Burda World of Fashion Magazine: 10-2008-115 (Dress)  - Type:Dresses  | | Viewed 193 times
| 11 more reviews | Review rated Helpful by 1 people Very Helpful by 3 people | | Reviewed by: | nowak | 
| About nowak | | GERMANY | | Member since: 7/26/05 | | Reviews written: 24 | | Sewing skills:Advanced | | Favored by: 2 people | | patterns reviewed: 13 | | Bio: more... |
| | Posted on: | 5/22/09 12:57 PM | | Last Updated: | 5/22/09 12:59 PM | | Project Photo: |  | | Pattern Photo: | More Info provided by nowak | | Pattern Rating: | Easy & Great for Beginners | | NEW! See reviews of patterns from this issue | | | | Fabric: | Cotton Jersey [See other projects in this fabric] | | Related Links | Click on  to add a link |
| Pattern Description:
Misses' jersey dress has kimono sleeves, gathering at front shoulder, and gathering at center front on the bodice and skirt.
Pattern Sizing:
36-44, I made it a 48
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
As you can not tell anything from the photo I can't say.
But it looks like the technical drawing,
Were the instructions easy to follow?
The instructions were the usual burda-style, that means you have to reade every word and do exactely what they write. (I'm using the german issue, so I can only refer to the german instructions.)
There was only one thing I nearly did wrong, that was the gathering of the front. On the upper part you have to gather left and right front separately (because the cut on facing of the middle front remains straight) and so I had first gathered it 7cm each side, but it has to be 7cm both sides together, therefore 3,5cm each side. But I found out before sewing.
And the instructions were correct.
And if you have a bit of sewing experience you can do it without instructions.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
When I saw the drawing it immediately cried "night gown" to me. I've always been impressed by the night gowns of those old 1940th movies that were more elegant than most of dresses we see today.
I love the shirring and I love that it looks as if the tab on the front would hold the fabric loosely together.
Fabric Used:
The pattern calls for a elastic.jersey, which I did not read before cutting...
I used two different cotton jerseys from my stash, a white one which has some crosswise strech and no lengthwise stretch and a light grey one which streches nicely in both directions. Both fabrics from Alfatex in Cologne.
They were dyed together in the washing machine with Simplicol textile dye in navy and pea-green, resulting in two different hues of the same green.
I've used the less stretchy one for the upper part and the darker and more stretchy one for the skirt.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
Not many. Apart from enlarging the whole pattern to a 48 I added another 10cm at hip level. 1.5cm at each side seam tapering to nothing at the waist and 2cm at middle front and middle back (each). At the front I just gathered tighter, at the back I enlarged the darts above waist accordingly.
Then I took out 2cm length on the skirt above the waist and I reduced the back shoulder by 1cm. On the front shoulder I just gathered more firmely and got away without doing a FBA.
Finally I lengthened the skirt by 10cm.
My only desing change was using a solid fabric and not a print, I think this shows the pattern much better.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Remember, I've made it as a night gown and yes, I'll make more of it for that occasion.
And I can reccomend it, if you are plus sized and fed up with wearing pink baby dolls or some old T-shirts at bedtime: go ahead. It's easy to enlarge and easy to sew.
If you are a beginner and want something only a little more complicated than pyjama pants: go ahead.
And if you just got you first serger and look for an easy project: Go for it. (I have no serger, I did everything with the "serger"stitches of my sewing machine. but most of the seams could very well be made with a serger.)
Conclusion:
Love it! It's very comfortable in bed and I still look good at the breakfast table. And if the postman comes earlier than expected or a neighbour rings I don't have to run away to grab the first jeans and T-Shirt I can find but I can open the door. 
I've read in some reviews that the sleeves were to tight. Mine are not. They are close around the forearm, but even sleeping in that gown is comfortable. I hemmed sleeves and hem with the honycomb-stich of my sewing machine, because it is way more stretchy then using a twin needle. Maybe it's due to that. Because I for sure do not have skinny arms. ;)
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<< Previous Review Next Review >> | Reader Comments | | michellep74 | 5/22/09 | I never would've thought to make this up as a nightgown--what a great idea! Yours looks great on you. | | * * * | | morzel | 5/22/09 | What a good idea, using it as nightgown! The colour is wonderful- nice sleepwear! | | * * * | | bconky | 5/22/09 | Cute nightgown. With a cami would be cute dress. | | * * * | | tomed | 5/22/09 | Very good idea - great perspective to have when looking at the BWOF! You have made a lovely dress and thank you for the review. | | * * * |
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