Karen's Heidi and a few related questions

This is Karen's Heidi -- isn't it fabulous? I really, really love that fabric. You can read her review, here, on PatternReview. (You may need to log in, but a basic PatternReview membership is free, and if you haven't signed up already you really should -- it's fantastic for research!)

I ran across Karen's version while I was doing a quick check to see what kinds of variations on the BurdaStyle Heidi have been showing up. There's Burda's own Prom Variation, of course, but I haven't seen very many other ones. Possibly because the Heidi is VERY CLOSE to perfect as is, but I've been thinking that I'd like to make it in more lightweight fabrics, as summer comes on (here in the Northern Hemisphere, at least).

The Heidi I linked to before is made in Liberty Tana lawn ... but I'm wondering how the fairly narrow Heidi skirt works in a lightweight fabric. I'm worried it would ride up. So I was thinking I might double the width of the center front skirt panel and add a couple inches to the middle of the back of the skirt, which could then be gathered to make a slightly more summery and playful skirt.

I suppose the right answer is "line it, you dummy," but I haven't had much luck with lined skirts. Your thoughts?

My First Heidi

Remember way back when, last year, when I posted about this fabulous new BurdaStyle pattern I'd found, Heidi? I made three of them in quick succession and promised you pictures.

I finally got a battery charger for my camera (and then immediately found mine, in the last box unpacked after the move, isn't that always the way?) and so here is my first Heidi attempt:



Notice how deep the neckline is? Yeah, me too. So I wear a long-sleeved black tee under this one. After this one I altered the pattern to not be as wide and deep, and I still have more of this fabric (glad I bought a ton of it, I love it and it's now sold out!) so I'm probably going to re-make the bodice. It goes together quickly (despite being lined) so that won't be the arduous slog it would usually be.

Oh, and I changed the tucks in the original pattern bodice to darts.

And look! It has pockets!



The original pattern had very shallow pockets, but I deepened them by about three inches, which seems to work just fine. They go together very easily.

Here's the back:



For some reason it was really hard to take sharp pictures of this particular print ... I wonder why? And I'm sorry it looks so baggy -- I adjusted my dress form WAY down to take some pictures of some smaller dresses with a friend, and she's still not back to her usual fighting form. The dress itself is fairly fitted.

As you can see, I didn't even bother to try to match the print. It's giant scribbles!

Next week I'll show the other two versions!

(Sorry, I don't know where this week went. Okay, I do know -- it was trapped in busyland, with two writing deadlines, a couple of big meetings, and torrential California rain which caused minor flooding in our garage [WHICH IS STILL BETTER THAN SNOW!]. Next week, well, it doesn't look better, busy-wise, but it doesn't look like I need to start cadging ProVigil, either.)

Meet My New Friend, Heidi

So over the Thanksgiving break I FINALLY made a BurdaStyle pattern ... this one above, Heidi. (The picture above is NOT the one I made, but one from Isobel M -- I'll get pictures of mine up soon, maybe even with me wearing them, ulp -- but I did want to show one all made up, and not just the pattern illustration. And anyway, Isobel's is LIBERTY!)

Anyway, I actually made this twice over the holiday break, which should tell you how easy it is. I thought I would dislike printing out and taping together the pattern, but in fact it was very easy and soothing. I also discovered Netflix streaming video over the holiday weekend, and managed to inhale Bleak House and Our Mutual Friend ... I have a BBC Dickens obsession. (Not to mention a "watching David Morrissey lose his shit" obsession, cf. Blackpool and State of Play.) Costume drama plus scotch tape is an incredibly relaxing combination.

I also liked the heavier paper -- compared to pattern tissue, it was super-easy to alter, and having all the sizes meant I was able to cut different pieces for the bodice and skirt without worrying about doing anything unfixable -- if I screwed up, I could just print those pages out again and start over. (And there's a nearly endless supply of BBC costume dramas, after all ...)

Alterations I made: I raised the neckline about an inch. I cut one size for the shoulders, another for the bust, and a third for the waist/hips, and it was simple to smooth the pattern lines to do that. I changed the tucks to darts on the front and back bodice (but left them as soft pleats in the skirt). I shortened it by about three inches, to hit just above the knee in one version and just below the knee in the other. I also made the pockets about an inch and a half deeper -- when I put things in my pockets, I like them to stay there (with the exception of my hands).

The pattern went together really quickly, even though the bodice is lined (my fabrics were heavy so I didn't line the skirt). And compared to what I usually sew, Heidi uses *no* fabric. Seriously, I got away with less than two yards of 54" for this one, with maybe another yard for the bodice lining. Needless to say, I am re-evaluating the "short cuts" in my fabric closet in the light of this new information. I have some green cotton satin that is begging to be this dress.

I really should post pictures of the ones I made. I'll try to get them up tomorrow, if I can find my camera connector cable. I'm planning on wearing them with a cardigan (quel surprise) and maybe even a belt, and I have to say it reminds me of nothing so much as the Michelle Obama look: nice dress, sensible cardigan, cute belt (link is to her Tussaud's figure, so if that's not iconic ...). If it's good enough for the First Lady of the United States, it's good enough for me ...

[Also, I haven't really looked at how the new FTC blogging rules affect me, but I should point out that while BurdaStyle is an advertiser here, I paid for this pattern (it wasn't a freebie).]