Burda 101B 06/2016

Marmite top: Burda 101B 06/2016

Burda 101B 06/2016

Don’t laugh, but this simple creation was originally inspired by an awesome Rei Kawakubo sweater from the 1980s. I’d post a picture but I haven’t been able to find one that’s definitely legal to use on a blog. I encourage you to click the link to see it! Anyway it’s black, knitted, very rectangular in shape, and has panels that weave over and under each other. I considered trying to knit something similar before sanity prevailed and I realised that what I actually wanted was a boxy black knit top with some interesting texture and no complicated knitting was required.

I came across this unusual sweater knit from Empress Mills while browsing their website. It’s loosely knitted in a wide rib pattern. And that seemed to go quite nicely with Burda 101B 06/2016, a simple kimono sleeved top designed to show off stripes.

Burda 101B 06/2016 garment photo

Burda’s stripe placement is fine for striped fabric but mine has raised ribs which I think would look peculiar running parallel to the hem, so I put the horizontal ribs on the top half and the vertical ones on the bottom. Cutting it out was a challenge. I knew it would be obvious if the ribs weren’t perfectly aligned so I made full sized pattern pieces and cut it single layer instead of on the fold. That took up a lot of paper and space.

I went all the the place with sizing. The top half is cut in the largest size the pattern came in, and the lower body in my usual size. This was in order to get a bit more depth over the bust because on all the model photos the horizontal seam seems to be too high. I also didn’t add any length to the lower body when normally I would need at least 5cm. I wanted this to be fairly cropped. I wish I’d straightened the side seam. This is one of those patterns that can be a dress or a top depending on where you hem it, and so it’s got a bit of waist shaping for the dress version that the top doesn’t need.

Burda 101B 06/2016

The original pattern has a turned and stitched edge at the neckline but I made deep facings and blind hemmed them to the body to make sure they stay put.

I was really pleased with it when I finished it and put it on with my black asymmetric wool skirt. The next morning I put it on with my black wool trousers and hated it. I switched to my black jeans and loved it again. The black jeans are what I’m wearing in these photos.

Burda 101B 06/2016

17 thoughts on “Marmite top: Burda 101B 06/2016”

  1. This looks great. I like your hack much better than original. Horizontal lines on bodice top that end below bust works much better. Slight shaping on bottom half may not have been what you envisioned, but I like it.
    PS. Google search went to court and won right to use low quality thumbnails (theirs are 20-30 pixels from memory), that are linked to original, as not in breach of copyright.

  2. The original top was interesting to look at but could be problematic to wear. I like your solution. The fabric you found is wonderful and interesting. The top will probably be very comfortable to wear. The link to your asymmetrical skirt and black woollen trousers didn’t work. Alas! Perhaps you could re-post those pictures.

  4. Nice, the shape suits you and it surprises me you wear black so well cos you’re fair and I wouldn’t have assumed that – so dramatic!

  9. I will say, I saw the preview and read it as “maternity top”! LOL!!!

    I really love this textured fabric. I had a very similar fabric type and Burda (envelope) pattern some time ago. The sewing was so bad on it (made it my first year of sewing!) that I ended up purging it but seeing yours reminds me how much I loved that top. Will have to make another 🙂

    1. Heh no, I’m definitely not expecting again 🙂 It’s lovely fabric isn’t it. I saw someone on the bus with a long cardigan made out of something very similar and I’m tempted to get more

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