I am doing a bit better, no longer walking bent over double, but I surely must have cracked my tail bone, it is still sore! I have not been on the net much lately because of all my aches, and we are having internet troubles again. I have been asked by a neighbor to teach her pre-teen daughter to sew. In researching some patterns she may be interested in, as well as a sewing reference page she could utilize, I came across this gem of a website. For any of you hobby sewers out there, or for any of you more accomplished yet rather rusty on technique, this is an awesome site. Burda is a European fashion magazine, so these patterns are en vogue, but best of all, they're FREE. I like the how tos and the sewpedia in particular. There is great information here! You do need to sign up to access the patterns, but you can peruse the site anonymously. The sign up process is quick, pain free and simple.
One really neat feature of the patterns page is you can click on 'view creations' and see photographs of what others have done with the pattern. The patterns are free for you to download and print from your computer or a copy center. There are instructions on how to do both on the website. The print at home option looks rather complicated it may be simpler and possibly cheaper (considering the cost of ink these days) to do this through the copy center. Generally you can obtain great discount coupons for copy centers if you keep your eyes peeled for them. I did try to download the copy center pattern for one design and found it to work like a charm. When I tried the print at home button for the same pattern there was some error and I couldn't download it. The second pattern I tried to download 'print-at-home' pattern for worked beautifully. I tried the tote bag and it will be printed on 12 pages of US letter sized paper. The instructions start by explaining how to attach the 12 sheets into a proper pattern. The instructions are clear, and seem easy to follow. I have no actual interest in making this bag at the moment, so I cannot say for certain the directions are as clear as they appear to be upon quick perusal. If anyone has used these patterns before, or does as a result of reading this, please let me know how well written the instructions actually are. For a fashion pattern, these free downloads are a great idea. I especially like the fact that your resulting pattern will be on sturdy paper and not on that tissue found in most commercial patterns today.
For me, the most interesting feature of the website is the 'how-to' and 'sewpedia' mentioned earlier. I hope you enjoy the site as much as I have.
10 comments:
Great find! Sadly, my sewing machine is in the corner of my dining room gathering dust. When I get the inspiration, I hope to learn more about sewing clothes.
Thanks! I hope you you get your machine out of the corner soon, it is fun to sew, I just never seem to have the time. Inspiration, yes, time, no! And thanks for the link on your blog to this article!
Thanks! I just bookmarked Burda for next time I am brave enough to tackle the sewing machine. My main problem is my 13-month-old. After he was born, I resumed sewing for a while, but once he hit a certain age (maybe five months?), he absolutely would not tolerate it. Now he just has to be in my business and I don't know how to sew without him poking at my supplies. (Well, I don't know how to do it without screaming at him and probably using corporal punishment. :)
Hi Katherine, Thanks for stopping by. When my kids were small I used to do my crafting after they went to bed. It is a trade off. If you are a night person it works well, depending upon how well you function with less sleep. Or, if you are disciplined, you can work a little each evening without disturbing your sleep. It will take you longer, but you will finish with persistence. Mary, at Sag Harbor Gifts wrote a great post on working in front of the television.
O nuts! My attempt at html to make the link didn't work. I'm such a dunce at these things. Mary's blog appears on my blog roll. Go to her site, it is a post from June 2007 entitled, "Understanding Prim" and it is a very entertaining read!
I'm going to try the html again because I'm stubborn. If it doesn't work, then follow the directions above, lol.
Sag Harbor Gifts
Well, I figured it out, not such a dunce after all! ;-) The second link WORKS!
You have been "awarded"
http://athorninthepew.blogspot.com/2008/01/excellent-award-goes-to.html
lily,
I tagged you over at my blog :)
Happy 100th post, Lily!!!
About the sewing, I wish I could. My mother, bless her soul, tried to teach me a way back when, but I was horribly resistant and didn't learn a thing. I do have a sewing machine, but I'm lucky I can thread it, let alone USE it, LOL! But your post has inspired me. If I can be patient for more than 5 minutes, I may just sit down and make something interesting.
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