A simple trick to cut waste when cutting!

After too many years of trying to reconcile Burda's insistence that all fabrics come in metred widths of 140-150 cm, when Thai Silks and other emporia of delicious luxuries sell 45 inch fabric ordered by the yard, I devised a simple way to measure how much I'd need to order, without unnecessary waste or customs duties.
I bought three metres of cheap but sturdy muslin at IKEA and marked off the whole length in washable pencil at the 45 inch width point (bottom photo with finger) and from one end, the yardage at intervals of quarters, thirds and half yards, (middle photo.)  Now I can lay down a pattern, plan the cutting layout, and then buy only exactly what I need.
These photos are pretty drab, but perhaps you can see how handy a pre-measured layout cloth is, not only for those of us ordering long distance, but anyone trying to use a Burda pattern in a 45-inch world.

Nabbed the last two metres!

I had a hunch that the faux fur I wanted for the big-collar Burda December coat was going to sell out. I got to the store Friday night just in time to nab the last length in a soft, soft grey. Now I can stop obsessing, and  will be a good Mrs Santa, and get some Xmas presents, knowing that my present is in the bag, waiting for a little downtime.

Full December Burda, a few lurvely items.

Oddly enough, I like some Burda designs for December that didn't make the preview. For one thing, there's a great tea dress in the first design, and the importance of tea dresses was a feature of this fashion video from the Guardian last weekend.

Tea Dresses.  I adore the "I'm your Xmas present" style of the big bow on the next one, and the flapper effect on the third.

As for the fourth, I'm going to make that fur coat. Watch me. Just watch me!

December Burda preview

Well, I don't want to declare the Burda December issue a dog just yet, but I've looked:

and I'm not getting the Wow.This coat looks a little fussy with its darts' design forming the ruffles, but I'm hoping for a line drawing soon. (it wouldn't keep a mouse warm in a Swiss winter, so I won't be making it, but I like good design) 

while this blouse is one Tie-on-Steroids, one to shame and mock anybody (your future sister-in-law?) showing up for Christmas lunch in a normal tie blouse like the one I sewed two posts back, but this one is  destined for the dry cleaners the first time Auntie Hilda asks you to pass the gravy bowl. It's the kind of style that belongs at a Big Event where you want to stand out but not around the Christmas Tree when you're meeting the boyfriend's parents. (Also kissing the moldy ornaments that Cousin Boris just unpacked from the attic might not be wise, either.)

But I am interested in the new quality of the fake furs I ran my hand across down at our Nyon fabric store. A whole new world of softness and credibility. I am tempted. There are a couple of evening dresses, Burda Generic, without the oomph of our Heidi Barbara a few issues back.