Sewing Vloggers

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Burda Style 7535

In a nutshell: love the design and finished product. The pattern SUCKS and is 98% useless. While a beginner could handle this design fine, the horrid, poor excuse for what should be instructions bumps it up to the more experienced stitcher. On to the finished pants...

The Pattern:  Burda Style 7535, from the catalog at Joanns. I knew the catalog patterns had seams and hems included but I didn't know their directions were as obtuse and nearly non existent as the magazine patterns. Lesson learned! I love this design and will make it again. I think it is flattering for a short pear bottom like me and would recommend it to any petite with the appropriate adjustments.

I mentioned previously how the triangle flap stretched out on the muslin. The first direction on the pattern sheet tells you to stabilize the bias edges of the flap with fusible interfacing. This worked great and I had no further issues. Where the crotch seam meets the beginning of the flap is a dot. 3/4s of an inch up is a little dark bar. At no point do the instructions reference any of the many dots on the pattern pieces. Who knows what they are they for? But where the crotch seam ends and meets the flap you are instructed to snip at the snip mark. What snip mark? There is a dark line close by that could be a snip mark so I snipped.It was against my better judgment.  This just did not work and the pants front would not lay flat when I did this. I had to take this out and literally flat fell the seam by hand  as it faced up on the right side to get things flat.Oy.....The pattern then instructs you to topstitch for about an inch on the start of the flap, right where I had the issues, and this seemed to get things back under control. Once topstitched the flap layed flat as it should.
The front has inward facing pleats and the legs have huge darts front and back near the bottom so these pants will hang on the straight but get pulled hither and yon. It is the same on the pattern photo and I am fine with that. They are VERY comfortable and in linen, just summer fabulous. About the funny leg darts:
There is a dart front and back on the leg. They are about 4 inches wide at the seam and hang perfectly cross grain. Now, it doesn't take much gray matter to figure out this will pull up the hem once stitched. That is fine and that is the design. But the tech drawings on the pattern show the hemline hanging perfectly horizontally. There is no way this can happen with the way the pattern is drafted. Yes, you the sewist could make it happen, but, hey Burda, don't show us something in your line drawings that just isn't going to happen, OK?  Good thing I like this funky hem! In looking at how the pants hang on the pattern model photo, mine are similar.
I am pretty happy with the butt fit although I did make a booboo. I always alter for a high right hip. I made the adjustment on the pattern and cut all my pieces. I usually cut for the right hip and then cut back the left hip to normal. Once the waistband was all installed and topstitched I realized I didn't cut back the left hip so they both were installed with the high hip adjustment on both sides. You can see my right side is not hanging as nicely as the left side, but you know, I can live with this. As they say in New Bedford, "Tahkee!" to anyone who has an issue!These are big, baggy summer pants, alright?

The Fabric: This is 100% linen from who knows where. If I see linen at a good price I buy it anywhere! I love the color.Linen takes so beautifully to topstitching which you saw in the last post. It truly is my favorite fabric to sew and it is just heaven to wear. I made a pair of white linen pants a long while back and wore them till they were frazzled. Then I wore them for pajamas, great pajamas. Those pants had a 12 year lifespan. I hope these do as well and I think the funkiness of the design helps that.

Conclusion: I will definitely make this pattern again and even now consider it a TNT with all the adjustments it took to make it work for a petite. I can see it in a nice black ponte for winter. I also can see it without the leg darts in a white cotton twill,  a great summer "sailor" look. That might be my July pants. I also think it would make great shorts as well, so there are a lot of possibilities here. I highly recommend this pattern if you can make a pair of pants without a pattern. It is a bit too lacking in information for a beginner and I plan to get on PR and say so. I will be at the Cape next week and these pants will be PERFECT.
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I have already cut out a sleeveless white hanky linen top, Simpliciy 2501, View E,  similar to the one shown on the pattern cover for 7535. Of course I had to do a bit of fiddling with the design and you will see the results soon. I hope to get it done before I head down to Massachusetts....Bunny
Oh, if you noticed in the first photo that there are only two buttons on the pants and it is being held up by a binder clip, you are not the dull knife in the drawer! I got my makeup on, hair decent and started to dress in the pants for the photos. The buttons literally fell apart as I dressed with every backing coming off these vintage babies before I had a chance to secure them. Of course the pants were beautifully ironed at that point. So now I had to put on 4 new buttons, still vintage but not perfect, and re iron the pants, Nothin's easy!....Bunny

26 comments:

  1. You did an amazing job with your pants. I just bought a pair of linen pants and find myself wearing constantly. They are so comfy.
    Thank you for telling the truth about the pattern. Too many people write glowing reviews for patterns that are terrible.

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  2. They look fantastic on you! It's a crazy style, but it is actually really flattering and makes the most of your trim waist. I love the rich mustard colour too. You will look chic not sloppy in these this summer.

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  3. These are fantastic on you. I love the color, so summery. Tres chic

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  4. Ditto Karen - crazy and cool but amazingly very flattering on you!

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  5. Well despite Burda's usual instructions (or lack thereof), you ended up with some very flattering and interesting pants. Well done!

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  6. Gorgeous. These look *great* on you!

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  7. These look absolutely wonderful!

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  8. Bunny, Are you a model and we just don't know it???? These pants are fabulous on you! Wonderful work. Darby

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  9. These pants are lovely. The color, style and fit are splendid- I can't wait to make them myself!

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  10. The pants are great on you, both color and fit.

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  11. They look fantastic! It's a funky pattern but very flattering on you. Love the colour as well. I hope you will get a lot of wear from them after the fitting problems you've had.

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  12. Love them! They look so great on you! The color is so wonderfully summery. I'm glad the buttons will eventually work out. They matched so well.

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  13. super pants, and very flattering.

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  14. Pants look amazing on you, Bunny. I must admit that as I followed along, I had my doubts. But you made a believer out of me! Very stylish and summery.

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  15. I would NEVER have guessed this pattern would be so flattering - even amazing - but it is!

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  16. Fabulous all the way. I too had my doubts about this style but they look fabulous on you!! So flattering!!! I also love the blouse you have on with them!! Super chic!!

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  17. Wow. Tres chic! You look great. You've taken a "trendy" style and made it your own. I love these pants on you.

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  18. Fabulous pants. The colour is great and you are realy looking awesome.

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  19. You made them work, Bunny! They look wonderful; all that hard labor paid off.

    I've been eying these since they came out, but just did't have the courage to tackle the petite alterations. It's great to see them on you!

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  20. Your pants look great and are very flattering, as I thought they would be. The color is unusual but a great one for summer.

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  21. Incredibly fetching style and color,you look amazing .

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  22. Those pants look terrific on you.Very fashion forward.

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  23. You look beautiful and the pants are so darn cool. Way out of my range of sewing abilities. Learned a lot from your postings.

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  24. Fabulous job! The finishes are perfect, too.

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  25. Very good style on you, nice to see it made in such a special color. Good choice in pattern!

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  26. They really DO look great on you, Bunny! Accent that tiny waist, you waif, you. ;-)

    I think you should send Burda a link to this post. They need to hear every word you said.

    Enjoy your trip! Safe travels, too!
    Hugs,
    Rett

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