Sunday, July 1, 2007

Why I love the internet...reason #2123

I've been busy working on my SWAP items. Next in line is May 2007 Burda WoF #112:
As I have never made a pair of pants from the Burda company, I figured it would be wise to make a muslin out of the 10 yards of $.50 black poly-cotton woven I picked up at Joann's 6 months ago at a clearance event. I was doing fine in the construction of said muslin until I came to the zipper insertion. The instructions referred me to pattern #110. Flip one page back and read 110. Shall I reenact what passes for instruction in the Burda world?

Press fly self-facings to the inside, on the right along center front, on the left 5mm before center front. Ahh, okay, I can do this. Measure 5mm, mark, pin, press, done. Stitch the zip under the left fly edge (underlap) (underlap?? huh? WTF?) stitching close to the teeth. Pin the zipper to the left fly edge and baste in place, knowing the stitches are going to have to come out as these instructions are nothing but trouble. Still, I persist. Pin the opening together matching centers. Centers are pinned. Stitch the loose zip band on the right facing, without catching in the trouser piece. Okay, are there separate pieces for the facing? What? Baste facing in place. Which facing? Right or left? Am I dehydrated? Topstitch the opening from the top to 3cm before the end as marked. Flod fly underlap (there it is again: underlap) lengthways, stitch bottom end together. Turn. Place underlap under the left opening edge, pin to fly facing. I am thoroughly lost now. Definitely need water. Stitch the fly facing to underlap close to the zip seam. Close fly again and topstitch to the end , catching in the underlap.

Are you confused? Cause I am seriously confused. I pulled out the big sewing book to reference fly front zips. They have great instructions but they are for separate facings, not extensions as are used in this pattern...I tried to make sense of it all and it made me seriously question my intelligence many, many times.

This, of course, leads me to reason #2123 why I love the internet. While, there is no one I can call at midnight for help, I can log on and search for both information and affirmation of my intelligence on line.

I give you a Video Tip by Sandra Betzina, curtesy of Threads Magazine. The tip for inserting fly front zips is easy, straight forward, and best of all, comprehensible!

Please, help yourself or someone you love:
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/tvt008.asp

Now, I just need a new seam ripper. Mine is duller than I felt trying to make sense of BWoF zipper...

4 comments:

akimbo said...

If you have the new July Burda WOF, their one pattern they do extra instructions on appears to have the exact same fly as this pattern. I've personally never done a zipper fly but I do Sandra and her Power Sewing! I really should tackle some pants someday.

Chicago Sarah said...

Wow! I've been slave laboring for my parents in Maine, you've been sewing up a storm! I love it! Thanks for the link to Tauton, that is a great site.

cidell said...

I just ordered Power Sewing solely for the BWOF flys. Friggin impossible. You should also join the Burda english group on Yahoo. They are so helpful.

I saw those pants made up on PR and I've been thinking of trying them in a denim to have a trouser fit jeans.

Anonymous said...

Could cidell please tell me how to find the Burda English group on Yahoo?