Yesterday was the longest workday known to man. I got to work at 10 am (hey, that’s early for a musician!) and didn’t make it home until midnight. So I was super happy to see the new spring Vogue patterns awaiting my return.
I think it looks like a decent crop. There is a nice basic trench coat (which I won’t make, but it is nice!) and even a few men’s patterns. There is, of course, some inexplicable posing, but there you go. I can mock Vogue, but the truth is that they fit me the best out of the Big 4, and they generally have the most current patterns .
I’m thinking of joining Club BMV. Does anyone have any feedback on that? I feel kind of bad because I do live in driving distance of Joann’s. But with my schedule the way it is now, I don’t have any time to. Or rather, I do, but if I spend the time to do that I don’t have sewing time. Or they are out of my size, or I can’t make the days they are on sale. I think I’d rather just spend the postage. Maybe it would keep me from buying shoddy Joann’s fabric as well? Because I need to stop doing that.
Let’s start with the designer patterns. Sadly, Donna Karan has let me down here. I usually love her designs, but these are too fussy for me. I do like the red one from the front, but not the back… and besides, I’ve sworn off pencil skirts for a bit. Here is what I do like:
Go ahead, laugh at the “thinking” pose, because that model does it many more times. This dress is really cute! The details are lost in the print, so here is the line drawing:
It calls for light fabrics (crepe de chine, voile) etc. I think I would use a rayon challis. I like that it’s lined. Should make a great summer dress!
I call this her “spying on someone around the corner” pose. This appears to be a mock wrap style, which I prefer. The pattern calls for crepe de chine or jersey. I think this is crepe, and that’s what I would use. Jersey might be a little loose.
Other Dresses
Not that you can tell from the modeled photo, but this dress has cute lines. I like the middy length and the fact that it calls for a knit! I’d use a lighter doubleknit or ponte.
According to the ladies on Patternreview, this dress (with the straight skirt) is a knock-off of a famous design. I would be more likely to make this version, though I might make the top symmetrical. I’ll have to see some completed versions first! It is designed for wovens. I am imagining a dark gray lightweight suiting for the body, and a contrasting band in the middle (I might use a color, as once I tried a contrast band out of black and it looked super homemade.
This is different enough to pique my interest – maybe in a plaid because I have no imagination. The description reads : Dress has bias overbodice, fitted, lined bodice and back zipper.
What, pray tell, is an overbodice? I’m assuming that’s the cowl bit, and the piece behind (looks like a dickie, sorry!) is the bodice. I would assume that the overbodice attaches at the waist and sides to the back, so I don’t really understand the descriptions.
Hmm… maybe. I think this looks breezy and fun as pictured, with cute flat sandals. Of course, that totally ignores the fact that I basically don’t wear sandals at all, no way. Especially not that kind, which I think make my feet look enormous.
Tops
I love this! I lack tops to wear with skinny jeans and leggings in the summer – I pretty much only have sweaters! I think you would need to take care and reinforce the neckline and armholes, otherwise the longer piece would stretch unevenly.
Guys, this isn’t even the same model, which means they were directed to do that gesture! Anyway, I like that there are pleats instead of a gathered neckline.
Vogue 8877
Not setting the world on fire, but I want it to replicate a top I saw at Saks.
That’s it for now – I will buy the two designer patterns and the last top first.
Green apples - Stitchywitch Creates 
I joined club BMV and I think it’s worth it if you regularly buy those brands at full price. You’ll get notices of sales and then get an additional discount off the sale price. Definitely worth it if you’re not the type to wait around for sales. At least you get some discount that way!
8881 also immediately caught my eye. Just as you said , I need a top like that for skinny pants. I also liked many of the same dresses and tops.
We’ve been preparing to sell our home and I’ve had so little time for sewing. Some of these patterns and the thought of spring are making me want to get back to my sewing table.
I didn’t even really notice 8871. I like the version you show, with both gathered sleeves, and I’m wary of that contrast midriff bit, too.
By overbodice, I believe they mean the “overbodice”, or the piece cut on the bias has another piece behind it that would be cut on the straight of the grain, darted as usual, and then flatlined in some way to the overbodice.It would help the overbodice keep its shape and not sag out in weird ways because of the bias-cut.
Thanks for the clarification! I wasn’t sure what it meant.
Thanks for sharing these new patterns – I love 1344! I was also cracking up about the poses. I can only begin to imagine what prompt got them to all do the thinking pose! 🙂
I belong to club BMV and will rejoin when my membership expires. They have lots of pattern sales that bring the price down to at or below the cost of the pattern sales at Joann’s and they always have my pattern and size. I also have a local Joann’s but frequently they don’t have the brand new patterns in stock right away or, during a sale they are out of a pattern, or my size. Club BMV has the new patterns right away, they are always in stock, and they usually come in under a week. There is a shipping charge but I’m not charged sales tax, which is pretty high here, so it come out about even. The big bonus is that I can shop for patterns sitting by my fireplace at home.
I like Vogue 8872 (the polka dot dress) & Vogue 8881 (the blue striped top). Funny that you say the dress is a knock-off, I’ve seen a picture of Zooey Deschanel wearing something very similar (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-68nf9SJlE1I/T3bSSf9lBwI/AAAAAAAAEnE/4wtEY_T_VgM/s400/zooey6.jpg)
And I recently bought a few patterns from Butterick and have been wondering about Club BMV, so thanks for putting the question out there. I’m still new to sewing, and I really enjoy it, but I haven’t done anything too involved yet, so I think I’ll try the patterns to see how I like doing them before I pay for a membership.
I am with you in the needing to avoid Joann’s crappy fabric.
So Vogue fits you best? Do you have to size down when you cut out a pattern? It seems that Vogue patterns have an enormous amount of ease.
Can’t wait to see what you make. Your garments are always lovely and fit you beautifully.
I do size down in Vogue. The secret with all the big 4 is that they allow more wearing ease than I think most people really want. I usually cut a size 8 on top or 10 on the bottom. The envelope suggests I cut a 12, which is too big. But that’s better than Butterick, where I sometimes have to size down 3 sizes. My advice is to check the finished measurements and then decide how much ease you prefer in different garments. I find vogue to be consistent – I can generally tell from the description “loose fitting” or “semi-fitted etc” how t will fit. Somewhere on their website is a chart telling you what each of those terms means in inches of ease. Hope that helps!
On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 12:07 PM, Green apples
About V8872 with asymmetric shoulder.
If asymmetry is not asymmetric enough, dress looks just skewed. I have http://www.johnlewis.com/371852/Product.aspx , I’m size 12 and DD, so everything moves more forward. I added some jewelry on one shoulder to make asymmetry obvious.
Best wishes!
I love Club BMV! I spend a lot of time working and traveling back and forth to work so anything that allows me to spend quality time sewing is a plus in my book. I wait for sales and buy a big batch of patterns at one time and like someone else said, mailing is fast. They always have my size and the new patterns are always in stock. A win-win in my book! Definitely try it for a year…I don’t think you will be disappointed.
I really liked 8872 (the pink/orange version) after seeing the pattern lines. And 8870 appeals to me as a nice breezy dress for summer, I have tried on a few maxi dresses but they never look good on me, I think this style might, and I normally wouldn’t go for the high/low mullet hem line either but something makes me like this one 🙂
I joined Club BMV and I work 1 mile from Joann’s. Sometimes Joann doesn’t have all patterns and/or sizes, so I like to have options. 🙂
I just joined club BMV and ordered V8881. How would you suggest reinforcing the neckline and armholes to avoid stretching on the long side? I love this blog. It’s so inspiring.
I’ve joined Club BMV and the good part is what others have said which is that the patterns are always in stock and you don’t have to fight over the pattern books. However, I only buy them on the big sales because they have a really high shipping cost and they charge taxes on the grand total (which includes shipping). I’m going to have to rethink the cost when it comes time to renew my subscription to them.
I love these!