Collar, More Pleats, Redoing- Burda 7255

So the instructions for the whole collar area of Burda 7255 aren't very clear. AND there aren't very many pictures on Burda patterns, big problem for me because I need the pictures. Oh how I need the pictures. I've only completed a few sections of the instructions since my last post because I've had a heck of a time figuring out how the collar on this blouse works. I even took out a collared shirt of my husbands' to get some perspective. The back facing of the collar is attached at the edges of the two front pieces of the blouse, not the shoulder seams like I thought. So I had to rip those seams and resew. Also, the collar is apparently only half the length I thought, something I think the pattern failed to specify, I'd have to check.

Anywho, I had to iron interfacing to the back facing pieces:

I think I got the piece too wet because it took a long time to dry. On the upside, the interfacing is firmly attached.

Here's me attaching the back facing to the incorret side of the front piece :p

I used a zigzag stitch on this part as well as some of the other seams of the blouse. I like to think of the zigzag stitch as the poor man's answer to a serger, it strengths the garment and helps fraying.

There were some more pleats at the bottom of the front pieces:

two little ones on each side

Not pictured is the interfacing being attached to the collar, my bad.

Here are the collar seams being sewed:

Three of the seams are nice and neat and turned inward. The last one just has to be sewed with the seams and fraying bits hanging out. Zigzag stitch it!

And finally the collar attached:

The top edge is the nasty bits edge. You can see the inverted pleat just south of the collar.

I think I'm going to like this blouse. Now am I going to like it on me? That is the question. I draped it over myself yesterday, and yep, its big. We'll see what its like the farther I get. I may need to tailor the garment a bit. 

That's all I have for today, happy sewing!

Darts and Pleats- Burda 7255

So I cut out all the pieces for Burda 7255. I decided to cut a couple sizes smaller than the Burda size chart recommends. I measured the pattern pieces, accounted for seams and pleats, and got a whopping ten inches more than the "finished" measurements said I would. I'm not surprised. I've made some non-vintage Burda things in the past and this seems to be the norm with Burda patterns. I know they say there should be "wearing ease" once the garments is made, but my idea of wearing ease isn't almost a whole foot around my mid-section thankyouverymuch. I realize that this blouse is supposed to have that 60s svelte look, but I'd be swimming in a 40+inch waist.
            -side note, I recommend always, always, measuring the patterns pieces before you cut your size. Oftentimes the suggested finished measurements do not correspond to the actual measurements you get when you measure the pieces. Make sure to account for seams, darts, pleats, etc!

After cutting out the pieces I ironed the interfacing to the left side front: (bumpy side down!)

pinned and awaiting

wet cloth application

heat + steam

=

Ta da!

Next it was time for the bust darts. Remember how in the last post I said there weren't bust darts in this blouse? My bad. There are two pretty small ones.

sewing them

inside of dart

outside of dart

Then it was time to sew the back pleat. This was my first time sewing an inverted pleat. Its not too bad; if you do it, make sure you have an iron handy, it helps, a lot! And marking, mark all pleat lines. Make sure to measure how far down the pleat lines go (or how far up). I think this one was less than 2 inches. The outside of the pleat must be able to open pretty wide.

marking the pleat(s)- there are two additional small ones on either side of the center inverted pleat

the inside, aka wrong side of the inverted pleat, sewn across the top and bottom

center = inverted, sides = additional pleats (this is the right side pictured)

Once the pleats are sewn, the neck edge should be considerably smaller around.

That's all I have for today. Up next is my non-so-favorite-part of blouses- the collar and neck band. More interfacing and ironing.