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Today’s post is a Burda 11/2013 #103 pattern review, a lovely billowy blouse sewn in Liberty silk crepe de chine. The top has been on my Trello “Patterns to Sew” list for years but what made me finally sew it up has everything to do with Kibbe’s Soft Gamine. Over the last few years, I have been gently pursuing style and some of my travels have led me into the fascinating world of Kibbe style IDs. I will not go into much detail today as that would easily make 10k word blog post. Needless to say, I have arrived at Soft Gamine as a style ID I’m quite enjoying incorporating into my wardrobe. Of course, the biggest problem I have had with a lot of the styling advice/systems out there is that they cater for RTW and when it comes to sewing your own clothes it can be challenging to find the patterns that may exactly mimic what is recommended without having extensive drafting skills. Imagine my joy at stumbling upon Doctor T’s Design series on “Sew Your Kibbe” and finding she has made some suggestions of sewing patterns that might fit certain style IDs. I was even more thrilled to find that Burda 11/2013 #103 which had been languishing in my sewing queue for years was included in Doctor T’s Soft Gamine (SG) suggestions (there were other patterns from my queue that were also suggested – this strengthened my motivation to give SG a chance). To cut a long story short – that is how this particular sewing project came to fruition!

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Burda 11/2013 #103 Pattern Review

Pattern Description –  Silk blouse with raglan sleeves at the cuffs and gathers along the stand-up collar.

Pattern Sizing – EUR36 – 44. I sewed my usual EUR38

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? – Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow? – Yes.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? – I like the full sleeves that have a hint of Bishops sleeves. The sleeves style is also a cross between raglan and normal sleeves which I found intriguing. The end result fits my broad shoulders perfectly!

Fabric Used:  The Strawberry Thief is a classic timeless print that was first printed by William Morris in 1883 as part of a group of designs incorporating animals with flowers. It was reintroduced as a furnishing fabric for Liberty in 1979, it depicts birds stealing fruit within Morris’s Oxfordshire garden. It has since been made on various bases. I have a keen love of gardening and birds so this aspect of the story behind the print resonated. My family and I come up with many antics to keep the birds from stealing our strawberries! Silk crepe de chine is one of the best silk bases for daytime wear – it’s effortlessly luxe, with a lightweight drape that’s made more durable by its matte, slightly rough surface. It has a lustrous even texture and excellent drape.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I made the stand collar and the cuffs in a contrast navy blue fabric using Liberty Tana Lawn.

Would you sew it again? Yes

Would you recommend it to others? – Yes!

Conclusion – This top turned into one of my beloved tops that is very polished and elegant. I love how I feel when I wear it and I especially love how full the sleeves are. It goes without saying that the comfort factor of silk is otherworldly as it is soft against the skin. I took extra time working on this sewing project and it was worth it!

Thanks for reading my Burda 11/2013 #103 pattern review post!

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*Fabric was gifted by Minervacrafts with thanks. All opinions, trims, threads, words, thoughts, ideas, photos are 100% my own.