More Shorts Using Burda 06-2011-111

I've been making shorts.  I wasn't even going to post them, but I made a pattern adjustment which resulted in a huge boost to the way they fit.

After the purple pair that I made recently, I decided that I could make them fit better since I can get in and out of those without using the zipper with no problem.  I cut off four inches (1/2 inch from each of the eight seams) and I realized that I really like a lot of ease in my shorts.  I can still get into them, but I'm not comfortable wearing them (physically they are pretty comfortable, but mentally not really).

Luckily, my cousin sent me plenty of this fabric and I'll be making them again.

Then I made the shorts in the same pattern size, but in this fabric, the crotch wrinkles that weren't that bad are much more noticeable.

 Front

And side and back

I did a google search and decided that I didn't really like any of the solutions that I found there since my wrinkles were much lower (almost at the legs) than the problems that solutions were posted for.  My issue was too much fabric on the legs at the beginning of the curve, but the actual curve of the pants fit really well.  Q and I actually joked about putting a dart across the front on both sides and trying to play it off as a intentional design statement.   Since that isn't really practical, I decided to take some of that out and so I cut off the curve to the front piece.  Then I slashed across the shorts from where I thought the problem was.  I overlapped the piece conservatively and taped it (I may go back and adjust it further).  I taped the curve that I cut off back on and turned it so that no fabric space was added.

Then I traced this again, drawing a line from the end of the curve to the bottom of the leg.  Here is my finished pattern piece beside the original piece.

And them overlapping with the new piece on bottom.

It's really amazing to me how such a little difference can make such a big difference.

I'm really happy with this and I hope it helps someone with a similar fitting issue.

Burda 06-2011-111 Zipper Side Pocket Tutorial

I made another pair of Burda 06-2011-111 shorts.  I have temporarily misplaced the magazine, but I had the  pattern that I traced with my adjustments and in my previous makes of these shorts, I did not place the invisible zipper and pocket on the same side.  I remember the instructions being incredibly confusing, so I thought I would post how I did it.  I did make one mistake that doesn't affect the tutorial and if you figure out what it is, you get a bonus prize (to be determined at the time someone actually figures it out).

First I sewed the front to back at the inseams and sewed the sides together through the crotch as is standard.

Then I serged the edges of the four pocket pieces and four sides of the shorts.  I placed the first pocket piece right side to the right side of the front side of the shorts.  I marked a line on the pocket piece for the side seam of the shorts will be.

I sewed along the drawn seam line making a 90 degree turn at the bottom of the pocket, and I cut to the corner of the right angle.

I flipped the pocket to the wrong side and pressed.  This fabric doesn't press well.

I then turned the shorts so that the wrong side was up and placed the other pocket side right sides together and sewed around the pocket keeping the front of the shorts free of the stitching.

Turning the shorts over, this is how it looks.  That is, the pocket is now attached to the front piece of the shorts and you can now treat it as one piece.

Sew the waistband pieces together and attach them to the shorts.

Sew the invisible zipper to the shorts front along the seam line in front of the pocket.

Sew the invisible zipper to the back of the shorts.

Then you have the finished invisible zipper (here half open so that you can see it more clearly) and the side pocket all on the same side.  I also understitched the pocket so that it wouldn't flip out since this fabric doesn't press well.

Burda 06-2011-111 Last Take for now

Four pairs of shorts made today, three of which will definitely get heavy rotation.  The last may get use if I'm out of laundry or lose some weight.

Take 4 has larger darts and a dipped front and ended up too small.  I love the fabric, but there is no stretch and so slightly uncomfortable for now.

Take 5 is back to being a straight size 48 that has been lengthened.  Very comfortable and will get heavy wear.

Take 6 has a dipped front.  Snug and comfy, though my mother might make comments about it being too fitted.  The fabric is a very thin stretch denim that is this blue on one side and the tan below on the other.  I'm not sure which is the right and wrong side, but I liked both.  I got it off the discount table at Hancock's.

Take 7 also has a dipped front and is from the same fabric as above.  I made the waistband from the other side, but I'm sort of glad that no one will see it since I'm not sure I like it as much as I thought I would when I did it.  These last two pairs went much faster since I decided to skip the pockets after all, weighing the need for shorts over the need for pockets.

Tomorrow, I work on a pattern for a larger size bib of this version for my cousin's granddaughter.

Burda 06-2011-111 Take 5

Back to the pattern used for take 3.  Can you tell that Q took the girls to my mom's for the weekend?  I love that Q has a good relationship with his in-laws so that I can have a weekend off every now and then.  I'm debating over spitting takes 6 and 7 out quickly or trying another shorts pattern.  This is a medium weight, non-stretch denim with tiny multi-colored sequins randomly sewn on in a meandering pattern.  These are my favorite pair yet, though I don't think you can see the glory of these shorts in the picture.

Burda 06-2011-111 Take 4

Too many changes to a pattern that works already wasn't really the best idea.  I took the four darts in 1/4 inch on each side for a total of 2 inches out of the waist, cut the an inch off the center front seam, and added 3 1/2 inches to the length (this is after grading them up to a size 48).  The original shorts are uber comfortable but are too short and they ride a little and gape in the back.  The new shorts fit great in the back, but are tight and bunch in the front and because of this, the pocket gapes open.  They are wearable but not really that comfortable.  I think they may fit great if I were to lose at least five pounds, but as I'm not the best at losing weight, I think I may return to the original pattern for the time being.


Anyway, on to the pictures.

Burda 06-2011-111 Take 3

You may get tired of posts on this particular pattern, but I love these Burda shorts and I'm in severe need of more shorts.  I currently have the two versions of this pattern than I made this year, a ratty pair that I've worn through all three pregnancies that really needs to be retired and a pair of Thai fisherman shorts that I made to wear during the pregnancies that really are too big and I have pinned smaller.  The first pair of these shorts I made with this pattern I feel are too short and my mom and aunt are embarrassed to be around me in.  I lengthened the second pair and will for all future pairs.

These are made out of a deep, rich blue-green corduroy that I had started to make a dress out of but found that I didn't care for the style of the dress, so I butchered the dress to make these shorts.  The pictures are poor so I don't know how much you can see.  I actually added the pockets this time, but took the one out on the side with the zipper because at the curve of my hip, the pocket was opening wide and I had used a highly contrasting quilting cotton for the pockets.

I plan on making at least four more pairs of shorts.  I drew the pattern out again this time changing a few things.  I made the shorts 3 1/2 inches longer, the darts all 1/2 inch bigger (1/4 inch on each side for a total of 2 inches out of the waist, and cut the an inch off the center front seam.  I'm a little worries about the center front seam change as my intention isn't to have it dip in the front, but have less ease in front.  I'll be making the next pair fairly soon so we'll see how my changes pan out.  I'm a little worried about over fitting because truthfully, I love these shorts already and even the really short first pair I made is super comfortable.  I figure I'll make a pair and if it doesn't work go back to the original pattern.

BurdaStyle Magazine 01-2012

I'm mostly uninspired by the January magazine, but there are still a few pieces I'm considering.

First the line drawings.

And the views at a glance:

I liked dress 109, but there is no way that I would ever make it for myself. Besides it being sleeveless I don't think it would be that flattering on anyone that is very curvy.

Dress 110 is nice. I wonder how it would look if I added the sleeve equivalent of a dicky. Is there a word for that?

I also like top 116, but it doesn't seem particularly special to me.

I really liked the plus sized top 130 on the cover.

And 133 intrigues me, but it may just be the pattern of the fabric that I like.

The costume patterns cracked me up. I especially thought the USA astronaut stuff was amusing considering we don't really have a program anymore.

Next months preview didn't really draw me in either. I don't exactly see a trend of outside pockets catching on at all.

BurdaStyle Magazine 12-2011

I really like this months Burda. I got it a few days ago, but I only got the chance to go through it today.

First, here are the technical drawings.

I recently learned that not all the versions of the magazine come with the pictorial style overview, so I'm going to post those, too.

I really like 107 and I think it would be fairly flattering on me.

I also really like 103 and 105, though I do wonder if I would like it as much without the really cool texture of the fabric they used (I'm trying to not purchase fabric for anything but use stuff from my huge fabric collection).

The only children's pattern I'm interested in is 144. I think the nerdlet would love it, but I'm afraid if I made her a version of this painter's smock that she would insist upon wearing it everywhere.

Normally, I stay away from anything that has any bias at all, but as the skirt part of 123 that is cut on the bias isn't as all near any curves, I'm wondering if it would work better. I also like this style as a top.

I would make a dicky to cover the cleavage of dress 106B, but I like the style a lot.

I'm not sure that I would make any of the dog items, but I'm glad to see them. If my sister sewed, she would definitely make this for her chiweenie (sp?). She wanted him to be Sherlock Holmes for Halloween and this would have been the perfect pattern.

Finally, the preview for next month. The plus size preview is in the upper right corner and I'm eager to see it. I think the produce costumes are hilarious, but they may someday serve me useful in a school play.