Burda Style For people who sew

BurdaStyle defeats April’s nasty onslaught and proudly presents two exciting news upfront. First and foremost: we finally, finally swept another old bug out of the system – the searching tool is now freshly greased and running more smoothly than a cat could purr. Secondly: we are thrilled to announce a new feature we added to our site: virtual post-its. Born from a minor misfortune, i.e. a burnt Talea coat, was the idea of giving the visual splendor of our users’ creation a mode of verbal expression. So BurdaStyle picks up the hint and starts dropping notes: click the “ADD NOTE” bar under each creation to tag a spot in the photo and leave your comment with it – whether you have advice, a comment or an anecdote to share. After all, every piece of self-made fashion has a story to tell – so go ahead and give it some subtitles.

April Fools! We are so sad to say it, but there will be no cookies and fun gum weekly blog. Yet again we were so impressed with the quality of the writing and the thought that went into your submissions, you made us wish that this blog really did exist!!! Here are some excerpts from our favorite submissions:

Our friends at Etsy.com have weddings on the brain!! Today, the Storque blogs about Handmade Weddings: DIY & Refashioned Dresses. Our very own Benedikta contributes to the article, making pattern, variation, and fabric suggestions. You, our BurdaStyle community, even gets a shout-out as the friendly and helpful resource that you are!

So head on over to the Storque. Hopefully you’ll get some inspiration for your next creation, variation, or even wedding dress!

If you have a fresh, new sewing tutorial brewing in your head, April may be the time to perfect it and post it to your blog or Flickr. Sew, Mama, Sew! is having a Tutorial Contest beginning April 1. Read more information on their blog about how to enter, and what you could win.

Hi everyone!

So I have some bad news, the new pattern is not going to be posted today. I know, I know… but fear not, there is also some good news! The pattern for super cool high waisted pants are going up on the site tomorrow, ready for your downloading pleasure! We really are excited to see what you guys do with this pattern.

I had a love\hate relationship with the super stiff (yet remarkably flexible) interfacing known as Timtex. While I despised working with this stabilizer (it was a tad bit harder to sew and required extra trimming around edges for sharp corners), I knew it was essential to making professional looking bags, hats, and even fabric boxes. Now ,I find out that the company that produced Timtex is no longer able to manufacture the product due to a sudden shutdown of their facility sometime late last year (I’ve read that they are attempting to find someone else to produce their stabilizer, but until then what you are able to find in stores and on the internet is that last remains of their product). What’s a girl to do now? This article has some great options that might just help you find a replacement the next time your project calls for Timtex.

In the latest CRAFT Video Podcast, Natalie Zee Drieu takes us on a video tour of Season Two Project Runway, Chole Dao. You’ll get to see results of her work from sketches to completed garments, and hear tips like the ever-important detail of fine pressing. [CRAFT]

None of us would be where we are without these! They are the key ingredient to the success of sewing!! They are the workhorses of any sewer, and we would all feel very naked without them!!! Without a doubt, one of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind!!!! Ok, ok I’ll stop. But seriously, these are the most important, under appreciated tools of our trade! Though they are often the source of frustration, maybe even the cause of a tear to be shed, needles can be our friends. Like anything, appreciate their limits and they will excel at their job.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I am originally from Sofia, Bulgaria. I live since 2000 in Kassel – a middle size city in Germany. I came here to study architecture and I almost did the distance. My last exam is in march, so there is a limited number of sewing sessions till then.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
I am not sure I remember the first thing I’ve sewn. It must have been a pant or a blouse, when I was a teenager. My mom used to sew a lot so I somehow slipped neatly into it – I even had a small sewing machine as a kid (actually I think I never sewed something complete with it, it was just fine sewing straight lines…). Than I had a long pause and started doing clothes for myself about 2 years ago again, when I bought my own sewing machine.

3. What role does sewing play in your life?
Sewing is a relaxing hobby. I love what I am doing and learning, but it can be very stressful and there is a lot of responsibility of being good and being professional in it. So sewing is a perfect distraction, because I still can do my own thing, but still doesn’t have to take as seriously as a profession. I am enjoying my layman status in it… The other role it plays it is this of me being tired of buying stuff, because it is fashionable and because I can afford to buy it, but me ending up with only few pieces I really love. So by sewing I made my resolution to make pieces I will wear for years, because they are exactly my style. And I like the idea it is much more correct and environment friendly… And it has been on the winning spot of best diploma distraction, next to the internet…

4. What is your favorite and what is your least favorite thing about sewing?
My favorite thing is to have the finished garment and have the feeling it is just what you wanted it to be and the satisfaction of being able to pull it through (I still have some unsewn dead bodys, that waited to be brought to live…).
I hate it when I do something wrong and must break the seams and start again. It just stops the flow and feels like a step in the wrong direction. And my machine is not very good at buttonholes…

5. If you could make something for anyone, who would it be and what
would you make?
I will love to make unique things that they really like for my friends and family. If I just only had the time and motivation for it…

6. What are you looking for on our site? What do you think should be
improved and what do you really like?
Hm, improving? I guess I will be happy to get more news feeds – I have my daily routine of checking website before i start working. I also will be interested in a kind of “behind the scenes” of every pattern that you make – the process from the sketch to the photo shoot.
And off course I love seeing the pattern modification how tos , but it doesn’t have to be you guys – users are also starting to post more of this. Sometimes when I am sewing something and couldn’t decide on a issue I get the desire to discuss is with some other users too.
What i really like about the site off course is the open source community idea. The positive attitude of the other users is a blessing too – it is just keeping one on trying again and being mean, since one can be anonymous is a think I hate about the web sometimes. I definitely sew and enjoy it more since i have the possibility to share the experience and the result.

7. What is your motto?
I don’t really have one. If I have to think of something it will be like “Don’t give up, keep on!” – just very down to earth and unromantic…

Learn more about ceregana by visiting her profile. Also check out her creations! To catch up more with Ceregana and find out what she’s up to, visit her blog!

Please pardon the pun, but if your sewing machine has been bugging you, perhaps you can pass it on to sculptor Christopher Conte. His amazing works of art – which include delicately gorgeous insects – are made with, among other things, sewing machine parts. Looking at his pieces of work is like a fun scavenger hunt. The presser foot in the spider above is obvious, but what other parts can you find in his work? [via]

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.