Burda Style For people who sew

Description

BLOUSE: Vogue 2850, American Designer Anna: MISSES TOP: Close-fitting empire waist tops with neckline variations. A, C: partially lined. A: halter back with back neck and waist ties. B: sleeveless, wrap top has neck flounce. C: ribbon trim along outer edge. I chose View B.

I was attracted to this pattern when it first came out. However, the modeled top clearly uses a serger to finish the edges and I do not own a serger, so I assumed this one was not for me. Turns out, the pattern instructions call for a narrow hem – beware false advertising from Vogue, the contents may not be what they appear!

The instructions are very easy to follow. There are a bunch of narrow hems and edgestitching (or you can go the serger route if you have one!) to contend with so make sure you are happy with your thread choice because there is no hiding it. And the bias facings for the neck and armhole edges can be tricky depending on your fabric choice. However, everything is laid out very clearly with great diagrams.

My fabric choice is not as lightweight as the suggested fabrics, but because it has a great drape, it works very well.

I added 1" to the torso length. This top is extremely short-waisted. What appears to be a peplum is really just a flounce that starts under the bust. I like the look, but it is something to be aware of – a pair of low-waisted pants might reveal a bit more than expected with this top.

I added a crocheted embroidery thread loop to each side (instead of just the left side seam) to hold the belt in place. I would suggest adding the second because the seamline falls on the ribcage, so the ties have a tendency to work their way down to the waist since it is a smaller circumference. Because I have a ton of embroidery floss leftover from my counted-cross stitch days, there are a million colors to choose from, and the six strands used together give a sturdy but not thick belt loop, I use it instead of plain thread. I create a chain of sc and then use a needle to pull through each end from right side to wrong side and secure with a few stitches and a knot.

SKIRT: Simplicity 4044: Misses/Plus Size 1940’s Retro Suit – Skirt, Pants and Lined Jacket

I love this skirt pattern – in fact, I have made it before!

The instructions are very easy to follow. The only thing that might give a beginner a bit of trouble is the waistband facing and the center point – just make sure to mark your center dots!

Because I was working with a limited amount of fabric in long thin strips (the fabric started out life as a pair of XL palazzo pants from a Bella Notte warehouse sale) it was necessary to shorten the skirt and take out a bit of the flare.

It turns out, this version looks more like the original pattern sketch than my first attempt because the pattern pieces are extremely long. The drawing looks as though it is supposed to be a knee length skirt, however, in the modeled photo it ends well below the knee (and that woman is probably very tall!).

Instead of a normal hem, I used strips of fabric to bind the bottom edge with the “wrong side” of the fabric which is just as beautiful as the satin side. This technique also saves on fabric because nothing is turned up – the raw cut edge just gets covered with fabric.

I added two patch pockets using the matte gold side again as a contrast with my leftover scraps.

I love my new skirt and blouse and plan on getting a lot of wear out of them this summer!

Fabric Used:
*Rayon satin for blouse and rayon jacquard for skirt from Bella Notte.
*Sulky rayon thread for topstitching.
*Rayon seam binding from matticakes
*Invisible Zipper from JoAnns

Categories

Season

Spring, Summer

For

Women

Garment Type

Blouse

Style

Classic

Material

Rayon