Burda Wrap Blouse

Burda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Hey folks! I’m back after a short blogging break during which, of course, some sewing was done. The weather is quite dreadful in London at the moment, so I couldn’t photograph everything I made yet.

I made this blouse two weeks ago before I went back home. It was a quick afternoon sew and the fabric didn’t even cost me a penny.

The Fabric:

I scored it at the last fabric swap at SewBrum. At fabric swaps I am one of the ‘polite’ ones – (Is it possible to be impolite at fabric swaps? I mean, there’s fabric involved, so I guess everything’s allowed) – which basically means when I spot something that I like I don’t immediately grab it, but wait and see if someone else might be interested as well. If no one wants it after a while, I take it home. This actually works quite well, and some of the ‘leftovers’ are some really gorgeous fabrics, you wouldn’t believe it. For some reason no one wanted this beautiful baby. This colour seems to be my new favourite and two other fabrics I got in the swap are of the same colour, but knits (yay!) It is polyester Crêpe (I think) and very soft and drapey. It was very easy to sew with and only needs a bit of ironing after the wash. Thanks to whoever brought it to SewBrum!
Burda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.comBurda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The Pattern:

Yes! I’m back to sewing with Burdastyle patterns. For some reason I neglected all my Burdastyle magazines for months and only used indie patterns. I recently went through all my magazines and found some awesome stuff. Since then I’ve made quite a few Burdastyle makes and am planning more!

For this blouse I used the Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 pattern. There are only three pattern pieces, so it was super quick to trace, cut out and sew.

source: burdastyle.com
source: burdastyle.com

I did not make any major changes to the pattern except for omitting the center back seam. I have no idea why it’s there and what it’s for, so I simply cut the back pattern piece on fold. Maybe it was intended as a funky design feature, but unless you want to insert a zip, I don’t think center back seams are the greatest design detail.

Burda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The pattern suggests using a 110 cm (44 ins) wide Crêpe, length 1.85m (2 1/8 yds) for a size 10/36. My fabric was 150cm wide and I had barely a metre of it, but I managed to fit all pattern pieces on there. I often find that Burda’s fabric requirements are quite generous, so if you think you don’t have enough fabric, it’s still worth a try!

Burda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Burda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.comBurda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe Fit:

I really love the fit of the blouse. I did not make a muslin (for some reason I never do with Burdastyle patterns. They usually fit me pretty well and tracing the patterns is such a nuisance already, so I can’t be bothered.)

I love the length of the 3/4 length sleeves. They align perfectly with the top’s hem. The top is intended to be quite boxy, but the soft fabric makes it look very elegant. I am a big fan of a wide boatneck, so this pattern was really perfect for me. For some reason I have to think of a kimono, though. Maybe it’s the wide sleeves or the wrapped bit. But kimonos are cool anyway, aren’t they?

The front panels’ overlap is pretty safe. The front panels are basically stitched together at the neckline and the bound off by bias binding. If it’s really windy (as in the picture below), the worst case scenario would be showing a bit of tummy. So for work I wear a little black vest underneath (makes it also a bit warmer).

Burda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.comBurda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.comBurda Wrap Blouse 04/2014 #115 by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Will I be making it again? Definitely. Especially since it’s such a quick project which doesn’t use up much fabric. I was pretty happy with the fit, so no reason why I shouldn’t make another one!


Happy sewing!

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The new Pussy Bow Blouse pattern by Sew Over It

 Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Hi folks! Today I sharing my newest pussy bow blouse with you! After sewing three (!) Lottie Blouses, it was time to try another pussy bow blouse pattern. Luckily enough, Lisa, mastermind behind Sew Over It, asked me to test her newest pattern, the Pussy Bow Blouse. Lisa is known for her gorgeous patterns, mostly basic wardrobes staples (such as the Ultimate Trousers pattern or the Ultimate Wrap Dress) with a vintage touch.

source: www.sewoverit.com

So here it is, in all its glory!

 Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com

 Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The pattern:

The pattern was pretty much straight-forward and the instructions are very comprehensive and easy to follow, thanks to the illustrations. The blouse comes in two different variations – you can choose between a v-neck or keyhole version. I wanted to try the keyhole version, but couldn’t wrap my head around one particular step in the instructions (we all have those days, no?) and since I already have three keyhole Lottie Blouses, I went with the v-neck option in the end.

The pattern comes in UK sizes 8-20 and is available as both a printed pattern and as a downloadable PDF. Sew Over It will also host a sewalong in the future, so keep your eyes peeled!

What I loved most about the pattern are the little details: for example the super cute buttoned cuffs. I used a black fabric covered button, which you can hardly see on the polkadot fabric!
 Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The fit: 

I love the long sleeves – especially now that it is getting colder I was in desperate need for a long-sleeved blouse for work. This is the perfect pattern! The pattern has some interesting details in the way it is cut. It has a seam in the centre front! The cut resembles 1940’s blouses, sitting a bit off the shoulder. It confused me at first since I thought it was a fitting issue and I thought it would prevent me from moving my arms freely. In front of the mirror it felt as if I could’nt lift my arms all the way up, but now, after I have worn it at work several times, I can say that it didn’t bother me at all. I actually like that it has this vintage look.

The sleeves were a bit long for my taste and I simply could’ve shortened them, but I was too lazy to make a muslin. They are quite baggy and I really like the general shape of the sleeves and the cuffs, but since they are about 7cm too long they cover up the cute cuffs. My own fault! I could’ve at least measured them before attaching the cuffs!

 Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The fabric:

The pattern suggests using light and drapey fabrics, such as rayon, chiffon and lightweight silks and crepes. I used a nude coloured georgette, which is slightly see-through and covered in black polkadots. I bought the fabric on Walthamstow Market ages ago (all I can remember is that it was super cheap), planning to make a dress or skirt from it. The print is actually quite busy and I am glad that I did not make a dress – I think it works best for a blouse like this!

The georgette is the perfect fabric to wear at work as it is not too warm (no sweat stains!) and is perfect for layering. It’s horrible to sew with, though. Cutting out georgette is messy and frustrating (never rush, but take your time!) and you have to be very careful that the fabric layers don’t slip when sewing and pinning. Luckily, I already had my overlocker then, so at least I didn’t have to worry about fraying edges!

 Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse by thisblogisnotforyou.com

I mostly wear my blouse over skinny jeans and tight dark miniskirts or tucked in paired with a pencil skirt. It’s a perfect office look and ideal for our smart casual dresscode at work. I also accidentally wore it on the day at work when we went to visit a farm, so imagine me watching the piggy race and feeding the alpacas dressed up like a 1940’s secretary. Well, the alpacas didn’t mind.

Have you tried any Sew Over It patterns yet? The Ultimate Trousers are still on my list and I’m eyeballing the 1940’s tea dress, as well.

Don’t forget to enter the blog anniversary giveaway, if you haven’t done so yet! The giveaway is open internationally and closes on 30th September!


Happy sewing!

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