And patterns unmade! There’s one problem with buying Burda magazines every month for the last 20 years. I have loads and loads and loads of patterns that I thought I’d make but have not got round to. During Me Made May this year I spotted a rather nice top on my IG feed. Turns out the pattern was one from a Burda magazine that I’d marked to make – you know the rest!
Having identified a lack of white tops in my wardrobe, it was decided to make the pattern up in some gorgeous white viscose voile from Croft Mill. This fabric is to die for, just beautiful (but no longer available!). Having bought 2 metres and found just how lovely it was, I immediately got another 3 to hide in the stash! I know I’m supposed to be clearing it out, but this will be a useful stash, white never goes out of fashion. *whispers* and I could always die it…
The pattern is 124 from May 2015, available from the Burdastyle site as a download here. I traced the 44 and added just the length part of a FBA as there was plenty of width for me. I used the seam across the bust to add a total 3cm in length. Seems to have worked pretty well. Necklines too close to the neck aren’t usually my thing, I feel like I’m being strangled! Scoop and v-necks are more my look, but this works. The keyhole opening gives interest to the front (no mono-boob) and there’s enough room at the neck not to feel choked.
French seams and double turned hems keep the insides all neat and tidy and the bias edges are lovely for the neckline. I’ve worn this top at least one a week since making it, pretty much as soon as it’s clean and ironed, I’m wearing it again! I think I need more white viscose voile tops! The button is a vintage glass find from a local antique shop, so pretty!
I think it’s a good pattern for mixing and matching too, using scraps and odd ends of fabrics. Just to test that theory I made another from stashed fabrics. This top started with a piece of devine blue silk satin bought from Rosenberg and Son years and years ago (it was one of those you have to get, despite not having any idea when you’ll use it). It was narrow and I’d cut bits out of the one end to use in a blouse about 5 years ago. funny, that exact fabric is what I’m using in this top! That blouse was the thinnest silk satin devore and it holied up pretty quickly. But, as usual, I hadn’t thrown it out.
My new top would combine fabrics again, but with the plain silk satin as the dominant fabric. The back yoke and sleeves were cut from the larger areas of the original top and the blue fabric made up the rest. It’s beautiful!! The satin is heavier and drapier than the viscose voile, which has the effect of pulling down more – making that keyhole opening lower.. it’s fine while standing and walking, but when sitting, it’s a little too low. Either I live with it or I do something about it, but I’m not sure what without totally ruining the look.
French seams were not on the table this time round, the silk was too thick and would have left bulky evidence on the right side, so the overlocker was drafted in. Hems aren’t double turned either, this stuff is slippery as all heck and a nightmare to turn on a tight curve! Thankfully the bias behaved itself. I really like this pattern, why did it take me two years to get round to making it up after marking it as interesting??
I’m definitely going to be making more, it’s a pattern that could be useful for using up all sorts of smaller pieces of fabrics, and for playing with bias yokes – thinking stripes here. I might even change the sleeve to a three quarter length and have some for my winter wardrobe, it’s about time to start thinking of warmer clothes now, like it or not. And coats!!
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 
They’re both a great fit and look very different. Re the low keyhole, I’d try fashioning a mesh ruffle behind the edging and hand stitch it place. I’ve seen a few rtw hems backed by a deeper mesh layer and have tucked that idea away as it’s a neat solution when you want to add inches or combine fabrics even.
Thanks! Yes, I’d also thought to use a bit of left over (more) devore silk, but I’ve not got round to it yet! 🙂
These are beautiful. The keyhole works magic 🙂
Thank you Kamila, just a little something different! 🙂
This is another one I need to add to my own TBM list – Thank You, Anne! xx
Both of these look gorgeous, and the white reminds me of some to-die-for viscose I’ve had in stash for a while. 😉
Yay, another stashbust!! 🙂
They look great! That navy blue silk with the polka dot back is fantastic!
Thank you, I couldn’t just leave that in the stash, it deserved another go at a life!
Glorious. As per usual! Love the navy silk the most though. I’d totally wear that to rags!
It’s a beautiful silk, drapes well but has plenty of body! I always get fantastic fabric from the Rosenberg stand a the shows!
Both are lovely! I know I would slop on the white one, so I’ll take the blue version… please!
I’ve had to use stain remover on that white one three times already! I’m taking it as a sign that I need more…
“Need more” always an excellent plan!
I love both of these. How much is changed by a different fabric! The white voile looks fresh, cool and evryday, the silk is rather special.
Thanks Jay, yup, fabric makes the world of difference! I’m planning another already!
I really love both tops. The blue one is stunning on you. Very elegant.
Thanks!! ☺️
I love finding gems in my old Burda magazine collection- love both versions.
Thanks Gail!
Both blouses are so chic, and look great on you. Every piece of fabric and every pattern in one’s stash has it’s time. The time for your Burda pattern and these two fabrics had arrived :). Lol.
Oh definitely! When I looked out the magazine and noticed I’d marked the pattern as one to make originally, I thought, this is it, here we go! 🙂
Great tops! I have loads of Burda mags, too, and I’ve often wondered how to keep track of what patterns are in them, other than pulling them out to flip through every once in a while. How do you keep track?
I started by making a list, but months would go by without me making anything from the list, other things pushed in. Now I just mark the pages when I get the magazine. Each season I’ll haul out about 5 years worth of magazines of the right season and see what I’ve marked, and what might go with the stash that has been released from the cupboard. Then I match things up and make a big pile. At the end of the season, the stuff that didn’t get made goes back in the cupboard til the next year! Daughter No2 goes through the magazines regularly and makes a list. I’m working through that for her now, alongside making other things as well
That blue silk on you is gorgeous! Love a keyhole neckline too! We won’t discuss hoards of Burda mags. 😮
They’re such a good thing to keep though, and I still go through older ones and think, “I still *need* to make that!!”