What I'm Reading: BurdaStyle Wardrobe Essentials

Ah, the great and mysterious world of BurdaStyle. A while back I treated myself to a 3 month subscription to the magazine, and enjoyed it immensely. Of course, I haven't made a single garment from any of those issues, despite the fact that I pin BurdaStyle patterns all. the. time. Perhaps I should have joined the Burda Challenge? Anyway, I wondered if I would be more inclined to try a pattern from the recent BurdaStyle book, Wardrobe Essentials.

I was surprised to find that my local library had a copy, considering it just came out late last year. However, there was a long line of people waiting for it and it was a few months before it became my turn to check it out. I think it was worth the wait, and probably the fact that I had to return the book pushed me into actually tracing out a pattern.

This is the only BurdaStyle book I've read, but I can highly recommend it as an introduction to someone who knows nothing about Burda. You know how you can flip through the magazine and be totally confused about how the patterns work? How you'll find yourself wishing that there was more detail? This book gives all that detail that seems to be missing from the magazine. It's also spiral bound and lays flat for easy reading.

There are pages on measuring and size charts, how the pattern sheets work, and thorough instructions for each pattern. It's kind of what you wish the magazine would be. I hesitate to say that the claim on the front cover is accurate (21 looks) because some looks just have a second variation. Most (all?) of the patterns seem to be from previous magazines and not anything new for this book. For example, I KNOW I've had this blouse pinned for a while:

But pinning it and sewing it up are two different things! Just keep in mind, if you decide to pick up this book, that there is nothing particularly new about it. It's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you've had your eye on one of the patterns. Ultimately, I ended up only tracing off one, this draped-front wrap top:

It's also one I saved a long time ago. I think it will work perfectly for nursing and can be an all-season top if I shorten the sleeves. Plus, it was only three pattern pieces! One benefit I can see to obtaining the book over using the magazine or online versions is that the book includes seam allowances. I don't know about you, but saving me one big annoying step is a huge plus. At 33 weeks pregnant I can barely put my shoes on, let alone stand over a table and add seam allowance to a pattern.

Have you tried one of the BurdaStyle books? Do you prefer a book or a magazine?