Behaviour of Patterns (and patterns of behaviour)

I love Burda.  The patterns are brilliant. They accommodate the hips and waist of an hourglass figure with very little alteration –depending (ahem) on the state of that figure at the time.  And if I do happen to have reduced my waist at any stage through exercise or self control, I’m not usually too fussed about such a simple and happy pattern alteration.  I know that size 42 is a good starting point for me, and I know it will continue to be so provided I periodically exercise some self control or, er just exercise.  The size won’t change sneakily to accommodate my growing girth, because (in my experience) Germans don’t manoeuvre like that – they won’t flatter you or bend the truth to make a sale.

Interesting clothes, well drafted, and they go together beautifully.  I know some people don’t like their instructions (some people – should I rather say anyone who ever commented on the net about them?) I don’t find them to be better or worse than other companies – largely because I don’t read them when sewing unless truly stuck.  I do try to read them when not sewing, by way of entertainment, or education.  I tend to zone out about three sentences earlier in Burda but really that only means I get three and a half sentences into other pattern instructions. 

 I’ve sewn for a while, seen and tried many techniques, read books, made the odd garment. I know how most things should go together,  and youtube/instructibles/make etc supply the rest.  Actually, I haven’t bought a non-burda, non-op shop or vintage pattern since about 1993 anyway, so I have no idea what the instructions are like these days.  But I digress.

But I hate Burda for the fact that we get them here three sodding months late.  And that is the shortest delay.  Often it’s three and a half sodding months.  Which is a long time to a borderline OC who has to check the newsagent twice a day just to be sure (and thank god it's the local newsagent, or I would be found sobbing in corners).  This is not strictly Burda’s fault – clearly the distributor is just not that interested but hey, they chose those monkeys so actually yes it is their fault. 

Burda 2012.10.121 - really liking pocketss

But I love Burda because now I can bypass those monkeys by going direct.  As a result of which, for the first time ever, at least until the end of tomorrow, I have a current English language Burda in my hot little mitts.  And I’ve already sewn a skirt from it.  Which I like a lot.  And here it is…

Though I’m pretty sure I’m not quite so ..so… victorian dance hall in the silhouette in real life.  I hope not, as I really like the dart idea and the marsupial pockets.   I’m keen to adapt this idea to other bikeable skirt shapes.   

So, October 2012 Burda – sourced, devoured, stitched and now displayed, all before the end of the month.  A PB.  Of course now I haunt the mailbox twice a day.  In Europe they get the new Burda before the end of the month, doncha know. 

PS have now decided that knee boots above about 20 degrees  C is old school and aging.  I've sensed this change in the wind, but now it's here.  They are ok with jeans tucked in or tights and skirts in winter - for now.  But they no longer work for spring. And this would reduce the High Victorian pin-up effect too.