Mitch came in with the mail yesterday, and both my February
burdastyle and the Spring
Ottobre had come! Good timing, too. Between one sick kid and a newborn who has suddenly decided that nighttime isn't for sleep, poring over sewing magazines is all I'm doing at the moment. My Vogue 8603 skirt is cut out and waiting for me, so hopefully I can get to it soon. In the meantime, I was pleasantly surprised to find so many things in the new burda that I am excited about sewing!
This dress makes me wish for spring! It looks cute but very wearable. Maybe not in white, though. I have kids...
Love this skirt!! I have a thing for inverted pleats.
All this talk about 12 jackets in 12 months makes me want to sew a couple. I love how streamlined this one is. The empire seaming is really nice.
With all of the changes burda has been making to the magazine, I have seriously been considering not renewing my subscription when it runs out in June. Other than the
September '10 turtleneck, I haven't sewn anything since the April 2010 issue. The consolidation of the pattern sheets has made tracing a serious pain in the neck and they have raised the subscription rate. On the other hand, I love it when a new burda comes in the mail, and the last 2 months have been full of designs that I want to sew! What about you ladies? For those lovers of burda out there, is it still worth it to you?
16 comments:
I don't subscribe to Burda but even with my Ottobre subscription, there are times that the patterns start looking a little repetitive and there's not much I'm interested in sewing. But then an issue will come that has tons that I like and I'm glad that I didn't cancel.
I guess as long as the cost isn't a problem, it's worth it.
I let mine lapse at the end of summer because I hadn't seen anything interesting in a while. Since I've seen patterns posted on blogs that look like something I'd enjoy - too bad I can't trade some of the dud issues for some of these. ;) Burda is an expensive subscription and I do find that it is hard in my mind to restart it. For right now I am seeing what other pattern sources I can find.
Lois K
Yep, the more I see it, the more I love it. I have got used to the tracing problem and nowadays when I see new patterns at the Big 4 I think, "I'll just wait, Burda will give us something the same or better very soon.....".
Mine expired in December and I let it go. I haven't sewn anything from it for myself in at least two years. I sort of justified it as being like a fashion magazine subscription that occasionally had the added benefit of allowing me to make the clothes I saw... unfortunately, the last 9 months or so, I didn't want to make anything I saw. not even really for the kids (my only real use). So I dropped it. I'm sure I'll be sorry because they'll have some sort of change-of-focus and everything will be fabulous. But I'm going to just look online (in Russian of course, since that seems to be the only way you can do that now) and I'll just buy a download if I really have to have something.
Whew. Way more than you wanted to know, right?
However, I LOVE that new issue of Ottobre, it is FAB. I'm really dreading the day that my kids get to be too big for Ottobre, but it's really a joy to receive in the mail.
I decided to let mine go and I believe January was my last issue. Of course, I found lots to love in February, so I may have to go pick it up at Barnes & Noble. I was looking at the BWOF designs from older magazines that were for sale on Pattern Review and found many styles were the same design as magazines I currently own!
I just finished looking this issue over and I love it. So many things I want to make! But, like you said, I haven't traced off a Burda in FOREVER. Too much of a headache! I won't be renewing my subscription, just picking up those very rare issues that I really, really want.
I love that first dress too. Not the skirt part--I'll be subbing a gored skirt to avoid too much poof, and I agree, not in white. ;)
Given that I trace everything, tracing Burdas really doesn't bother me--actually, I find it easier to trace them than big 4 patterns because at least somewhere in the tangle of lines, those pattern pieces are located on 1 sheet and 1 sheet only. Hunting for tissue pattern pieces is annoying, and I kind of like adding seam allowances because I know exactly where my seam lines are.
That being said, I need to evaluate how useful subscribing is. Burdas do fit me better than big 4 and I like the details in their styles, so that's a big plus for staying a subscriber. We're fixing to move before too long, and I want to go through my magazines and figure out how many are keepers and how many I should sell. I don't want to have to pack more than I need to.
Burda is the only magazine I subscribe to, and as long as money isn't an issue I'll probably keep it up. I did not sew much from 2010, and I felt like there were a LOT of dud months. But given how often I sew from my older issues, I think that eventually I'll sew from them as well. And even if I don't, I love having something to look forward to in my mailbox each month!
I still LOVE my Burdas, because the styles and the details appeal to me and the fit works so renewing subscriptions is not a question for me. Even those issues I don't make anything from are fun to read.
Over the last three years I've made, on average two garments from eight out of the twelve issues. Big 4 patterns are expensive in Australia, and discounts are rare, so Burda subscriptions also make economic sense for me (Twelve issues is equivalent cost to eight to ten patterns, and I get twice that many from one years subscription)
Oh, I hope your little one is feeling better soon! And I hope this means that my issue of Ottobre will also be arriving soon...not that I've ever made anything yet out of any of my issues...but I sure enjoy looking at them. I like inverted pleats on skirts too.
I have had a subscription to Burda for quite some time. I will continue to get it. Often I find myself making garments from issues that are two or three years old, either because the style has grown on me or is finally showing up in retail stores in my part of the country. Or if I suddenly need a new nightgown or a pattern for a little girls dress, I have all those old issues of patterns to choose from. Burda magazine does repeat patterns. The tank top and the dress made with the same top were in a Nov or Dec issue about 6 years ago, sewn in velvets and tapestry fabrics. Same pattern, but very different look.
I don't subscribe to any sewing magazines, having way too much other reading on my plate. But a few have been given to me, and I don't usually find inspiration in them.
Oh, and the white dress? As long as it's washable, just use off white. The baby barf hides well on ivory. (I had 9 kids; I know a little about baby barf.)
Love the white dress :)
I am a subscriber too! I've sewn so little this year (or past two) that anything sewing related I just love, this includes my magazines. I figure if I stop my subscription ~ I might miss out on something ;)
Burda here has actually got a whole lot cheaper, dropping a dollar off the cover price. I think your economic crisis has been our currency gain, making imports quite a bit cheaper.
I hear you about Burda. Sometimes I just think the styles are too high fashion for this small corner of the world ... having said that, I always find something to make every issue and the fit and construction notes are excellent (once you understand them.) I do find the layout annoying and generally make a mistake each time I trace, which I never used to do.
Having said that, the styling and ideas are superb, and like Beangirl I'm happy just to treat it as a fashion mag to take to bed.
For things I actually want to sew I am more increasingly looking to Ottobre, but Burda is for my dreams. If I had 3 young children I'd be buying it just for the enjoyment of planning what I would make if ever I had the time ... although maybe you would find the possibilities too tantilising and find it too tortuous?
I like to buy Burda just for the fun of it - there are 2 shops in walkign distance from our house that sell it so I don't even have to subscribe.
Do the pros outweigh the cons? For me, yes.
I love when my BURDA comes. Even if I don't trace any of the patterns, I like the fashion photography and the way the styles are accessorized. I like being able to go to the center section and look at the shapes of the pattern pieces. I miss the section they used to have with the DETAILS a couple of years ago. I like that they are fashion forward. I am less likely to trace patterns now, but I guess - yes I do find it worth subscribing.
My local newsagents quit carrying Burda, so I broke down and subscribed so I wouldn't miss this February's issue. I agree with all the complaints, but I also agree that it is fun to enjoy thumbing through and every now and then I do trace a pattern off. For me, the ups still out weigh the downs.
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