Burda 101

So after fitting the bodice of Burda 101 I finished the dress. 

I lined the bodice with white cotton lawn, the skirt is a simple gathered rectangle but I treated that as underlining rather than lining so the lining is sewn into the seams and hemmed rather than hang separately.  It was quite tricky to keep the lining and fashion fabric together even though it was basted in before sewing but the viscose fashion fabric is quite mobile so stretching is a bit of a problem.  I decided on the hem length and finished the hem before it was sewn to the bodice, its probably not the most professional way of doing it but I wouldn’t  have been able to do it in any better way.  I also added in a in-seam pocket which is the first time I’ve done one.  I used Lorraine’s tutorial as a guide, seriously if you want to know ANYTHING about pockets this is the place to go I didn’t realise there were so many different types of pocket in the world!  The pocket come out great apart from being slightly too small in the opening, when I drew around my hand I should have been more generous at the wrist area, the pocket is still functional but it would be better to be a little wider.  

(excuse the odd facial expression – need lessons on better photo expressions!)

After making this version I saw Katherine's version of the same dress except she put a circle skirt on the bottom and I think it looks much better for the reasons she stated ‘I had less bulk at the waist and more fullness at the hem.’  I felt like it was more a twirly dress than the fabric allowed and a little too bulky at the waist, so next time I make this (as I’m sure I will) I will try a circle or half circle skirt. 

(We’re all dressed up for my In-Laws Ruby Wedding Party, Miss M is wearing a dress I made for her last summer so there were 3 Me-Made dresses at this party!)

This was the party I made a dress for my Mother-In-Law for.  I was supposed to travel to their house (200+ miles) late on Friday night which would give me the Saturday morning to make some alterations if necessary but Miss C came down with a 24 hour bug, she had a headache all day Friday and then about an hour before we were due to leave she came down with a temperature of 101oC and had that glazed over look ill kids get.  Off she went to bed about 6.30 and I sat with her until she went to sleep but then she woke every hour for most of the evening.  I decided to give her some paracetamol to bring the temperature down (I’m never convinced whether to or not as you have a temperature to kill the virus/bacteria that has invaded you and taking paracatmol etc will bring that down and does that prolong the fight?!) and 10 minutes later she was sick so that didn’t help her all!  She was half awake and half asleep and almost hallucinating or talking in her sleep with lots of gibberish coming out!  Anyway Saturday morning she woke up and was loads better and after eating she was fine!  Its amazing how quickly children go downhill and then how quickly they come back up as you can see from her expression above 24 hours later!  So we went to my In-Laws Saturday and got there Saturday afternoon, therefore there wasn’t any opportunity to make any adjustments but if I had time, I would have tweaked the bodice a little:-

• Take the back neckline in a little as there was a bit of gaping across the shoulders.
• The front armscye needed a little trimming
• The bodice could do with being a tiny bit more generous as its a little tight on her ribcage so the seams could be let out a little. 

(I managed to get the crease out of the skirt front after following Rufus & Rachels advice)

Everyone was very complementary about her dress both to her and to myself and I was relieved it fitted as well as it did.  I can still see what needs correcting but that's the problem with sewing your own clothes you just see the mistakes!    I think it looks good and I learnt a lot by fitting a dress on someone else's body, adapting those changes back to the pattern, using a fragile fabric as this silk frayed badly so it was all a success!