Adventures in Tracing Patterns

 

One of my Christmas gifts was a subscription to Burdastyle magazine.  I've made Burda patterns before, downloaded and printed from the website, but never actually traced one from the magazine.  Holy cow.  If you haven't seen one of the pattern pages, be prepared for something like the above photo.  The effect is dizzying. 

I waited with baited breath and received the first issue in February.  I flipped through it totally psyched about all the magnificent things I was going to make.  After checking out the pattern pages, I decided my first go around should be something simple and easy.   I decided to make the long sleeve tee, number 106 B, after seeing the stripey version in the magazine.  The instructions pointed me to blue pattern line, sheet D,  pattern pieces 21 to 23.   I went to pattern sheet D and saw loads of blue lines and no number 21, 22 or 23.   Hmmmm.  I found a blue line and decided to trace it.  I mean, they wouldn't make two patterns in a blue line on the same page, would they?

 

Well, yes they would.  They most definitely do make more than one pattern in the same color line on the same page.  I figured out halfway through the first pattern piece that I was actually tracing a dress.  I never did find the right numbers, but I somehow discerned the proper pieces in all the jumble and made up this pink and orange top.  I used Swedish tracing paper and a bright orange colored pencil.  I started with a pen but it got caught up in the fuzzy tracing paper and a marker would have gone through on to the pattern sheet.  I'm not sure I like the Swedish tracing paper I used because all the little dots made it even harder to see the line I was tracing.   No complaints once I had the pattern traced.  I sewed it all together in about an hour.  I lengthened it about three inches at the waist and made the sleeves elbow length.   I'm happy with the finished result.  But this leads me to a question for you,  my fellow sewists:
How do you trace Burda magazine patterns?  
What sorts of materials do you use?  How do you find the right pieces?  Will tracing Burda patterns make me permanently cross-eyed?  And where in the world are the pattern piece numbers?

 

Matching neon pink and orange stripes will cause temporary blindness.

This was my MMM day two outfit. I've already made another knit top from the same pattern but didn't pay attention to the direction of the stretch. I'll wear it, too, though it's quite a bit tighter. I've read about 2 way or 4 way stretch before but have never paid much notice when sewing knits. I've learned my lesson.

 

 

Day three: I wore my pintuck tunic tucked in (say that three times fast!)

Simplicity 2365

 

Day four: spotty vest 

Simplicity 2556

 

Day five: Dinner with friends in my Tencel shirt dress

McCalls 4769

 

Day six: Built by Wendy striped knit top

Simplicity 2865

 

Day seven: Pink and orange Burda top again. 

I know. Again already. But, I have an excuse.  I work at a different school on Mondays, so if I can repeat clothes any day, this is the day to do it.  I woke up totally uninspired today, hence all the black.  I'm glad, though, because I ended up with dried crusty Elmer's glue all on one side of my sweater and blue paint on my bottom (I sat in it).  At least it wasn't on any of my me-made things.