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!

Vtg inspiration: Tara Starlet

You might need to squint on a couple of cheesy poses, to get to the super cute retro-inspired clothes from Tara Starlet (even the name is a bit of cheesecake).  But it's worth the effort!  Wearable retro.

Ready for some knockoff commentary?

This is a pretty, basic blouse.  The kind you need half a dozen of.   I have a vintage blouse pattern that would work, but Colette's Violet with Jasmine sleeves would be a good starting place in modern patterns.

Basic shirtwaist. My favorite shirtwaist pattern currently is a vintage mail order, but any basic shirt pattern can be shortened to the waist, and then add a gathered skirt to create your own shirtwaist.  Or, BurdaStyle magazine has had a few of these styles in recent years too.

This is so cute!  I love the V-neck and the slimmer fit.  I think Colette's Oolong is very similar.

Pencil skirt and basic blouse. Classic.  To your basic pencil skirt pattern, retro it up by adding non-functional buttons to the "pockets" (real or faux).

The top is very similar to Colette's Jasmine, and the skirt is beautiful! Maybe Retro Simplicity 3688?

Basic dirndl skirt and Colette's Violet blouse would be the perfect knockoff!

Perfect summer outfit!  I can't think of a modern pattern that has this dramatic collar, but a basic shirt pattern could work for a simple sleeveless white top, and Colette's new shorts pattern Iris would be great for the shorts.  Or if you already have the retro Simplicity 3688, the pants could be shortened to short length too, for a very vintage look.

I'm always on the lookout for cute vintagey pants.  They're universally more flattering than their contemporary counterparts.  I am particularly fond of exposed button sides or fronts.   (Functional or nonfunctional!)  These pants and shorts are adorable!

AND...the April 2012 BurdaStyle magazine has a pattern, #125, that is pretty darn close. It will get you closer than anything else I've seen out there!

Burda Style 4/12 #125

I'm sure there are other patterns you could use from the Big 4, and definitely from Burda Style.  I usually go for the vintage pattern options first...just because I get a better fit out of the box, and I have a pretty large stash.  

The great thing about ALL of these garments is that they are simple, basic shapes.  No crazy seaming or anything.  Basic, wearable shapes that won't go out of fashion quickly, yet still offer you options for personalizing to your own sense of style.  Yay for knockoffs!

anthro-knockoff: Flurried Plumes Midi Skirt

It's finished!  And awfully cute, if I do say so myself:

You'll have to forgive the "inside" dressform photos, I'm still not upright for very long.

My inspiration skirt can be seen on the anthropologie website, the Flurried Plumes Midi Skirt.   I decided to make mine out of an ebay-purchased rayon leaf print.  The prints are completely different but have the same feel and some of the same tones too.

I did end up using a pattern for the base of the skirt, a 1980 See & Sew.  I used it this summer to make the cami (if you missed that project, check out the links in the sidebar!)  I lengthened the skirt by 5" and left off the ruffle.  Everything else was straight from the pattern (well, I did adjust the waistband length, but that was to be expected. Ahem.)  

I should have looked at the the inspiration photo again; I didn't realize the waistband was so wide and had 2 buttons.  Oh well!  I still think mine looks pretty good!  I could topstitch it, but I'm waiting to see if it stretches out too much on wearing (as linen has a tendency to do). 

The buttons were from my button box...I was shocked I had 6 of the right color and size!

All in all a super simple knockoff!  It normally would have taken a day or so to complete...but who's counting?

Pattern Giveaway & Skirt Progress

Firstly, I have to let you know about this gorgeous pattern giveaway by Debi of My Happy Sewing Place:

Although I really don't want any of you to enter, to increase my odds. Ha!

Secondly... Skirt progress! 

I went with the coffee linen for the plackets and waistband.  Plackets are attached and topstitched, I just need to add the waistband and do buttonholes & buttons. 

Hopefully a finished skirt later today!

anthro shirt: still in progress

I had to set this one aside for a few days in order to preserve my sanity. The collar band/front placket/ruffle treatment I envisioned was giving me FITS on finishing. I almost ruined it at least 4 times.

So of course the prudent thing was to step away until I could see clearly again. Here's where we are now:
We have ruffles! And a collar band attached, albeit a little worn and ragged around the edges (but really, who's going to be that close to my neck?)

Here's a picture showing just how "off" the front neckband is going to be. See that weird dip? Yeah, I'm past the point of caring now! :)


I decided on double ruffles and I folded the placket to the outside (the reverse of what you would normally do). I'll topstitch it into place, hopefully later today. Then I have sleeves and handstitching on the collar, hemming, and I'll be done. Still sounds like a lot so no promises it will be this weekend. Just picking this unfinished thing up each day and looking at it wears me out!

Honestly the only thing spurring me to finish it at all (by now I would have tossed it normally!) is that the fabric is gorgeous AND vintage, and darn it, the ruffles are looking super cute.

I did cut out that Vogue skirt I mentioned, and altered the tissue. It will need a muslin before I can cut into the blue linen though. I had to grade up and there are several pieces that need checked. Maybe I can find the energy to do that too.

Meanwhile, I've filled those empty (avoidance) stitching hours with some machine embroidery! I haven't done much of that since getting the Mac about 15 months ago. I have been having a ball planning some holiday decorating & gift projects. Here's one stitching up right now:



The design is so cute, a primitive snowman hat embroidery design from Heartstrings Embroidery. It's called "All Flakes Welcome". I think it will become a pillow for my couch, but I also need a mantel scarf, a door hanger, and some new kitchen table accessories would be nice too! I'll be sure to keep you updated on this project too.

Have a great weekend!

anthro shirt: in progress

Ok, so just an itty bit of progress, but we'll take what we can get, right??

So far I've adjusted the pattern (it's a crazy frankenpattern now! I'll take a picture in the daylight tomorrow if I remember to upload next post). I've also cut it out, and sewn a few seams!

The darts are sewn on the front bodice, shoulder & side seams sewn, and the neck stay-stitched:


I also added a bit of topstitching to the seams:



This beautiful red/royal/navy fabric is a linen and cotton blend from the 1940s. It's only 36 inches wide, so some creative layout was necessary. I bought 3 pieces from the same ebay seller, and man, I could have cleaned her out... if only I had unlimited funds! Her shop is empty of this type of goodness right now, but if she restocks I'll let you know!

After I buy what I want first, of course. ;)

I think the most exciting part (next to the part where I'm actually sewing) is that I have the perfect royal blue linen to make a skirt to match! I have no idea what pattern I'll use, but probably something simple like a pencil skirt. Actually this "Emma Pillsbury" skirt from J. Crew has long been a fave, so maybe TWO knockoffs are in the works.


Right now, I'm sleepy. Night!

interesting bits.

anthro has some really amazing knit things right now. I've been dissecting (in my mind, mwhuahaha) a few of them this morning in the hopes that my scientific research might nudge the actual fruition into overdrive. Or some such.

In love with this over-embellished knit tee:


So let's get on with our dissection. The tee is a basic cut-on cap sleeve tee with a scoop neck. The scoop is then slashed & spread incrementally to add gathers at the front. Basically in this manner:



The pleats at either side of the scoop neckline would be a little tricker. You'd have to slash horizontally and then vertically up (toward the shoulder) in increments, to create enough fabric for the little pleats. It might look something like this:
Of course you'll have to excuse my very rudimentary-not to scale-drawing, but that should give you an idea. (I'm too lazy to sketch it and scan right now!)

Once you get past the structural part, you get to play with the fun part, the embellishment! Here's a closeup shot of 1/2 of the center front baubles and beads:


I don't think those are covered buttons, but just stuffed circles of fabrics (like stuffed "yo-yo's"). Then there are bias tubes stitched haphazardly down. I can't tell about the triangle points, which look like fabric "shark's teeth" but I assume are created more by mitering a strip of the fabric (or even ribbon would work). Beads are laced throughout the entire piece. I feel like the whole thing is then appliqued down to the tee, but of course it could be inserted (so much easier just to topstitch it onto the tee though!)

See? That wasn't so bad, right? Of course that's quite a bit of handwork for a tee that retails for $68. Since I get kind of excited about projects like that, I'd probably make it before I bought it.

Another one that caught my eye was this one:


Fabric roses we can do, that's an easy embellishment. The tee itself is fairly simple too. There are a few patterns out there that already have that CF ruching or gathering around a piece, but using basically the same technique above you could absolutely draft your own from a well-fitting tee pattern.

Just draw out your oval "insert", cut out (of a tracing of course). Then mark your incremental slash marks all around the cut out edges. Slash, spread, tape tissue underneath. That's it. It will be a way-funny looking pattern piece, but you'll feel so accomplished!

On closer zoom, the CF embellishment turns out to be none other than gathers to create a vertical panel of faux "smocking". Although, you heirloomer's out there, we could so totally do actual smocking. OMG. I just got bit by the biggest smocking bug I think. Cool!

Again, I'd just topstitch this into place, then finish the neckline and apply the rolled fabric roses to complete the top. This one retails for $58. I'd rather make this one than pay that. Just think, you could have it in any color you desire!

While we're on the subject of paying for clothing, here's a perfect example of why I sew:


Adorable color, adorable shape, love the graphics, adore the fluttery sleeves. But...check out that wonky hem and listing grainline. I see off grain knits (and wovens too) ALL the time in RTW. But for $60 bucks? You just know that twisting tee is driving that poor mannequin crazy. I know it would be making me nuts.

And that's why I sew.