Great-Black-Linen (Old-Magazine) Trousers

Oh, yeah. I have started sewing trousers only recently. Before I haven't made a lot of trousers because I was scared of getting the right fit and sewing in a zipper, making the belt, pockets and so on - the difficult bits. But now I actually enjoy sewing them and wearing them. I usually do size 40. These are surprisingly great. Old magazine - old pattern - great pattern.

These are from Burda 3 1997, mod. 107, size 40 and they are lovely. They are made from black linen which I bought here https://mattex.hr/trgovina/(I think) and it cost me ?! (I have no idea, maybe I'll look through old receipts, but it wasn't expensive) . I still have some of the material so I could do a vest or a short sleeved vest-jacket-blouse. We'll see.

Sewing with linen is like having/ going on sewing holidays. It's smooth, easy, nice, not difficult. I didn't do any changes. I have actually made the trousers last August and they seemed a bit tight in the waist so I was considering how to expand the waist in some way but then I started a new job and I immediately lost 2 kg and now they fit perfectly. At that time I sewed the zipper as roomy as possible - to leave as much space as possible for my tummy, so now I have a very roomy waist but that's OK, I don't like too tight clothes. It's an old but great pattern, straight leg, pockets. They look elegant in my opinion (before they get wrinkled). Oh, I have sewed the little front fold and I think it looks great because it always stays there, it's easy to iron it.

I made a simple decoration with blue metallic thread on the pockets - I just make things up as I sew. I have Elna excellence 680 and it has cca. 500 decorative stitches ?! so why not try some. Metallic threads are simple yet attractive finishing touches.

The shirt is from Burda  4/ 2005; mod. 112, size 40. It's my 4th make of this shirt- yeah, I love it. The first three were made BC - before children (14 or 15 years ago) so they are too small for me to wear, they are size 36. It's a quick make, I used scraps from another project, you need only 0,75 m of material. 

This front yoke is nice, not difficult to do. But you have to be sure it fits nice, because I don't know what you could do if it doesn't fit. And you only see this after you finish everything.

Some more pictures of the process:

!!! YOKE: You have to sew the 2 front pieces only/ exactly to the markings (not over the seam allowance) and then you can sew the yoke over the 2 front pieces and you get that triangular finish/ point/ arrow. English is not my native language, please excuse. Mark everything beforehand, secure everything with big stitches - that's how I manage to sew things successfully at the first go.

Wonderful pattern - oldie but goodie.

My Summer Green Blues Aquarelle Flower Tunic Dress

When I saw this fabric in a Slovenian online shop https://www.liupka.com/ I just had to buy it even though it wasn't discounted. I usually look for special offers because I have tons of fabric at home. I love these blue green flowers, it reminds me of summertime. 

I got 1.4 m for 14.78 EUR (10.56 EUR per meter)  and I got 2 garments out of it! Can you imagine? I'll show you my other top very soon. Not bad. Very cheap. And the fabric is so beautiful in my opinion.

I decided to make this Burda dress from Burda 7/ 2023; model 119, size 40 because it is a simple and fast project. It is great for a busy pattern like this. I wear it as a tunic dress over my jeans. Street elegance, that's what I like.

The changes I have made:

- obviously I have changed the neckline; it seemed too high up for me, so I kept making it deeper (I had no feeling what would look good) and I was just lucky that it ended up just right, almost too low, but not really.

- I have shortened the bottom of the dress for 8 cm (64 - 8 = 56 - another 3 cm) and it was still too long; then I cut another 3 cm at the bottom and ! HA! can you imagine: this band was just the exact length and width to use it for the neckline finish. Wow! Pure luck! You cut it away at one place and use it somewhere else where you need it. I'm not sure what's the original finish of the neckline but I did it like this. I used twin needle and then I just sewed another straight stitch near the neck band. Actually my first finish of the neckline was horrible - wonky, so this is my second finish. Yeah, if something bothers you just unpick the seams and correct it. I have worn some of my garments for 12 years or more. It's worth that extra effort to correct your mistake

- I added only 1 cm of seam allowance; and my mistake: I didn't add anything at the back neckline because I knew I will make this finish BUT the back is just to low. My bra is showing and I really hate this. I work at a primary school and I'm 45 years old I really dislike showing my undergarment, it's not esthetic.

My mistake: the bra is showing, ugh!

So my solution is instant, I just tuck a bit of fabric over my bra, it works for a short time.

Oh, yeah, I added the back ties. At the moment they are sewed on by hand and I just picked up some of my daughters' beads and put it on randomly - it works OK. I guess I do alot of improvising, I mean I think carefully about certain things but I also go with the flow. Maybe I should take them off because the neckline is beautiful without them. Now it looks stretched.

Oh, I should cut the back part as 2 pieces but I forgot, so before I finished the back neckline I just cut a couple of centimetres down the middle of the back and sewed it as a dart. It's not bad. When I make a garment for the first time (even if it's very simple) I never know the exact procedure, I always learn as I go.

 

It's a great pattern, it fits nicely, don't make the back neckline too low. Maybe I'll publish my modified neckline here as a PDF- document.