The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook.
15 creative projects and 5 master patterns
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Get a glimpse of the 10 step by step pattern variations and over 70 project interpretations.
"The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook" is a comprehensive guide to DIY sewing, from novice to beginner. In this video, discover the inspiration, history and mission behind it.
By Nora Abousteit
and Creative Director and co-author Alison Dahl Kelly.
Play
BurdaStyle member elegantmusings shows us how to alter the front skirt pattern piece on her pattern variation, as featured in the "BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook."
Play
BurdaStyle member elegantmusings shows us how to draft a pocket on her pattern variation, as featured in the "BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook."
Play
BurdaStyle member sunnilj9 shows us how to read fabric, as featured in the "BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook."
Play
BurdaStyle member sunnilj9 shows us how to read a sewing pattern, as featured in the "BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook."
Play
BurdaStyle member sunnilj9 shows us how to thread a sewing machine, as featured in the "BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook."
Play
BurdaStyle member elegantmusings shows us how to attach a patch pocket on her pattern variation, as featured in the "BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook."
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For ebook customers, download your patterns as PDFs here, using a code found in your ebook. For hard copy customers, the 5 master patterns come fully printed with book purchase.
Add a Project Add a project based on a pattern from the Book.
See what everyone's been saying about The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook.
BurdaStyle Project of the Week
Meg made this edgy variation of the Open Back Dress!
Pattern of the Week
This fitted jacket will keep you warm and stylish on those cool summer nights!
Retro Pattern
Dive back into 1956 with this stylish two in one pant suit pattern!
Member Project of the Week
Get inspired by printed floral bustier dress with flounce! It is so summery.
Editors' Pick
The style is cool and sporty beach wear that can be worn anywhere!
BurdaStyle is a DIY fashion and sewing community. Our aim is to bring the craft of sewing to a new generation of fashion designers, hobbyists, DIY'ers, and inspire fashion enthusiasts. We offer downloadable PDF sewing patterns, project ideas, tutorials and a community passionate about fashion. Press coverage on BurdaStyle can be found here.
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May 23, 2013, 06.18 PMby monirs
I have read this marvelous post. Thanks for sharing information about it. Greatest post I have seen.I learn a lot from it.Hope you can write more better articles in the near future.I am really eager to read it.Merchant Cash Advance
May 20, 2013, 03.48 PMby Meg Tuomala
Hello— I want to let you know about something that I think is missing from the pattern sheets that are included w/ the physical copy— the back facing piece for the blouse. Couldn’t find it on the blouse/skirt sheet— or anywhere for that matter. Making Novita’s variation which calls for a back facing but it’s nowhere to be found. Anyway, made my own but please revise or let me know where that facing can be found :)
Thanks! Meg
Apr 21, 2013, 02.32 AMby Monirul Islam
Excellent stuff from you man. I’ve read your things before and you are just too awesome. I adore what you have got right here. You make it entertaining and you still manage to keep it smart. This is truly a great blog. Thanks for sharingInnentueren
Mar 21, 2013, 09.37 AMby Softmeboo Web
Hello, thank you very much for this information. I want to share this information on my own website Browsers software
Feb 13, 2013, 09.58 PMby carolientje
I’m glad I bought this book, I can’t wait to get started, :)
Feb 9, 2013, 01.34 PMby shehan35
This Sewing Handbook is very useful for us. Specially for women who are more fashionable. Pants of Diamond Supply
Feb 6, 2013, 03.55 PMby Luciac
Hi, I just bought this book for Kindle, but I can’t find the code!! Can anyone tell me where exactly is it? Thanks!!!
Jan 27, 2013, 10.31 PMby nenasew
Love this book! I just made a the skirt and will be making a second skirt tomorrow. Beautiful book, great instruction and easy to adapt patterns. I have BurdaStyle magazine but I really like this book because it has just a few patterns but lots of ideas.
Nov 1, 2012, 09.14 PMby Olaide Idowu
hi every1,i would really luv to buy the book buh cant. am in Nigeria and dont have means to pay online.can any1 help?
Jul 14, 2012, 06.31 PMby viryallest
Soy de Guadalajara Jalisco, dónde puedo conseguir sus ejemplares de revista y este libro aquí?
Jul 3, 2012, 09.24 PMby reynalay
If you have the book, does anyone know where I can find a pattern for the shirt on page 95, or the actual shirt for sale. It is the ruffled/pleated shirt on the right, on the moodboard. I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT. Does anyone know where I can find it? email me: reynalay@gmail.com if you know for sure, thanks! -Reyna
May 20, 2012, 06.49 PMby DebCarrDesigns
I love the book, but wish the patterns had been graded for larger sizes. In 2010, at least 64 percent of American women wore sizes larger than 14.
May 18, 2012, 06.34 PMby Andrea Delesdernier
I love this book. I received it as a Christmas gift. I do have a question about the patterns. It came with three separate sheets of pattern. How many should it have come with? I thought there were supposed to be five patterns in all. And after examining the ones I have, it feels like I’m missing some.
Apr 23, 2012, 02.35 PMby ladyedirin
i will like to purchase the hard copy, Where can i get it and ur magazines here in Nigeria?
Apr 17, 2012, 10.07 AMby chrystye11
Hello I don´t understand where I can find the code. Do I have to pay for this? Or its free?
Enter the download code shown in your e-book copy of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook to retrieve your pattern (printable PDF).
1 Reply
Apr 19, 2012, 12.28 AMby tailorstack
Yeah you have to first purchase the e-book version and then you are given a code in order to be able to download the patterns.
If you are buying a hard copy of the book then the patterns are included in the back of the book.
Mar 25, 2012, 05.55 PMby madelein
Where do I get the ebook version?
1 Reply
Mar 27, 2012, 12.19 AMby tailorstack
http://www.amazon.com/The-BurdaStyle-Sewing-Handbook-ebook/dp/B006GHX9FE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=A24IB90LPZJ0BS&qid=1318875787&sr=8-1-spell
link will take you to amazon kindle / ebook version
Mar 17, 2012, 03.41 AMby Michelle Ford
What was the thinking behind only going up to size 14. I am larger for that and one reason I sew is for a better fit. Seems to me you left out a significant portion of the sewing community with this decision.
4 Replies
Mar 21, 2012, 08.29 PMby katie3701
I agree! I just got this as a present and was so disappointing that the sizing didn’t go up to a at least a 16. It made me feel bad and now annoyed that I have to resize the patterns.
Apr 8, 2012, 03.25 PMby Stitcher75
I agree, too. Size 14 is not big enough for most Americans over 25. I hope there’s a fairly comprehensive section on pattern grading.
Apr 17, 2012, 01.31 AMby tailorstack
Could be a great idea for a second edition re-print – now includes ‘x’ number of new sizes
May 20, 2012, 06.46 PMby DebCarrDesigns
I agree with that remark!!
Just like all the fashion designers out there who think that the only people who buy clothes are under 30 years of age. This link (below) is for a New York Times article that states that 64 percent of American women are above a size 14.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html?pagewanted=all
Mar 17, 2012, 03.41 AMby Michelle Ford
What was the thinking behind only going up to size 14. I am larger for that and one reason I sew is for a better fit. Seems to me you left out a significant portion of the sewing community with this decision.
Mar 16, 2012, 12.56 AMby Kovu
my library or any surrounding libraries dont have the book.. :(
Feb 28, 2012, 07.53 PMby carolientje
I would like to buy this book, is there a translation (dutch) version?
Feb 24, 2012, 07.10 PMby somayeh
I was planning to make Karin’s coat described on page 150 of the book but i came across a little issue. On page 152, FRONT YOKE FROM FRONT BODICE section 1, line4 says:
Draw a straight line extending about 6"(15cm) in from the bottom point of the neckline curve, perpendicular to the center front. Draw a 4"(10cm) reference line down from the endpoint of the first line, parallel to the center front. We’ll use these as reference lines.
Now if you look at the illustration there is no sign of the 6"(15cm) line instead you can see a 2"(3cm) long line.
I am confused, which is the correct measurement?
4 Replies
Feb 27, 2012, 02.57 AMby tailorstack
Looking at the size of the pattern piece proportion to where the line should sit the 2" measurement i think is correct however 2" is 5cm not 3cm.
Feb 27, 2012, 07.53 PMby somayeh
I know. 2" is not 3 cm. thats what making me more confused and doubt the other digits. i also cant understand the sleeve alteration. very confusing.
Mar 21, 2012, 12.20 AMby tailorstack
hey somayeh did you get this one figured out?
As the book is American i think trusting the inches measurements would be fine. It looks as though the one you came across was just a typo is all, happens in almost every book i own.
For the sleeve. What was confusing you?
What it basically says to do is take off 1" of sleeve head (this removed the extra gathers and puffiness)
Then make a seam on back side of sleeve 3 1/4" from underarm seam. This is creating the back seam to form the plaquet with buttons. From there you are adding the vent extension/overlap for the buttons to sit and the sleeve hem.
Bit more confusing on this one as the diagram is on the next page to the instructions.
Jun 26, 2012, 01.30 PMby ichigogirl
Hm, I wish I could answer this question, however I don’t have the book (must get a new copy, I gave mine away!). I did write the instructions using metric numbers though.
The sleeve is basically changed from a one-piece sleeve to a two-piece sleeve by cutting it in two. The cutting line is slightly curved at the top of the sleeve. At the bottom, I added a placket.
For the yoke, I made a new line on a copy of the front piece, 1cm from the center front-line, the top 10cm’s straight (vertical) and then curved. At the side-seam of the front piece pattern piece I drew a line perpendicular to the seam (side of the side-piece), then curved (the two lines meet up in the curve). I hope that was of any help. Got this by looking at the altered pattern piece with measurements and instructions that I sent to the technical writers.
Anyway, I hope you already solved the problem!
Feb 18, 2012, 06.27 AMby Dettieann
Purchased my book last week. LOVE IT! Have read through all the instructions for each pattern multiple times. Starting my first pattern this weekend. Tickled…….!!!!
Feb 16, 2012, 12.56 PMby Wahiebah
Hi :) I also absolutely love this book. Just one problem I am very confused about the overlapping patterns of the hard copy patterns at the back of the book. How do I make sense of them? I can’t seem to make heads or tails of them.
WHD
1 Reply
Feb 18, 2012, 07.38 AMby tailorstack
If you look for the burdstyle logo in the bottom left corner just underneath the logo will tell you what the pattern pieces on that sheet are eg. for the coat both pink and black are coat pieces on another sheet pink is skirt and black is blouse.
Next locate your size eg if you are a 36 you need to follow the line with the x on it or size 46 is heavy solid line etc
Then trace away. Be sure to use paper weights so your pattern doesnt move mid-trace and dont forget to mark on grainline, notch marks and pleats etc. + add seam allowance.
Name your pieces as you go and a good idea to add “COAT” etc to the piece as well.
I usually fold up the pattern pieces and put them in an A5 envelope with a trade sketch/ line drawing of the garment + any notes on the front
Feb 13, 2012, 01.00 PMby ironjenny
love the blouse variation #8 and am wondering if you will be having the designers in the book that did the variations post their how to-s on this site at some point?
1 Reply
Feb 18, 2012, 07.42 AMby tailorstack
Yes I agree, would be fantastic get a mini run downs on pattern alters and make to achieve each of the extra style at the end of each garment section.
Feb 9, 2012, 05.18 PMby Corinne Pelon
bonjour j’ai acheté le livre “burda style sewing hand book” très chouette même si il est en anglais mais je n’arrive pas à trouver les codes de téléchargement gratuit des patrons pouvez vous m’aider merci
Feb 9, 2012, 10.04 AMby Monika Burdzilauskaitė
Hello,
Could you help me? I would like to buy a BURDA BOOK, but at this time I am in Kreta (GREECE), and I would like to know from where I could buy as more near as possible this book. Do you sell it in Europe or only America??? and in which languages are the book?
thank u;)
2 Replies
Feb 13, 2012, 03.44 PMby hongkongsewing
Do you have a kindle? I think you can download it…
Feb 18, 2012, 07.46 AMby tailorstack
Its only in English and you can buy it off Amazon which ship all over the world.
Feb 2, 2012, 09.44 PMby nouvellegamine
Yay! my husband gave me the Burdastyle Book for early Valentine’s! Unfortunately we’re packing to move so i’ll have to wait to sew anything :/
Feb 2, 2012, 06.37 AMby tailorstack
Just ordered my copy! Can’t wait to get the patterns. Been looking to start a base library for a while now.
Feb 1, 2012, 01.02 AMby Lamin Swann
Ordered & received my book a few weeks ago! A BIG help for a designer like me! Bravo!!
1 Reply
Apr 8, 2012, 03.29 PMby Stitcher75
Lamin, do you have your designs published anywhere? I’d love to see them!
Jan 30, 2012, 05.27 AMby pvmdesign
I have my book too, and i´m excited!!!….