Patrones Especial - The Skirt of Many Angles .

 Better late than never perfectly describes finally getting around to using my one and only Patrones magazine. I was so excited to find it for sale in a Melbourne newsagent  that I snatched it up but alas I only ever saw one other issue for sale and did not buy it !  Ah regrets . I think this must have been around 2010 .

The issue is number 292 and there are lots of great patterns in it  ranging from quite basic to artistic to extremely fashion forward unique designs that I have not even seen in Burda . Likewise the sewing complexity  ranges from advanced beginner to couture level .  The magazine is Spanish and I have assumed like all European sewing magazines that there are no seam/hem allowances included.

I made the skirt on the right . A straight skirt but with lots of  interesting angled pieces involving the pockets , the front waist band and the upper back. 

The pattern came together so well with all the side seams matching perfectly . My only gripe which I should  have realised and altered are that the pockets bags are not that big .                                                            

Also the skirt was not long enough for my tastes . I added some wide ribbon to the bottom to give me a bit more hemming room . 

                                                                                                                                 

The big difference that I noted between Patrones and Burda and Knipmode etc is the sizing. The patterns do not come in all size ranges and are limited to just three . With Knipmode and Burda I make a size 40 but my equivalent sizing with Patrones is 44 ! I am glad I checked this before making any assumptions here .

I used a dark silver grey polyester dupioni - another op shop buy . I bought it rolled up and tied and until I came to make this pattern had never unrolled the fabric so I was delighted to find it had a soft smooth black satin lining . A black lining in a silver cloud ! This saved me lining the skirt as the outer fabric is a bit rough . The pattern recommends a stretch woven but my fabric does not have any stretch . Luckily it still worked and the skirt is comfortable even after road testing it last night and having a four course meal !   In real life the fabric is not as shiny as it is showing up in the photos but at the end of the evening out it was quite crinkled. 

Overall I would highly recommend Patrones magazine and if I ever get the chance to purchase more I will have no hesitations . 

Sabrina Slouchy Top.

I have been on a personal mission to use all my sewing magazines. This top pattern came from one called Sabrina that I bought in 2013 in Germany. I was totally amazed at the  vast number of sewing pattern magazines available at the train station we stopped at .

In the case of this pattern I think it is best shown by a floor shot !

It consists of a really over sized body with tiny armholes with attached narrow long bands . Hard to believe it is the same top when looked at like this.The only alteration I made to the pattern was to add 8 cms in length .It is hard to tell from the modeled photos but I hazarded a guess that the top was short.  I used up a remnant knit from my Issey Miyake maxi skirt I sewed in 2014 . To make this top work you need a drapey and very stretchy knit .I love the look of this knit - navy with fine silver threads but unfortunately it is cheap quality so already it is pilling and snagging.

Sabrina magazine was a relatively cheap magazine compared to others I have bought - 5.5 euros so about AUS$7.50 . The magazine looks cheap too but lots of patterns are included. Get a look at the line drawings though ! I can only imagine whoever draws these are fulfilling their freestyle artistic fantasies. I did not find them completely helpful . I changed my mind on what pattern to sew from this magazine on the basis that I could not work out what was going on with both the line drawing and photo.   I rely heavily on the line drawings in making up clothes from foreign sewing mags. This one is in German and although I actually studied this language in high school and also relearning German using the duo lingo app ( according to my last assessment I was 7% proficient in German - how optimistic !) this didn`t help  much . I could find little about this magazine on the internet.

Sabrina magazine at the far right.  

The top was very easy to sew and  is comfortable enough to wear and for me a sure sign that something I have sewn is a success is when my youngest daughter said she wouldn`t mind having a top like this too. Overall I am happy with the result and I actually feel a bit trendy too .