Doctor T Designs

As we come to the close of yet another year, it means we have another full year of BurdaStyle Magazines to look back on for patterns and inspiration!  This year started off with a bang; I really feel that January-May have some of my favorite designs of late.  I think things were generally positive through the summer, but that the designs have slacked off a bit by the end of the year.  While there is a lot of excitement in the moment when a new issue drops, hindsight can really help us assess which issues deserve to be in the metaphorical Burda Hall of Fame.  In case you need a quick refresher, here are the links to all of my Burda Reviews from the year:

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

As a recap, here were my top picks for patterns from the year:

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And these were my bottom picks from 2018:

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I figured we should get the less awesome stuff out of the way first, so here are my picks for the 2018 BWTF Awards:

Second Runner Up: February

While there isn’t anything wrong with this skirt pattern, it just isn’t something I find super exciting.  It was the low pick in February because it was boring; same story here.

First Runner Up: December

It’s hard to see from this photo, but the sleeve basically starts at the hip bone.  Burda has managed to make it look super artsy and free flowing, but in reality I think it would be annoying beyond belief.

BWTF 2018: January

Much like with the previous design, the idea of having that much fabric between my knees just feels so annoying!  I know there were several votes in favor of using this design for general loungewear, but the consensus was pretty much that this would be entirely unsuitable for yoga as pictured by Burda.

With those out of the way, here are my choices for the top Burda patterns of 2018:

Honorable Mention: October

The October issue was full of fabulous coats and jackets!  This hoodie jacket is one of those great designs that is so practical and functional it deserves mention, though it perhaps doesn’t quite have the wow factor of the top three looks for the year.

Second Runner Up: January

When I think of iconic images from Burda 2018, this yellow coat always springs to mind.  I’ve been obsessed with this photo since the early preview last November, and I still think this is a great design.  It has a lot of the little details and intricate trim that haven’t been present in many of the recent Burda designs, and I feel like this coat really has a total wow factor that not many of the styles this year have had.

First Runner Up: May

I know the gorgeous fabric is somewhat swaying me, but I love the design of this dress!  It’s a great summer style, with nods to all the recent sleeve trends, but without being too over the top or crazy.  The overall effect is stunning, and this is definitely one of those styles that is going to be on me “to sew” wishlist until I’ve made it. 

Best of BS 2017: April

I mean, how could I not?  I love this design.  It’s elegant, easy, sophisticated, interesting, yet simple.  I know there are several of us who’ve been dying to make this since it came out, and I hope we see some real life versions next year.  I know it’s high on the list of my personal sewing plans.

With the individual pattern awards underway, let’s look at which magazines as a whole are most deserving of their place in the stash.  It has been a fairly mixed year for Burda, but we did get some pretty fantastic issues early on, so there are definitely some real stash-worthy issues this year.

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Let’s start with the less successful issues of the year.

Second Runner Up: August

Overall this has been a really good year for Burda; I had a very difficult time choosing the bottom three issues for the year.  Every issue had at least a few strong designs, but I think August really kicked off the fall sewing season with a disappointing start.  There are definitely a few cool dress designs in this issue, but nothing that’s a real stand out.  As with the second runner up in the individual patterns, this issue is here more because it’s sort of boring more than anything else.

First Runner Up: June

June also gives us a few good dress designs and some nice summer jackets, but on the whole I find this issue sort of forgettable.  When I leaf through the images, I feel that many of the styles are quite nice, but I have to keep going back to remind myself what exactly is in this issue.  It’s not like some of the top picks for the year, where I have a very clear recollection of what exactly is in there.  It’s not a terrible issue, but it’s definitely not one that I’ll be pulling out for inspiration in the near future.

The Worst of Burda 2017: July

I feel like I’m often unfairly harsh on the summer Burdas, but I also feel like they often have the less interesting design options.  Honestly, I felt like many of the designs in this issue were repeated in other styles throughout the year.  It isn’t that these styles were unsuccessful, it’s just that they felt repetitive.  As I said before, this wasn’t a bad year for Burda, but there is definitely a drop off that seemed to happen around the middle of the year, and I think it is most noticeable in the July issue.

And, finally on to the Best Burda Magazines of 2018:

Honorable Mention: February

February is a great issue to have in the stash if you like to make solid workhorse pieces with a bit of extra detail.  The styles are all very wearable in everyday life, but with tons of interesting detail that really add to the designs.  There is a lot of really great patterns in this issue, and it totally deserves a mention.

Second Runner Up: April

So many great designs! Lots of fantastic coats and jackets, interestingly detailed skirts, and even a pre-Meghan trench dress that looks super chic.  Both the regular and Plus ranges have lots to choose from, and there are plenty of designs that can work for lots of different occasions.  I know this is a magazine I’ll be pulling out quite a bit in the future, and I’m really excited to have it in the stash.

First Runner Up: October

Who’s surprised?  Probably no one.  October was the best fall/winter issue this year, by far.  There were tons of fantastic coats and jackets, a few nice dresses, and a fabulous man’s peacoat.  Also, those coats and jackets!  

Best of BurdaStyle Magazine 2018: January

I love this issue!  There are so many great looks!  So many.  From the fabulous yellow coat and soft pink trench to the amazing dresses with fabulous twist designs, there is a lot to love in this issue.  The Plus section has a great vintage twist, and even the kids section is tugging at my heartstrings a bit. (I mean, Frozen AND Rainbow Brite?  Come on now.)  I know this is an issue I’m going to really love having for years to come, and I anticipate pulling a lot of designs from here in the future.

And that’s is!  Another year of Burda in the books, and another year to (hopefully) look forward to.  On the whole, this was a really solid year from Burda, and I’m really excited to have so many great designs in my pattern stash.  What do you all think?  What were your top and bottom issues for the year?  Best and worst pattern picks?  Feel free to discuss it all in the comments!