Burda 1/2021 #116

Because there's so much time to fawn over the Burda issue before it shows up in my mailbox, I often end up with a MUST MAKE NOW garment or two. This top? Yep. I knew I was going to sew this asap. It is SO my style! 

It's a simple silhouette - darted front, one piece back cut on the fold, with a slit front and a rectangle for a collar. It doesn't take much fabric but I was trying to make it work with a panel that was 1 yard (and I had a remnant piece from the other top I made from this fabric), it's a stashed piece, from Fabric Mart. 

I overlooked that the collar piece was cut on the fold and was SO confused as to how it would make a knot. Then, I read the instructions and realized the loop is a separate piece (not attached to anything) and went, :shrug: 

After cutting everything out, DOH! But somehow, some way, I found a piece that allowed for a mirror image to be cut - score!

From my IG stories

I cut my normal Burda size combo:

Front: Size 40 neckline, shoulder, armhole (I used to grade to a 42 here but that makes weird folds in the front) and then graded out to a 42 for the body.

Back: Size 40 neckline, shoulder, graded out to a 42 for the armhole and body. 

Because it's a knit, I can get away with that (armholes not matching) but on a woven, I'd cut the 40 and do an adjustment for the back for that extra fleshy bit back there (you know what I'm talking about!). I made the following adjustments:

1) When Burda does fitted, they do fitted. I straightened out the side seams a bit while grading the front from a 40 bust to 42 for the waist and hip. 

2) I did a 3/8" forward shoulder adjustment

3) I added 1" to the back (so 2" total) but then I did a 1/2" swayback (works *ok* when there's a fold) and trimmed the extra 1/4" off the center back side (so removed 1/2" there, making my overall addition in back 1.5"). 

4) I added 1/2" to the front at the hip for 1" and my overall total to the hip being 2.5. Sometimes I grade the hip out to a 44 and make a smaller adjustment but also, there is technically more room needed in back than in front so, put the fabric where it needs to be.

5) Not shown, I added 1.5" to the bicep. The size 42 was like 13"!!! Sheesh! 

I decided to wear this today for work while also telling myself I could get pics of it. And then I remembered right at 5:00. So the color is off on all but the mirror selfies. It's such a vibrant print!! 

Because I was using bits of fabric, I ended up centering the black space between the panels on my sleeve. I liked it more in my head than in reality but, it's fine. 

As you can see, the back fits a bit better than it would have had I not shortened the back length. 

Lastly, The loop is a loose (I sewed it by hand) and just holds the two end pieces together. 

Also from IG - look at my beautiful BabyLock stitches!

The slit is finished with a facing. I used a tricot, traced the stitching lines onto the interfacing, trimmed the sides and snipped to the point...it sits very nicely!!

Another hot tip if you're newer to adding seam allowances to patterns - after tracing off the facing, match it to your neckline piece. Sometimes, with curved edges or really angled ones, it's easy to go off a bit when drawing in those lines. 

It's REALLY cute with the ties left hanging too!!

The loop up close.

And that faint white mark on my sleeve is the wax marker from me marking the center, LOL! 

It'll come off with heat!

I think the loop is more trouble than it's worth (I don't remember the dimensions they suggested but I definitely made mine slightly bigger width and smaller in circumference) and I'd just lengthen the ties next time. I have a black & white polka-dot lightweight ponte that I'm considering for version 2.  

This issue is really, really awesome.  More to come!!