Burda Style For people who sew

We hope you all had a lovely Easter: that the Bunny brought you some chocolate, you got to wear a pretty dress, kiss some loved ones, and enjoy a little sunshine. Judging from our Inbox, many of you got into the Easter spirit by partaking in our very own BurdaStyle Egg Hunt! Many of you found all 10 eggs—Congratulations! Instead of a hat, we drew our three winners from an Easter basket, and they are: First place, kallers; Second Place, ziancabug; Third Place, charlotte287. The Easter Bunny and BurdaStyle are putting $100, $50, and $25 fabric vouchers in our winners’ baskets. Congrats to the big winners, and thanks so much to the rest of you for participating in our Egg Hunt. It would be no fun with out you!

Even though the Hunt is over, we know some of you still want to know where those last pesky eggs were hiding. Here they are:

BurdaStyle Profile, picture 9
Sewpedia: Duck
Desira, picture 9
Vanessa, picture 4
Alden, picture 1
Shari, picture 4
Blog: Letters from the Editors: Love Thy Member
Blog: Letters From the Editors: Sharing Secrets
Blog: Featured Member: ClaireLovesToSew
Blog: Sewing & Art: The Aeolian Bike Ride

Hi everyone! So as you know, last week we had to say goodbye to our dear friend Nayantara, this was very hard for us; but this week we get to say hello to someone new! We would like to welcome and introduce you to Heidi Grace!! Our brilliant contributor and good friend Nikkishell gave birth to a wonderful little girl on March 20th. So, congratulations Nikkishell and welcome Heidi Grace!!! All our best wishes to both of you.

In other news this week, we too have a new addition here at BurdaStyle, the Naomi Jacket!! This pattern came from Kasia’s incredible jacket pattern for a doll and ended up on one of the all time queens of the runway. You can read the full story here.

We had two contests that ended this weekend, The Sew-Along Mini Challenge and the Easter Egg Hunt. We would like to thank everyone who entered these contests. Your creations were all breathtaking and your hunting skills are unparalleled. I guess when you have an eye for detail it helps with everything! We would like to congratulate JJ again for wining the Mini-Challenge! If you haven’t checked out her winning creation, you should. And remember, keep your eyes peeled for the announcement of the winner in the Easter Egg hunt!

Keep on creating!

Love

BurdaStyle

Congratulations JJ! Everyday we are impressed by the work of our members and this day is no different. Her incredible “Blue plaid with Microsuede Yoke Skirt” variation of the Sidonie has won her two books: Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire B. Shaeffer and The Practical Guide to Patternmaking For Fashion Designers; Juniors,Misses and Women by Lori A. Knowles. We hope that these will inspire her to come up with more amazing creations! We had so many incredible entries into the Sew-Along Mini-Challenge, but her variation on the Sidonie skirt blew us, along with the voters, away! Though everyone’s creations were amazing, we would like to give an honorable mention to Kasia26’s “Rosy Sidonie” for coming in a close second, congrats Kasia26! We were so impressed with the imaginative ways all the members took the original pattern and changed it into something of their own. We are so proud of the BurdaStyle community and all their hard work with this! We are excited to see what creations you will all come up with next! Congratulations again JJ, it truly is an amazing skirt!

I can’t think of a better way to spend the weekend than listening to music, attending some crafty workshops, and shopping at spectacular vendor booths. This year’s St. Paul Craftstravaganza promises all this – and it’s free! You can join the fun on Saturday, April 26 with the first 100 receiving free swag bags.

In the wake of globalization, socialite’s favorite pastime is the so-called “Kevin-Bacon”-game: establish your connection to just about anyone in the world via six degrees of friendship: Shelly knows Kelly, Kelly knows Tricia, Tricia knows Molly, Molly knows god knows whom who is a cousin thrice removed to Michael Jackson.

So we tried and tested the grounds and – voila! – We are now ready to present the visible link (plus pattern) to connect any BurdaStyle fashionista with the very catwalk of fame. The story begins on a miniature scale, i.e. Bratz Doll. Member Kasia26 constructed a truly incredible jacket on a tiny doll. Once the BurdaStyle team saw her amazing design (see above) it quickly swept through the headquarters and through a little tweaking, a pattern was born.

As a milestone of BurdaStyle’s international mission in the name of DIY-fashion, where did the creation venture? What started out as Kasia’s jacket on a doll’s humble plastic collarbone, quickly made its way into a pattern and then a creation. From there it was packed in Benedikta’s and Nora’s luggage when leaving for Burda’s Digital Life Design convention. Once there, where else was the jacket to end up but on the hallowed shoulders of larger-than-life catwalk queen, Naomi Campbell! Hence, from puppet to supermodel", the Kasia Jacket has seen all scales of size and fame – and now it is your turn to suit yourself. Here is the pattern to show your friends that the Kevin-Bacon-game owes it all to you.
You can find the very fabric of Naomi’s jacket here .

Hi everyone!

As many of you may already know, I am leaving the BurdaStyle Team to pursue some opportunities on my own.

I wish I could stay here longer, but instead, I’m showing you how to make your clothes longer!

Check out my last How To, at least as a team member, on How to Lengthen patterns! And if you’ve got arms that are anything like mine (almost freakishly long), this How To should come in quite handy!

Our special friends, Bre and Tara, from Etsy came downstairs to spend a little time learning about BurdaStyle! They wanted to go through the whole process, so Bre did everything from choosing the pattern he wanted from the pattern database, printing it, cutting it out and sewing it! He chose the popular Charlie grocery bag, and even added some cute critter applique! Check out his creation by watching the video here! Be sure to share this with your friends who are new to sewing too, so they can see just how easy it actually is!

Here is Today’s Hint for the BurdaStyle Easter Egg Hunt!:

This one lays eggs, and something else!

Sometime in these past few months, did we ask you to send us High-resolution photos of some of your creations? Well, if we haven’t yet, we might soon! But a lot of people are wondering for what. Well, here’s the deal. Burda Modemagazin so graciously gave BurdaStyle a special two page spread in every issue! We use this space to share news about Brooklyn, trends, and especially, our beloved members! And while we would like to feature all of the members who send us pictures, we cannot. We can decide the articles and the overall theme, but in the end, Burda Modemagazin chooses what will be published! So, if you are wondering why your photos were not published, this is why. We are really grateful to you for sending them to us, though, and will try to use them in some other way! We’ll of course let you know if we do. Unfortunately, this spread is only published in the German edition, so even some of the BurdaStyle team can’t read it!

Frumpy t-shirts – BEGONE! They are never flattering, and not very much fun. Thankfully, the stitch lounge in San Francisco, along with Bernina, has just posted a great tutorial on transforming that shapeless shirt into a sassy fitted tee with a boatneck. Enjoy and say goodbye to giant shirts for good.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I was born in Milano Italy and have lived here all but one year (I spent my 16th year near St.Louis in Missouri). I wish I could leave this gray, noisy, polluted town, but it seems as Milano has the power to hook you in the back and never let you go. Also because of my job (graphic design in the fashion and art field) this is the place where I have to live.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
I really don’t remember sewing anything but buttons in my childhood. I was more for crochet and cros-stitch and some knitting, I learned that from my crafty aunts and grandmother.
I’ve always had trouble finding clothes that I really like 100% or that fit me right, especially pants, always too big on the waist, but most of all, I find it really disturbing to wear something that thousands of people also have, so I was always having a tailor modify my clothes.
15 years ago, I decided that I should start making my own clothes, so I bought a basic sewing machine that I still use (Pfaff hobby 303) but I got so frustrated because I didn’t know where to start, or what to do, so I just used it to hem my pants and fix the holes in my jeans…
Then a couple of years ago, I saw a skirt I liked in a shop, it was really just simple cotton, 2 side seams and the hem, and they were selling it for an embarrassing high price. So I decided to try and make my own inexpensive version of it. It came out fine (I didn’t post it though, I might get pictures of it and post it) it’s my favorite summer skirt, and after that I kept on making my experiments without patterns.

3. What role does sewing play in your life?
I am now totally crazy with this sewing thing. I do it anytime I get the chance, that means mostly in the evenings, till 3 am. I think I need a bigger house because my wardrobe is experiencing a dramatic increase.
I just started pattern making school where this special and very patient lady teaches us, besides the basics, whatever we want to make, and I wish I could go there every day.
It is so relaxing and it also clears my mind from daily and work troubles. Sewing also makes me feel self sufficient, like growing your own vegetables or traveling with the wind on a sailing boat.

4. What is your favorite and what is your least favorite thing about sewing?
The thing that I hate the most is marking the pattern on the fabric with the loose stitches, it takes too long, even though I like to see the fabric laying on the table, with loose white thread loops that look like a misterious 3-D hand-writing.
I love the sound of scissors when I cut the fabric, and most of all I really enjoy the fact that I can create something beautiful from a flat piece of fabric, something the way I like it (almost…).

5. If you could make something for anyone, who would it be and what
would you make?
I was thinking lately, with a friend, that I could do one of-a-kind models on which she could hand paint something, and then sell them.
I think I could also enjoy making unique clothes on request, for special occasions.
I would love to be good enough to make whatever I’m asked for, especially for my mother (she is very demanding.) I also enjoy making things for my friend’s newborn babies, so far I’ve been making 3 mini jeans jackets, one mini dress and three mini knitted baby sweaters

6. What are you looking for on our site? What do you think should be
improved and what do you really like?
What I really like is the sharing and the feeling of cooperation. I am so much inspired by all the other member’s creation, it pushes me to do better.
I am very grateful for the patterns you provide, and it is great that also the members get to upload and share their own patterns and advice. The how-to section is also very helpful. It’s very encouraging when I receive nice comments on my creations (and also very flattering…)
But you know all these things, it’s the reason why we all are here.
It’s a great community with an enormous potential that must be improved!!! There are a lot of members, I can’t imagine how many creations and interesting discussions are happening. What I really miss is some sort of notification when I get comments on my creations, but especially on other members creations. I wish I could “subscribe to the creation” and have some sort of panel where I can keep track of the discussions or comments I’m participating in or something like that. I easily lose track of where I made a comment or asked something, and unfortunately it gets lost in thosands of creations and discussions.
Besides that, thanks burdastyle team, and thanks to all the members!

7. What is your motto?
I don’t have one, but if I did I guess it would be something like: I can learn anything that anybody else can do, it’s just a matter of time

Learn more about ale.b by visiting her profile. Also check out her creations which include the almost Pollini dress pattern which is available for download. She loves photography and has a great photoblog which should definitely not be missed. For more examples of ale.b’s creative side, check out her graphic design portfolio. Keep up the great work!

Bust magazine is getting crafty! On Sunday, April 27 they will hold their first ever Spring Fling Craftacular in Brooklyn. Not only will you be able to shop among 50 crafty vendors, but your ($2) ticket will put you into a raffle drawing for $2,000 worth of prizes. If you’re interesting in becoming a vendor for this show, be sure to fill out this entry form before March 30.

Here’s your next hint to help you gather eggs in the BurdaStyle Virtual Easter Egg Hunt!

A red skirt with pleats, you’ll fit right in with the bright spring flowers.

We at the BurdaStyle team are just bursting at the seams with excitement! Why, you might ask? Because we just had an incredible photo shoot! With the help of our troupe of style mavens, this has proved to be the best shoot yet! Because of this, we have decided to go ahead and give you a sneak peak at our upcoming collection! Unfortunately, we can’t give away all of our secrets, but you’ll get the idea. Along with the sneak peak of the creations, you will see some of what goes into a photo shoot. We had so much fun, we almost forgot we were working.

The

Over the past two weeks, plus or minus a few days due to some technical difficulties on our end, we have seen a wide variety of variations of the Sidonie skirt pattern. We are thrilled and impressed by how many people stepped up to the plate! We have a total of 21 entries which are all beautiful, creative, and inventive, and honestly, we’re glad we left the voting up to you this time, because it would just be too hard to choose one!

Anyone may vote, even if you didn’t make your own creation. To view all of the entries, choose MiniChallenge Entries from the categories drop down menu in the Creations gallery.

Photos of the creations are also shown when you vote.

Choose only 1 creation. They are split between two questions, so if your selection is not an option in the first question, skip ahead to the second question. Please do not choose one from both questions.

Voting ends on Friday, March 21st, at 11:59 pm.

The member who made the entry with the most votes will receive sewing books full of inspiration and tips, cool sewing notions, and special BurdaStyle swag, as well as well-earned recognition on the site!

The votes will be tallied over the weekend and the winner announced on Monday!

VOTE HERE!