Doctor T Designs

The full preview for the December Burda is here!  And I have to say I’m excited, because it’s good.  Deliciously good.  I think it has the perfect blend of fun holiday party wear, interesting winter staples, and gifts for the family.  After having a rather lackluster year, Burda is going out with a bang.

First up, this issue has some awesome dresses:

Love these!  Although I think the shorter version is probably more versatile, the longer gown is gorgeous and elegant.  The style is vaguely reminiscent of the gold dress from the December 2012 Burda, but I really like the use of a flat gather here 0 it gives a very nice waistline.

Ok, I suppose the sleeves here could look a little odd, but I actually think it is an interesting detail.  The rest of the dress looks pretty and elegant.

Really like these dresses as well.  Not the largest fan of the pink color, but I think they are both pretty styles for holiday parties.

Not my favorite.  The red/pink combo with the pockets is a bit… suggestive.  The scalloped edges are an interesting detail.

  

Ok, so this is a dress but it looks more like a nightgown.  It just wouldn’t be December Burda without at least one PJ styled pattern!

Normally these sorts of dresses aren’t high on my list, but I do think the pleating detail on the back is rather interesting.  Perhaps I can frankenpattern with a different sheath dress style.

Another dress that isn’t high on my list.  The pockets are kind of cool, and I there some bloggers who could probably pull this off, but it is just a bit too baggy for me.

This shirtdress is actually rather cute, especially with the belt.

Jackets:

Ooooh, want!  I love this – the seam lines, the collar, the zips.  Awesome. (It would also be really cool to wear to the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Especially if you are an Imperialist.  Just saying.)

Also love this version – so elegant!

It’s been a while since Burda gave us a duffle coat – really love this one!  Look at those sleeves – so cool!  So cool, in fact, that they gave us several versions of this design:

    

(Side note: is that sequined wool?  Ok, I need some.  Where do I find it?)

There are also a lot of vests in this issue.  I think the long black one is kind of cool.  The others… meh:

   

One thing I really like about this month is all of the great separates. Here are the tops:

Love this!  The slit keeps it interesting and elegant.  Definitely adding this to my to-sew list.

 

Blouse with a ruffle.  Is ok, but nothing super exciting.

I like this, but probably because I think it would look cool for a steampunk pirate.

  

I like this style as a long tunic too.  Not sure why, it is just really appealing to me.

Ok, this is based on the grey dress above.  Does it have the same detail in the back?  And it keeps the pockets!  I might be making this for family holiday get-togethers.  Time to dig in the stash!

 

Really liking this tunic top as well.  It looks cozy and not fussy, but the seams make it more shaped than a simple square tunic.  This one is going on my list as well.

The bottoms in this issue are DEVINE:

I want ALL of these skirts.  ALL of them!  Love the shorter version, but the longer version in the sequins is just gorgeous.  I seriously need to start pulling fabrics from my stash!

Pleated skirt is ok – I’ve made something similar from the February 2005 Burda.

 

 

Love the pant options – especially the flared leg pants!  They remind me of the pants in the October 2011 Burda, which are still some of my favorite pants that I’ve made.  The skinny leg pants are a great wardrobe option for winter, but I think we’ve had similar patterns quite recently.

The Burda Plus section is, for the most part, rather elegant this month.  The choice of black fabric is a bit somber, but the patterns themselves continue Burda’s trend of being quite chic in the Plus section:

 

Love this coat!  So elegant!

I’m a bit more partial to the short sleeved version, but I really like the neckline on both of these dresses.

This sheath dress has sone nice line for fitting, and it would look great layered under a jacket, cardigan, or shawl.

Another simple style that would be great for a lot of different fabrics.

Not as big a fan of the giant ruffle skirt here, but maybe in a different color, on the right person, with more styling… it could be cute.

In December we often get more patterns for the rest of the family, and this year Burda did a fantastic job:

This men’s bomber jacket – SWOON!  Look at those sleeves and seam details.  LOVE THIS!  Might need to make one for myself…

The kids also get some cool coats in this issue – the plait style (above) looks like it could be used all winter, and the pink style (below) would be great for any fancy holiday events.

Burda also included some useful craft patterns!  The bag (above) is actually pretty cool looking, and the scarf/shawl (below) would make a great easy gift pattern.

And that’s it!  Which means it is time to pick the best and worst patterns for the month.  It is a difficult decision, because there is so much good stuff.  Like, seriously I think I want to sew more than half of this issue.  In any case, my Best of BS December 2015 goes to:

The white pleated waist dress!  I love this!  The style is so elegant and pretty.  I really need to make one.  I think the style could be flattering to so many body types, and it is interesting without being overwhelming.  It looks interesting to construct too.  Very excited to have this join my pattern collection.

The bottom pick for the month was similarly difficult to decide, mostly because of the lack of bad or boring patterns.  In the end I’ve decided that the December BWTF Award goes to:

Burda Plus ruffle dress!  The proportions are not the most flattering, and in the black the only thing I can think of is lampshade on its way to a funeral.  Definitely not one of the better designs in this issue.

And that’s about it!  If it isn’t obvious, I LOVE this issue and I can’t wait until my copy arrives.  It makes me want to sew all the things!  So – what do you all think?  Is this issue as fantastic as I think it is?  Or are all of these styles too self-referential, and make you feel like you could make most of this issue from your Burda pattern stash?  Feel free to discuss your top and bottom picks in the comments!

Burda Bonus – The Great German Sewing Bee?

While looking for news about the December Burda, I found this interesting article on the German Burda website.  Does this mean there is going to be a Great German Sewing Bee?  Will we be able to watch it on YouTube?  If I can’t understand what anyone is saying will I care?  Any native German speakers want to fill me in with more info than I could glean from Google Translate?