Anthropologie Knockoff Alert: BurdaStyle 2/14 #111

I was browsing Anthropologie this morning (normal Saturday morning event) and noticed this charmer:

flutter sleeve tee

Which is practically a dead ringer for tee #111 in BurdaStyle's February issue:

Tee #111 also has a dress version, so you could lengthen it to match the Anthro top. I think I actually prefer the square neckline and raglan sleeve of the BurdaStyle tee, but if you really like the yoke/sleeve combo thing of the Anthro top, the same issue also has this top, Tee #137 in the Plus section:

Combine the two and presto-chango-voila! Knockoff.

I'm still planning my next project (MY FIRST PROJECT OF 2014!), but I'm leaning heavily toward the Colette Hawthorn:

I definitely plan on the top version at some point, and it will most assuredly be in a polka dot (swoon!) but I really love the dress and I have no idea what stash fabric will end up being used, but I'll keep you posted.

At some point I should probably finish the Colette Crepe I have started too. Hey, it's only a year after I started it. :P

Happy weekend sewing!

Burda Style: April 2013

I'm so far off my blogging game, I thought I'd posted this LAST WEEK. ha!  In a nutshell, here are my favorites from the April issue of Burda Style (which you've already gotten and found your own favorites probably.  But still.  A new post! yay!)

Those are my favorites. What are yours??

ps...I finished a second novel (the first draft) about 10 days ago! I started a third on last Saturday (a week ago) and have been writing up a storm.  So...that's partly why I've been incognito the past few months.  Writing, writing, writing. 

The second one, it's pretty special.  I'll be working on the revise/editing/second draft of that one to prepare it for that whole scary submission process.  But not for a few weeks yet (probably in June when I'm out of school!)  Wish me luck!

Burda Style: March 2013

I almost forgot to renew this year (yikes!) and while I've been mojo-less for months, I still love looking through my Burda Style every month.  Luckily, GLPNews sent me the March copy in the mail. Whew!

Here are my favorites!

I could own several of these cute capelet/jackets! So cute, and other than the hassle of marking that rounded casing, how easy to sew too! 

Channeling my beloved Season 1 Glee with this cute cardigan and skirt (there's also a basic pencil skirt in this issue).

Several garments with applied seaming treatment. This top is from the plus section and I L*O*V*E it.

I don't care if we've seen it before, this time it has a bonus EXPOSED ZIP.

Burda Style obvs knew I was going to Belize this summer.

Vintagey Chanel-esque jacket, and slim cigarette pants.  (Ignore the ugly midriff top thing)

Sweet spring dress. I think they did this exact pattern a few years ago, in a similar floral.  Still cute, subtle shaping.

Vavoom sundress, instantly reminded me of Sophia Loren, although I couldn't find a photo. It has a very "50s summer" vibe. (Louis Vuitton agreed.)

Another 50s inspired piece, the lace top.

Adorable sheath dress, reminded me of Joan's navy dress with applied trim and button detailing.  (Super easy to extend that trim to the hem on one side only!)

Little "black" dress love (poorly fitted on the model, but the lines are perfect):

Boho chic, how I love thee:

Those are my picks from this issue! I'm dying for spring to hurry and get here.  Come on sun!

Any favorites I missed out there in sewing blogland??

Burda Style: 11/12

Burda, ye have surprised me.  I LOVE this issue.  And I almost never love November! (the magazine issue, not the month. hehe.)


My favorite might be this vintage 1956 reprint, #138:

But there is a lot that I love in this one.  Love love love this plus sheath dress.  Wow. #146

Pretty sheath dress #122.  You don't see many tailored sheaths with long sleeves:

Another retro-inspired dress, #121 (also available as a peplum top):

Adorable jacket, #117:

Fitted plus tunic #142:

Love this skirt, a nice, tailored twist on a wardrobe staple, from the plus section #144:

And I probably have something similar, but I love these relaxed sweater things. They're so easy to sew and wear! #104

Another great basic, a-line skirt #124:

And the tie-neck top is included too, #109:

This issue is packed with other nice basics too, trousers, jackets, knit and woven tops, skirts.  If you don't subscribe, this is a great issue to pick up with a lot of bang for your buck!


I may be "off" my sewing game in recent months, but I wanted to take a moment to throw in my love for Burda Style/Burda World of Fashion magazine.  I well remember the days I started sewing from these magazines and the frustrations and bewilderment I felt trying to decipher oddly translated directions, no technical drawings and European fit. 

It was exhilarating!

There's a petition making the rounds suggesting changes to Burda Style magazine, and I feel your pain seamstresses.  My advice to beginners and those struggling with the crazy tracing "train tracks", the odd instructions, and the crazy fashion styled photo shoots... stick with it! If you keep working on your skills and learning new techniques, I promise the day will come when you don't really need Burda Style's directions to make that fabulous jacket or dress; you'll already possess the skills needed. 

With experience, you'll also get better and better at deciphering those train track pattern lines, more able to recognize the shapes you should be tracing for the different pattern pieces.

Experience is one of those things that you (unfortunately) can't rush or hurry along...have patience.  Burda Style remains, to me, a real treasure trove of sewing and fashion excitement, delivered right to my mailbox, every single month.  Even six years later.

(and luckily, I don't need those crack-crazy instructions very often. although sometimes I attempt them just for kicks and giggles. the nutty translations crack  me up!)

Viva la Burda Style!

Nerd Herd ~ Burda Style Most Worn Garment

Career Day at school yesterday, so my compadres and I (the Business teachers) dressed as the Nerd Herd from Chuck ... 

What do you think?  Do we pass nerd muster?

I made us badges and everything:

I used the most flattering photos I could find of us on Facebook.  Of course.


I thought you'd all get an especially big kick out of it. Not only because the nerd label is such a stretch for me (shut up Kristine) but because the only white button front shirt I own is from Burda World of Fashion 6/08 #107.  (You can read my original post here. ) Yes, I was a girly nerd. Shocking, right?

I've worn this top a bajillion times.  Not exaggerating.  I have worn it at least once a month since I made it and often more.  I need a new one.  This one is now too big.  Woot for too big tops!  (My pants are too big too, but they're from Old Navy.  Woot for too big pants!)

Question of the week...What's your most worn Burda Style/Burda World of Fashion item??

Burda Style: 8/12 and 9/12

I'm a little behind giving my picks on Burda Style.  In fact, I'm way more than 2 months behind...but I haven't been that interested in their offerings the past few months.  The fall issues are usually my favorites, so I was pretty excited to get these in my mailbox.

Unfortunately they don't rank up there with issues I will reuse and treasure.  Several garments are just repeats of things we've seen over and over.  I hate that.  And I'm not one of those who usually "disses" Burda Style.  I expect not to love every issue, or for every issue to have something I just "have" to make.  What usually happens is someone ELSE loves something and inspires me to see the contents in a whole new light.

I'm hoping that's what happens with these two issues.  So let's get started with my picks from August (my favorite of the two).

My very favorite garment, the one I want to MAKE RIGHT NOW, is dress #102:

 

Gorgeous, retro, very 1940s in feel.  Love love love it.  Worth the issue price alone.

Next, a true basic tee/top pattern with darts.  Not that easy to come by!  There are also back darts for shaping.  Top #109:

 The peplum is back, apparently. Which is good for me, I love peplums.  I remember being sad when they went out of favor in the late 80s/early 90s.  This is a beautiful, simple top and the issue has a simple skirt to match.  Peplum top #113:

Another basic, this classic silhouette with circular skirt is lovely and the style is timeless.  Dress #115:

Something BS excels at is seaming and pushing the darts/seams boundaries.  Sometimes it works, sometime sit doesn't.  I think it works here.  Dress #120:

Lastly from the August issue, another classic silhouette.  We've seen this dress before, with maybe minor differences in darts and neckline.  I still like it.  Dress #133:

Everything else in the August issue is either a complete rehash of something I like as well or better in a previous issue, or it didn't blip my radar. 

Moving onto September...less for me to like here.  In fact, I struggled to find something to feature.  I've been putting this post off because of it.  Literally, my previous September BS issues are falling apart. The covers are ragged, the patterns are all traced, the mags are worn and a bit tatty.  Oh well..there's always October right?

Let's start again with my favorite of the issue, perhaps an odd pick for me, the roll neck tee #106:

I love this very 1960s mod style of neckline, and I love the interesting dart/shaping.  Great fall/winter basic that's not "too" basic.

Next, a pretty blouse with a tie and an off-center placket.  Nice twist.  Top #118

In the interesting seams sheath dress category (it's obligatory now, right?) is dress #134:

 

I enjoy the seaming, probably won't ever make it, unless I could get my hands on the fabulous fabric they used for the magazine dress.  Beautiful. 

Something I almost never make these days, a feminine almost "English riding" jacket from the plus section, no less.  Gorge.  Jacket #137:

 And our honorable mention for September has to be this dress, a '10's does '70s does '40s shirtdress.  Another classic, but featured in a truly heinous color of brown that does this dress no favors.  A darling tiny print in a dark saturated color would be lovely though.  Dress #114:

And that's it for me folks.  I either don't love the rest of September enough or I'm so sick of the silhouette I can't be bothered to care enough to save the images. 

That being said...I believe I will drag out my September '11 issue because there's at least one top in there I would love to make, and a slinky knit waiting to be made up into it. 

Yes.  I'm sewing.  Booyah!

ps...Kristine, stop laughing.