Black velvet wrap top - Burda Style 116 01/2012

This little top is my cardigan to wear over my PJs next week when I have my hip replacement operation. To be fair I have intended to make this top for many years. I think I probably bought this pattern back in early 2014 when I first bought a few Burda patterns. Its before I ever bought a magazine.

I was a bit put off making this by the fact it has back darts and this is a very stretchy lycra fabric. In fact a dancewear type of quality so just about as much stretch as possible.

Anyway I used my walking foot. I bought this absolutely ages ago and never so far got round to trying it out and boy is this brilliant for sewing knits. Its actually on my machine because I have been experimenting with ( non) stretch faux and real leathers but more on that in the coming weeks when I will blog about it while I am recovering. It sewed my darts fantastically. And just in case you wondered the walking foot is a bargain basement one from China. They said it fitted Janomes and I decided for about £3 I would try it because it was not much of a risk really and I would save about £12 on the then price of the Janome version. So glad I bought it, and it works really well, though I have never had a proper Janome version to compare with, but I personally cannot find nything wrong with the copy.


So anyway I never got round to sewing this pattern.

I actually made some quite difficult stuff:My bugs dress,  

This is really meant to be made from stretch fabric being a 60s pattern so making it from a non-stretch cotton and having it work was quite an achievement bearing in mind I had not sewn anything for 20+ years. At the time I was convinced it was difficult sewing stretch so avoided it but in the last few years I seem to have sewn more stretch than woven non stretch. Just shows you really!



gold fish dress, 




and the free pattern that I used for the festival dress (which you can find in the "Projects with a pattern" part of the US Burdastyle.com site)
 
at that time and since then have bought many many magazines both current and old ones that I have seen on Ebay.

Anyway till now I have not ever got round to making up this particual top pattern despite I actually paid for it as a download. I am so glad I have now got round to it because its lovely.

I will probably make at least one more from a different coloured velvet and perhaps a non-stretch chiffon version as well. But that will not happen now for around 7 weeks at the earliest. Mind you I will add soem warning ifyou decide to make this the instructions are evenfor Burda a complete puzzle. I assumed from the picture you need to gather the front sections onto the ties. I actually added 3 pleats on each side at CF where the tiees join. I also missed off the bias round the neck and just overlocked and twin needle stitched it all.

Order of makings was: Sew back drats, attach shoulders, insert sleeves, sew side seams with sleeve seams ( my fave method) because the notches were in line - I did check first. Overlock the bodice front and round neck and bottom of front. Then overlcok edges of ties. Pleat or gather the CF panels onto each tie and then turn over all edges and twin needle to finish it off - and its a very long bit of sewing. I sewed straight since obviously the twin needle does not go round square corners ( obvious really but I messed up several previous garments cos I never heard/read anyone state this but then you learn........) so this means stoping at corers and then starting again for the next stretch. Long but easy. Do not go too fast and you do not mess up.

A surprisingly easy top to make in the end.

I really like it though it actually has loads of fabric in it which you do not expect from the picture. The ties are very long and wide. I love it though, and expect to be wearing this throughout this winter so its not just for my hospital visit. At least I will feel well dressed when I am an invalid anyway!


So thats it now for the PJs kit that I am taking into hospital. I am not making a dressing gown cos I have several perfectly good ones already and I like them despite them being from Sainsburys or somewhere similar.

I have however, made quite a few other items over the past few weeks which I will endeavour to blog about over the next few weeks when I cannot actually do any sewing. I also have plans for a few other projects which I will let you know about later - if they come to anything.

This time next week I will have my new hip and be recovering and while I am looking forward to being able to walk again, I am so scared. I know its a normal routine op these days but really when its happening to me not someone else it really is very scary.

Bracken