Burda 9439 Kids Tops

Arghhh this post is massively late - it's two kids tops from OVER A YEAR AGO!!

Let me jump straight into it then... 

I find Burda pattern sizing to be really good for my kids - the width and ease are good on my kids, and there's always a good range of "workhorse" styles around.  The two tops here were both made using Burda 9439, a multi-size (are they all?) paper pattern for 6 variants on a t-shirt. The fact that the patterns include lines for so many ages - 3 to 12 in this case - means it's easy to make adjustments if your child is tall or short for their age, or has a stockier or slimmer build. 

The artwork on the envelope suggests the pattern is a mostly girls' one, but views B, E and F all look like they'd be perfectly acceptable to most boys. 

First up, I made a blue t-shirt for my son using view F.  At the time he was nearly 11; I cut the size 11 width-wise with the length of the size 12, the largest size in the pattern.  Both my kids are tall for their age, so while their width measurements are close to what Burda expects for their age, their height measurements generally take them up a size or two. 

 

He really liked the top, but I should have added more length to it - he grew significantly taller very quickly (apparently kids do that!) and the top didn't get as much wear as I would have liked. Unfortunately I didn't have enough fabric to make it longer, or even enough fabric to cut the front in one piece (yup, that band on the front is a fabric limitations indicator).

Anyway, while it fit him it was apparently very comfortable, with the fabric (a stretch viscose) cool and soft to the touch - I should make him more tops in this fabric.

Around the same time I also whipped up the long sleeved variant, view E, for my daughter.  She needed a warm top so I used a small piece of fleecy cotton jersey for the body (I think some people call this fabric French terry?) and some rib knit left over from another top for the sleeves and neckline.

My daughter was 8 at the time and I sewed her top as a straight size 9 - it looks too big all over in these photos, but the fabric shrank in width in the wash and she also grew suddenly taller, so the fit ended up being perfect despite my not having sewn quite the right size!

So despite my poor planning, this top had a lot of wear and became last year's winter favourite - comfortable and cosy, and plain enough to go with most other clothes.

This sort of pattern is so easy to make that once you've used it a few times the instructions become superfluous - all you really need is the decent drafting provided by the pattern.  Having said that, I have to admit I no longer rely on the proscribed neckband length these days though, because the length needed varies depending on the stretchiness of the particular fabric!

So easy, so quick - why haven't I made my kids more of these tops this year?


Back soon with some grown up sewing :)


- Gabrielle xx

Fleece Hoodies

Over the weekend I made my daughter a couple of Burda fleece hoodies.

First up I made a red hoodie, worn on Saturday:

The pattern I used is Burda 9614, a unisex pattern that includes sizes 3 to 13. I sewed a combination of view D (the hoodie) and view A (regular long sleeves as opposed to the layered sleeves of view D) in a size 8, which is intended to fit a child 128 cm tall (just a couple of cm taller than my daughter). The pattern is semi-fitted, and I think it's normally intended for a much lighter cotton jersey BUT it works well in a thicker fabric so long as the fabric has a good amount of stretch, as does this red fleece.

And then I made a checked pink and cream one, worn on Sunday and Monday:

Top stitching fleece is just painful, and I wasn't happy with my stitching on the curved pocket openings and lower line of the red pocket, so I added some seam lines to the pink and cream version with the intention of (1) getting rid of the curves and (2) getting rid of the top stitching. I guess I didn't think it through properly though, so although I did get rid of the curves I still left myself a lot of unpleasant top stitching. Oh well... I've left it as is, and hopefully the kind of people who notice messy top stitching will be distracted by all the check matching - front seams, pocket, side seams, and upper back to sleeve backs..

I've used this pattern (Burda 9614) many times before for both the hoodie and the long sleeved t-shirt pattern, and I really like the fit for a tall, slim child. Using a thick fleece I probably should have gone up a size in widths, as the pink and cream checked hoodie is apparently a bit too snug (this fabric has less stretch than the red fleece). And I should really remember by now that my kids have longer heads than the Burda average - every time I've made this hood it's been a bit short.

Next time I need to make a kid's hoodie I'm thinking to try Burda 9482, which looks - at least in pattern envelope photos - to be a much looser fit, with raglan sleeves and a bigger hood with a raised neckline.

I can't say I particularly enjoy sewing fleece, but sewing these up gives me back a little fabric space, and addresses my daughter's lack of warm jumpers. Is it just me, or is it hard to find proper warm winter RTW jumpers for girls? I haven't been searching that hard, but I get the impression from what I see in the city shops that girls are supposed to look pretty and not feel the cold - all year round. I know girls are tough, but seriously...


Back soon with some selfish sewing!

See you soon
- Gabrielle xx