Burda Style For people who sew
Granny Dress
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Description
I flipped straight past this dress in the magazine (Burda10/09) but then saw elainemay and atjak7171’s versions on the website and had to make it.
Although I’ve been subscribed to Burda Magazine for months this is the first Burda Magazine pattern that I’ve made, I’m always put off by the amount of preparation that needs to be done (all the pattern pieces from all the patterns in the magazine are colour coded and overlapped on massive sheets, you have to figure out which pattern pieces you need, trace them all out and then add all the seam allowance). It wasn’t that much work in the end and my boy commented that I have actually spent longer complaining about doing it than the time it took to just do it.
The only problem I have had with this is that I marked the fold on the wrong side of the Centre Front pattern piece when I was tracing out, I then went on to cut the fabric and make all the pleats, THEN I realised it was all backwards. Grrr… another trip to fabric shop (they had just 1 metre of this fabric left!) and a re-learning of the phrase, “measure twice, cut once”.
I wanted to wear this for a day out to London with my mum, it’s pretty chilly in the UK in November so I decided to add sleeves for this dress. I followed Gedwoods fantastic tutorial on how to draft a sleeve, I also added a little puff to the top I was gonna go full on leg-of-mutton sleeves but I’m glad in the end that I didn’t have enough fabric for these. I have also altered the facings to accommodate sleeves.
I chose the fabric because I loved the colour but really it is too thick for all the detail on this dress and it has made for a somewhat heavy dress and lumpy neckline. I tried to make it a little less ‘granny’ by shortening the hem. This version does not pass my “If-I-tried-it-on-in-a-shop-would-I-buy-it” test but I will wear it as it’s a fairly pleasing and comfortable dress.
I am tempted to make it again (now that I have the pattern all traced out) in a thinner charcoal grey wool with ¾ sleeves or without sleeves so I can wear it with a colourful long sleeve t-shirt underneath.
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Credits
- Burda Magazine 10/09
Style 119
9 Comments
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Dec 28, 2009, 02.10 PMby judabra
An excellent version of this dress! I am very impressed how nicely you designed the sleeves, I was thinking the same thing when making mine – why aren’t there any sleeves?!
I do agree that a belt completely changes the look of this dress, so give it a go and maybe it will pass your ‘would I buy it’ test? :-)
Nov 26, 2009, 05.21 PMby barbaraagatha
Do try it again! Both ajtak7171 and myself made it in grey. Don’t know about her, but I definitely wear it very often to the office: it’s my go-to dress when I panic in the morning :)
Nov 25, 2009, 12.20 PMby cathysews
Hello, it looks fab, very autumnal. ( and not granny!)
I also do the ’ would I pay for this in a shop?’ test on all the things I make! I also have a very honest husband who is happy to tell me when i just looks bonkers!!
Great dress. Happy sewing.
Nov 24, 2009, 04.12 PMby ajtak7171
Oh wow, I love it! I first didn’t realize it was the same pattern I used, because of the sleeves. Those are great and give the dress a different look… I think you will grow to really love this dress if you don’t already!
Nov 24, 2009, 08.31 AMby cezi
It may be ‘granny’, but it certainly looks great on u!
Nov 23, 2009, 09.37 PMby buzzybee
Well done! I have a purple dress and it always reminds me of my granny when I wear it, as she always wore lavender and purple. But somehow, the colour is so fashionable at the moment. Such a great autumn colour too and it works so well with fair skinned and brown haired girls. Your dress turned out great. I think it is better without the mutton sleeves though! Well done on tracing your own sleeves!
Nov 23, 2009, 01.33 PMby frenchpea
I love it, and think you did a fantastic job with the pleats and sleeves ‘n’ all. The colour is beautiful, too! Nice work.
Nov 23, 2009, 12.31 PMby irmchen
I know this feeling: “Grrr… another trip to fabric shop…” very well. And when I made the Mc Call’s dress for my daughter (also just posted) I had the same trouble like you with the english pattern I used the first time. All these special vocabularies and included seam allowances… burdamagazin patterns are soooo easy to cut… . :)) Oh… I have to mention something very important: YOUR DRESS IS FANTASTIC! Nice colour, nice fit and you really succeeded with the sleeves!
Nov 23, 2009, 09.57 AMby barbaraagatha
Hello! I made it in grey and it isn’t a granny dress at all. But you need to wear it with a high belt, right on the waist: it changes the look completely (and is slimming :P)