For the first half of this year I have a very casual plan to make something from one of my pattern magazines each month. It doesn’t matter which magazine, whether it is new or old. In the middle of last year I signed up for a subscription to both Patrones and Manequim and around the same time discovered that a newsagent in town was selling Burdas. Combined with a few adhoc purchases when in Melbourne and online my pile of sewing pattern magazines was expanding, but other than a coat, a skirt and a couple of baby outfits for the tiniest niece they hadn’t seen much action. To decide if I still want to subscribe I figured I’d challenge myself for six months to make something from a magazine each month.

My January make is these outfits for the tiniest niece and Ginger. I’d already done some garment and underwear sewing for myself this month and the start of the work year has been a bit busy, so I figured playing with something small and cute would be a good tonic for my mood.

From Burda 7/2012 there is a whole spread of cute little nautical styled outfits. I used a striped blue vintage cotton I found at the same time as Muriel, my Elna Lotus SP. For the white I used some soft shirting cotton with a woven stripe.

It was a pretty easy make apart from the underlay on the collar which isn’t as elegant on the inside as I would like on the dress version. Second time around I figured out a slightly better arrangement, and would refine further if I make another in the future. If anyone is interested I can write it it up. Suggestions also welcome.

There seem to be a lot of pregnant friends and work colleagues at the moment, which is giving me a lot of great excuses to sew. On Monday a work friend told me she is pregnant and it was great to wrap a couple of bibs from the stockpile I made before Christmas. I can see this being a go-to pattern now I’ve made it twice. The second outfit will have to wait for its reveal after it is gifted   Gifting done before I published this post.