An Anthropologie Inspired Burda Top

 

mL2l3J35Qjulp7CwY9UopA_thumb_11013If you ask me, the November and December issues of Burda Style magazine were so great, they more than justified the hefty price of U.S. subscription. This Anthropologie inspired make is from the November issue, and it’s just one of five patterns that I marke to trace. Yes, I always dread the task of tracing the patterns from the magazine…there are so many crazy lines to sort through! But the results were worth the effort!

Here’s the Velvet top from Anthropologie that inspired me to make this.  4110348695280_070_b

This Burda Style top is really close, minus the gathers at the shoulders.

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Navy blue is such a hard color to photograph so I’m not sure how clearly you can see the waist-pleat detailing, but it adds a nice touch and it was easy to sew. This Burda Style pattern is 11/2018 Style 110.

 

The magazine version is made from stretch jersey so I made my version from stretch velvet. If you try it yourself, I highly recommend a stretchy jersey with lots of drape. I cut the smallest size and the fit is great. I did forget to add the seam allowances when I first traced the pattern pieces and had to retrace them. UGH. There are so many crazy lines going every which way on those pattern inserts. I guess you could avoid that frustrating step by paying for a download of the pattern from the website, but to me, that feels like paying for the pattern twice which I could not justify, since, in the US, a subscription is already a sizeable investment. Fortunately, there aren’t alot of pieces to this pattern so the tracing wasn’t too hard.

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The required sewing was quite easy! I’m always impressed at how well Burda Style patterns come together.  The instructions feel so abbreviated to me, yet the projects always seem to work out! The front bodice and neckline are finished with facings and they’re very simple to attach. The sleeves are set in and they went in easily. The tie is just inserted before attaching the facing. No big deal. Machine sewn hems finish both the bodice and sleeves.

 

 

 

 

I always worry about fit when I make a wrap top. There’s so much that can go wrong in terms of gaping in the front. Because of that, I celebrate when I find one that fits well. Since this one is a clear winner, I’ll likely try it again. I might even add a few inches for a dress. It’s a great addition to the wardrobe since it can be worn alone or with a white collared shirt. Probably a lacy tee would look great under it too.

It’s always great to add a new velvet piece to my wardrobe, since I am such a fan! I’m hoping to sew a few more things before I do my yearly wrap up, but it could be wishful thinking on my part:). Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

 

A lacy designer-inspired top

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Well, it’s time to deck the halls and ourselves too! It’s December, a month so cold and gray, we’d probably all go crazy if we didn’t have a few parties to attend.Today, the party I’m thinking about is here, in the blogging world, Designin’ December, a sewing initiative created by Linda of ‘Nice Dress, Thanks I made it’. The idea is to find an inspiring frock from a Designer then create your own version.

My lacy top was inspired by a Alberta Ferretti design that I first noticed in a Vogue magazine article.

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When I saw the lace detailing, it was instant love. I had to have that look in my closet. After studying the photo a bit, I realized the elements of the basic sweater were simple. It was really the lace embellishment that made it unique.  So, I found some red and black herringbone sweater knit in my stash and decided to embellish it with black lace, a combination that would work well for holiday dressing.

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The pattern I used is McCalls 6614, a simple, close fitting pullover top with princess seams and a narrow hem, but any basic knit top pattern would do as well. Of course, I wanted to use this pattern because I’m obsessed with princess seams, but they aren’t critical to the design. I opted to color block the side panels and the neck band for contrast.

The biggest challenge? Finding the right lace – – it had to be wide enough to be the focal point of the sweater. Needless to say, I became obsessed. After driving all over town in the rain, I finally found the perfect lace at Fabric Depot. To add the embellishment to the top, I simply marked the bodice pieces and the sleeve pieces with tailor’s chalk, then basted the lace to the fabric at my markings. Then, I finished assembling the bodice, adding the side panels and inserting the raglan sleeves. The raw ends of the lace were hidden in the side and sleeve seams.

This is an easy pattern but the placement of the lace was challenging, and it was hard to keep the fabric under it smooth as I based it on. The process was a bit time consuming, but I like the end result. This top will be easy to dress up or down, and it’s cozy too, a plus at this time of year.

After studying Alberta Ferretti’s designs, I’ve become a fan.

The fabrics are rich looking (brocades and velvets, among them) and her color combinations are inspiring. If only we could find anything close to those brocades in the stores….but I digress :).

I can’t wait to see everyone’s creations during Designin’ December. The fashion runways are full of inspiration, especially at this time of year, so who knows? There may be another designer inspired ‘make’ from me before this month is done.

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!