Burda 7678: The Sparkly Fail

I've started to read a few more UK sewing blogs lately, and I've discovered the use of the word "wadder" for a project gone wrong. I have a real wadder for you today, one that had so much potential and is now a complete waste.

It would be nice to start the new year off right, but I gots to keep it realz around here yo. I don't have Christmas parties or fancy dinners to attend, but that didn't stop me from wanting a sparkly holiday garment like everyone else. A few months ago I ordered this rayon/spandex jersey from Girl Charlee, thinking it was a polka dot print.

Wrong. The dots are actually raised off the surface of the fabric, sort of like puffy paint. Originally I wanted to make some leggings for me (hello again McCall's 6173) but I was sort of uncertain about having textured leggings. I decided instead on Burda 7678 when I saw Jo-Ann's had Burda on sale a few weeks ago.

I have a RTW top similar to view B, and you know I love a good kimono sleeve. This was my first time buying a Burda pattern so I wanted to go with something easy, since they have a reputation for poor instructions (these were actually very good). This is possibly the least-complicated top you could ever construct, although I was confused about the sizing (spoiler alert: the measurements are inside on the tissue paper, along with the cutting layout...)

I'll cut to the chase: this was the worst fabric I've ever cut and/or sewn. My scissors screamed at me every time I went through a dot, and my feed dogs could NOT move the fabric without bunching it. I was afraid to use my serger for fear of damaging the knives, but eventually I was so frustrated I tried it anyway. No damage, but it still bunched.

Zig-zag stitch on the sewing machine.

4-thread overlock on the serger.

So. awful. I hand-basted some seams and it helped a bit, but there was nothing I could to help the neck band.

Eaten alive by the serger. Ugh. Turns out the neckline was too wide for my tastes, anyway, which means I can't think of a way to fix this even if I wanted to do so. Maybe add a cowl??

It's just bad bad bad. I don't even dare hem the sleeves because it will be a puckery mess, and I'm afraid to use Steam-A-Seam for fear of melting the dots.

So this is a fail due to the fabric, not the pattern. I agree with other reviews on PR that it's long, more like a tunic or dress than a top. The pattern directions state that it's drafted for a woman who is 5'6" and I'm 5'4", but if I truly wanted it to be a shirt I would have to shorten it 4" at least. The band at the bottom is probably too long for my proportions as well. I DO like the cut of the sleeve, it's such a hard balance with a kimono-style to avoid looking like a potato sack, but I felt like this pattern did a better job than some others.

I'm sorry there are no photos of me wearing this, but I knew if I put it back on for this review that I would inevitably try fixing it. Which would get me nowhere except the bathroom with soap in my mouth.