McCall's 2401 and Burda 06-2009-122

McCall's 2401

This was an easy dress to sew, but I had to change the shape of the hip. I have flatter hips than I used to have (read: I’m now a rectangle), so I had to change it using a French curve.




I’m really going to have to learn to do the swayback adjustment. And, yes, I’m holding my stomach in. I wore this with a tummy control garment, so this is pretty much what I looked like.

This is definitely the motivation I need to go running today. Besides that, the weather is GORGEOUS! It’s August 31 and it’s 66 degrees!!! I love living in the Northeast!!!

I also sewed a Burda top from the June 2009 issue (#122). I didn’t care for much from this issue, but this top was cute. It’s kind of funny that while I’m running to get in shape, I’m sewing like a fiend to accommodate my larger body.


I cut this pattern out about a month ago and put it away. I just got to it last night because I REALLY need clothes for work that are larger than a RTW size 8, which is what populates my closet. I’m obviously not a RTW 8 now, but over the next year I want to get back to it.

I added a 5/8″ seam allowance to the fabric, not to the paper pattern pieces. It came together nicely and easily. I sew so slowly that it took me about 7 hours to complete. The next time I sew it, I should be faster.




The only change I made was to make the mock sleeves protrude less from the shoulder by about 5/8″. When I sewed them as they were cut out, it put me in the mind of the meanest dinosaur in the world:



Don’t ask.

I haven’t put the drawstring on, and that should help with the shaping of the garment. Putting the rest of the buttons on will help the drape. I’ve done the buttonholes and three buttons already, but I hate handsewing, so the other four buttons will have to wait. I’ll update when I do it.

May I say that I am very impressed with how easy this pattern was to put together. I’m going to start on a skirt from the September issue, which, again, I love!

Updated 9/7/09

I sewed the drawstring and the casing. I don’t think I will sew on the remaining buttons. I ‘m just going to sew the bottom part of the opening closed.




Again, I’m happy with the result. It was easy to put together and is very comfortable to wear. I might make another.

Burda 2996

I bought this pattern in 2004 when I took a sewing class through LSU. It was an extension course held one evening a week. The pattern was cut on a 12 at the shoulders and the waist and hips were cut on an 18. I obviously was almost as big then as I am now. I cut it a little bit larger, but I took in the two front darts a bit more because it came out too large. The instructor had raised the back darts and had given me a v-neckline (at my request).

I find that the hips of this pattern don’t have such a dramatic change from the waist as other patterns I’ve used. I usually have to redraw the waist to hip line on the pattern so that I don’t wind up with poufs of fabric because I’m no longer shaped like an hourglass, but more rectangular. I didn’t have to do that with this pattern. Maybe what I’ve read about Burda patterns is true – they’re drafted to allow for a differently- shaped woman than the Big 4 drafts for. Makes me happy that I subscribed to BWOF.

By the way, I’m loving the September 2009 issue. I can’t wait to actually sew a pattern from that issue!





Things to work on:

*My hemline seems even from the sides, but is obviously uneven from the front.
*My neckline won’t lay flat.
*A swayback adjustment is needed.

This is the second dress that I’ve made for my larger body. I decided to sew clothes with material that I already have instead of buying clothes that I might not be able to fit in the next year. If my girth is permanent, then I’ll start buying new clothes. Until then, I’ll have fun trying to improve my sewing skills!