I love Burda because

1. One issue can have many fabulous patterns
2. I can easily morph two or three patterns together
3. They are drafted so well.

This dress is #109 from Burda 5/2010. Actually, the dress is also from 3/2009. I traced the 109 and then layed it over another tracing to get the flare that I wanted. I like swishy over hip hugging. I actually wanted the neckline from #140, a plus size, but at the timeI did not feel like grading down a few sizes, I just wanted to sew.

The fabric is a cotton stretch, which is a dream to sew. I used the facing that came with the pattern, since I think it is crazy to add a lining to a Summer dress. The fabric is surprisingly opaque.

I took in the strap seam an extra 1.5cm, I suppose to account for my sloping shoulders. But I did forget to take out under the arm to compensate before cutting and sewing on the facings, so I did just fudged it a bit and called it a day. When I tried it on, I had the whole horrible, stick-out thing happening at the back, but it mostly went away when I extended the dart an extra 1.5cm.

I have already traced another pattern but using #106 to get the square-ish neckline that I want. I think that will be a lot more flattering on me that this ultra wide neck. I do like the way the straps widen towards the top.

I traced Burda Easy Fashion (2009) #4 pants a while ago. I liked that they have a wide waistband with a little fly and button closures (rather than the fly all the way up). I am pretty sure I traced the size 40 (which is my hips size, not my waist, I figured I could take the waist in). I actually traced these off between lengths, for long shorts. No way would I ever wear shorts like that.

I used a stretch poly rayon bengaline. When I tried them on, I was really dismayed. They were pretty tight. The pockets sticked out, making me look wider. And they come right up to my natural waistline (which is high, I don't like them that high). I really wanted to chuck them, because I really thought that the sizing must be different for the Easy Fashions. It is not apparently, and when I layed it over my other pants patterns, it was the same. Maybe I have put on a little weight.

Now that they are finished, I realise it is a pretty good fit after all. And I like how the bottom of the leg starts to flare out.

I was ultra confused about the pockets, which extend out to the fly, and because it is all in German (and being to lazy to find another pattern with a similar pattern piece), I just slapped it together any which way.

My next pair of shorts is going to be from Jalie 2909 (or 2908, the stretch woven pants anyway, not the jeans). When I layed this pattern over the Jalie one(have misplaced my tracing, argh), they are a similar draft, but the Jalie has a narrower waistband and no pockets. I do like to have pockets (to shove pens in when I am at work) but maybe I will be able to add bound pockets to them, like a pair of Esprit capris that I have.