Review: Burda 7519 Cowl Neck shirt

 

Burda's 7519 is two shirt patterns (same tissue) with a cowl neck and either short/fitted/sleeveless variation or long/loose/draped sleeve variation.

The fabric suggestions are jersey, satin, and crepe.  It is rare to run into a knit or woven, your choice, pattern.  They are usually either/or.

The front is cut on the bias, while the back is on the straight of grain.

I've been looking (and looking and looking) for a close fitted cowl neck top.  I really like the look of the cowl neck, but generally don't like the way they fit on me.

I made the sleeveless variation up in a thin rayon knit.  I narrowed the cowl neck by 2 inches total (it looked too big as drawn), performed a typical sway back alteration, and cut it in the smallest size.

Result?  I think the back looks good, the side view is nice, but the front is too big.  It hangs, because I don't have the, uh, chesticules to fill the top.

I suspect I would need to grade the front down another size or two, further narrow the cowl, and then, maybe, I would like the front view.

 

The back view is fairly comfortably fitted. The darts are a nice touch.

The side view looks good to me.  Close fit, but not tight.

But the front just has too much excess fabric.  Cowls are a fiddly pattern.  Nudged a little to far either way and they are no longer elegant. 

This one falls into the not elegant on me category. 

I am torn, do I continue fiddling with pattern?  Or try something new?  Because I'm all about trying a new pattern ... but feel that this one is close ...

Burda 7834 Review

Pattern Link to Burdamode.com

The photo above is from Burda's website, as is the description, "This blouse comes in the new cut, ready for your fashionable appearance next summer! Broadly curved panels, particularly decorative in contrasting fabric, cleverly shape your figure. The blouse is easy to put on and take off due to its back zipper.
Recommended fabric:
Viscose, crêpe fabrics, batiste"

I've had this pattern since it first came out, and it has intermittently called my name for several seasons.  There was always something else to work through first.  I finally came to the conclusion that if I didn't start on it now, I never would.  And considering the rate at which I acquire new patterns, I REALLY need to make some of those older purchases worthwhile.

I have completely changed the order in which I put this together.  I did not want to piece the neckline, so I took out the back neck seamline.  I also shortened the zipper by a bit (or actually, I did not have a long enough zipper, and decided to work with what I have rather than buy new).

I lengthened the bodice by one inch and interlined the front bodice with cotton lawn since my rayon is crepey and thin.

I also sewed the sleeve bands last.  The pattern directs you to put them on flat, which mean visible seams at the armpit ... noooooooo!  Ick, ick, ick!

And I decided to punish myself by lining the inner band.  It looks nicer as I slide it over my head.

I deepened the hem by an inch, interfaced it with my lightest weight interfacing (Pam's Pro-Sheer Elegance) which still makes the hem too heavy with how crepey this rayon is, but mini hems always flip on me and drive me nuts.  So I shall adjust.


Strange how I never really noticed until a friend pointed it out, but this pattern is pretty low cut ... perhaps not as low cut as some Vogues, but still ...  I guess that explains the really large necklaces that the models wear in both photos.

I suppose in a mirthful moment I might feel a bit like the love child of Purple Rain era Prince and Jennifer Lopez.  But only when I glance straight down.  Usually I realize that most people get this view, which isn't completely immodest:

 
When I lengthened the bodice by one inch so the band would appropriately fit under my bust rather than across it, this also lengthened the neckbands.  I then took a perpendicular half inch pie slice out of the neck band and bodice pieces at the upper chest for my concave chest adjustment.  But really, I could have taken more.  The band doesn't snug quite as closely as I would like.

Two things that I should have done: narrow the shoulders by an inch or so, and a sway back adjustment.  I forgot about my shoulders ... oops.  But the sway back, I thought the hem was wide enough not to need the sway back, but since the wideness is confined to the center front quite well, there is obvious pulling at the hips from the needed adjustment.  It won't keep me from wearing the top, but it is something I notice.

It is a cute top in fun, summery colors.  The bands were done in a linen, so the facings are all done in the rayon fabric. 

It is something I'd wear teaching only with a camisole or camisole mimicing bralette underneath.


I don't know if I would make this again.  Because the front is so poofy, I might redraft it, perhaps adding in gathering at the side waist to keep some summery fullness in the piece.