standardise me as old, big-bellied man with white beard in red-and white, everyone saw me as s/he wanted to see me. Long time ago, I would come not just in red, but more often in blue, green and brown. In hot regions, like Africa, they saw me completely different since a big fur does not make sense in the blazing sun.

Well, thank you so much Santa Claus – it was delightful talking to you! We wish you a good rest and Merry Christmas!

Well this is it! It's the last day of our Holiday Giveaway Calendar and we have absolutely saved the best for last. Our friends at Singer are giving one of our lucky member's a Singer Curvy Sewing Machine! To enter, just leave your comment below by midnight EST. Good luck and happy holidays everyone!

Congratulations to satarah on winning the Coats & Clark Thread!

Rules

Our friends at Coats & Clark are giving away a pack of thread to one of our lucky members! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below by midnight EST.

Congratulations to Lizro on winning Switch Craft.

Rules

Switch Craft: Battery-Powered Crafts to Make and Sew by Alison Lewis shows you how to make 20 projects which integrate technology into your creations. From a skirt that streaks light to music or a laptop cover that lets you know when there is a wifi signal available. These projects are easy, fun, and a great way to take your sewing to the next level. To enter just leave your comment below by midnight ETS.

Congratulations to The Banana Fairy on winning the BurdaStyle Bow Tie Kit.

Rules

Win a BurdaStyle Bow Tie Kit! It comes with in pattern, fabric, instructions and hardware necessary to make this wonderful present for someone! To enter just leave your comment below by midnight (EST)You can also buy a kit in our Etsy shop

Congratulations to dawnsimpson on winning the BurdaStyle Hat and Mittens.

Rules