I just finished making Burda 111 6/2021, a sort of cardigan jacket thing with a drapey twisty front bit (scientific description there). I put it on, and then spent twenty minutes in front of the mirror trying to figure out how to best arrange the drapes. The two fronts extend from the hem and are joined into a long loop with a full twist. Here’s the technical drawing:
I’d chosen black fabric where the right and wrong side were very similar, so it was a bit difficult for me to see what was going on with my garment. So here is my assistant, Gabrielle the Playmobil figure, wearing the same design made up in origami paper with different coloured sides.
The flattest way to arrange it is like the picture above. The two fronts cross over and the wrong side of the fabric faces out on the drapes. The direction the fronts cross over depends on which way it was twisted before joining the fronts.
Then I started wondering what would happen with different numbers of twists.
With no twists the fronts don’t want to cross so it ends up as an open jacket. The wrong sides still show.
With two twists it likes to sit with one side wrong side out and one side right side out. Might look interesting if you had a fabric with two good sides.
I tried half twists too, which means the front extensions end up joined right side to wrong side, making the whole garment a Möbius strip with one side and one edge (if you ignore the sleeves). That didn’t work at all: I couldn’t get it to sit flat in the paper version. Whole numbers of twists it is.
Hopefully I’ll get some pictures of the fabric version soon.
Catherine Daze's Blog 
That looks like an interesting design. I think I saw a similar ‘blouse/top’ in the shop where they have loads of old sewing machines in the window (can’t remember the brand) ages ago and liked it.
Sounds like All Saints? I love their designs. Rick Owens for the rest of us…
Looks almost like a mobius strip
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6bius_strip
Yes, but I was surprised I couldn’t make a true Möbius strip work – it wouldn’t sit right at all
You’re teasing us with the play mobile version!
I quite enjoyed dressing her up…she’s been returned to the toy box now though!
Thanks for this. I’ll have to keep note of this post if I find the right fabric for this jacket/cardigan.
I’d recommend something fairly heavy despite what Burda says. Mine was quite light and drapey, and it doesn’t work well. I have an adaptation in mind though so should end up with something wearable in the end.
Ah! I remember that pattern – I’m so excited to see the non-toy version!
I love how you’ve tested it!
Great way to illustrate the pattern – Love the playmobil model! She should definitely get her own version from the offcuts🤣.
Now you’re giving my son ideas…he’ll be wanting mini Ghostbuster costumes for the toys next 🙂
Oh I love the modelled options! What a fun display! I realised I have that Burda from the library at the moment and after seeing this I also remembered I have double sided blue and grey strip knit fabric with 1 cm stripes on one side and 3mm or so on the other. I’ll wait to see your version and inspiration may hit after not knowing what to make with my fabric.
Ooh that sounds nice. I think this one looks good in stripes, but the fabric needs to have some body.
Intriguing… Can’t wait to see your finished top!
Thanks to your model. Now I understand the line drawing! 😁
This does look tricky to wear… when I saw the modeled pictures vs. the tech drawings, I wondered what it would do when you bend forward to tie your shoelaces 🙂 And I thought that the draping in the modeled pictures probably wouldn’t stay in place for very long in real life. Looking forward to your impressions on how it behaves as a garment.
Well you’re right and I took the shears to the darn thing yesterday…blog post coming soon I hope! BTW I’ve been enjoying your blog a lot but my comments seem to be vanishing into the ether again 😦
Grr, that’s so weird–I don’t have moderation turned on or anything, there’s no security at all. I just tried posting an anonymous comment and then a URL one, and they both showed up no problem (the 2nd one did pop up with two annoying capcha prompts, though, even though I have those turned off in the settings). I’m starting to think I should just buy a domain and use WP like civilized people 🙂
Oh it’s probably me…I mostly comment from Safari on my phone and I’ve been having trouble with Blogger on it with other blogs too. Thanks for checking…I’ll try from Firefox.
This is a whole new level of garment architecture! Maybe ask Gabrielle what she thinks? She might opt for one version for work, another for cooking, and yet another to glide around at a vernissage looking outerworldly and sculptural 😁.
Heh, she’s just lucky she isn’t being dressed up as a Ghostbuster or Batman 🙂