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| Burda 8448 |
My daughter went to Germany as a foreign exchange student several
years ago, and ever since, she has been asking me to make her a dirndl
for Oktoberfest. I finally succumbed this year to her request. A
dirndl is a traditional German folk costume that includes a dress with a
very full skirt and a very fitted bodice, an apron that goes over the
skirt, and a peasant top to go under the bodice.
Burda magazine always
features a dirndl in their September issue, and the Burda pattern book
had lots of styles to choose from- from sexy St. Pauli girl type
outfits, to long covered up ones.
My daughter chose 8448, which is one
of the more covered up ones. I used a black striped linen for the
skirt, a pretty blue cotton for the apron, a black stretch corduroy for
the bodice, and a lovely white batiste with little pink tufts of
embroidery for the blouse.
The pattern takes a TON of fabric- it called for 3-3/8 yds just for the skirt. My daughter is petite and I knew that she would just be swimming in fabric if I used that much for the skirt, so I improvised. I used a 2 yard piece of fabric, cut it in half, so that there was one yard for the front, and one yard for the back. I pleated it until it was the same size as the bottom of the bodice. This was plenty of fabric for her as you can see!
I shortened the length of the apron pattern piece, so that it wouldn't be longer than the skirt. The pattern also called for some shirring on the apron, but I chose to just gather it instead. The top pattern was designed to hit just below the bust. I added 10 inches to it, to make it full length, so that she can wear it alone as a top, which she has been doing.
Burda instructions from their paper patterns are horrendous. They are done in about 6 point typeface, printed oh so faintly on newsprint, and several columns in different languages. I also don't like that their layout diagrams are printed on the pattern tissue, not the instructions. But if you've got good eyes, or a good pair of reading glasses, you can make it through them. I am so spoiled by the quality of American pattern company instructions. It's good to sew a Burda patten once in a while, just to appreciate our homies so much more!
However, my daughter is very happy with her dirndl and has worn it to a couple of events already. I think she will get lots of years of use from it, so I'm happy with the results.
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