BurdaStyle 07/2019 104 - Maxidress

I have been buying the BurdaStyle magazines for a couple of months now (since the 04 issue from this year), trying one or two patterns out of each magazine. I will try and do some of the earlier ones again and discuss on here, particularly 04/2019 117 as that was a complete nightmare to work out from the written instructions. Here I am going to talk about the 07/2019 104 dress. 

 A quick note:

• I modified this dress as I did my usual narrow back adjustment and then realised that it should have been baggy with elastic around the top, I'm kinda small around my back and I do think that would have looked too bulky.

First I copied out the pattern from Burda, I used a IKEA shower curtain :) - I did not bother cutting out the pattern for the skirt as it was two rectangles and it seemed a waste of resources. I did create pattern pieces for the straps and waist band though. 

I pinned the pieces to my material, I did use the pattern layout guide in the magazine but tweaked it a little. At this point think about whether you want to pattern match (I didn't as it was a first go) and that all the pieces are facing in the same direction (and that the material isn't upside down - yes that is what I did - I think)

Once you have pinned the pieces (and measured out the skirt pieces) to the material draw around the pieces (kids crayola or a sewing chalk) then measure out the seam allowance from the lines you have drawn  - don't do this for the waist band or straps. For the waist band draw the seamlines inside rather than outside. I didn't do lines inside for the straps. Draw in all the extra pattern markings too. 

Note the top and sides of the dress pieces so that you don't get confused later on (yes I sewed up the top and bottom pieces of the skirt even with having a directional pattern. A major note here, don't sew when hungover!)

Then cut around the outside lines for all pieces.

For once I didn't massively struggle with the instructions except when putting the straps in. How I did it in the end (as I needed to tweak the strap positions as narrow back/ shoulders) is below.

Pinning the straps (inside of the body piece)

Doing the straps:

• In the photo above you can see my line drawings
• Pin the straps to where you think they belong on the front and back pieces - I used the markings on the dress - turns out they were way out :) This needs to be against the wrong side of the bodice.
• Then pin the drap piece over the top, right side against the wrong side - line up seams
• Machine tack all the way around
• Try on the dress with the bra you want to wear with it/ use a body form to place the dress over
• if necessary unpick the straps area and the area you need to put them. 
• Pin straps in new location
• Re tack and check again
• Sew over the tacking.

I did do French seams for everywhere except - the neckline/back of the dress where the drape connects to the body, and the top of the waistband. All hems where doubled over too. For the top of the waistband and underneath the neck/back/arms I did a zigzag over the raw edges.

The final dress

Final dress notes:

I would definitely do the back the same way again, however I might well change the dress skirt in one or other of the following ways:

• to not have a french seam across the bottom seam
• to be less gathered - make the skirt pieces more narrow
• try a wider waist band/ elastic. 

As the gathers to the skirt felt very heavy. A friend has suggested that rather than using gathers pleats might work better too.