Burda Moden

I have found Burda patterns to be better fitting, more stylish, and often more practical than many of the paper patterns I have purchased in the store, although I still buy patterns now and then for specific styles. I usually will consult Burda first before buying any patterns from the US companys in the sewing stores.

Each issue of Burda comes with between 40-60 patterns in it for clothing in different ranges. Every month comes with misses sizes from anywhere from size 10 (american) to size 18 (american). The sizing is written up as European, but translated nicely for Americans to use as well. I find it easy to follow.

There is always a section for plus sized women with decent styles in it for women.

A few times a year there are men's patterns for everything from pants to coats.

There are patterns every month for youth from infant to teen girls.

Each month has trendy features, practical every day patterns, urban focus patterns, and there is always a themed pattern from folklore,bikers,African safari, to western American. The change of location and fashion focus is refreshing. Photography is usually quite fun too.

Burda is printed in Germany, and often features European designers. There is an opportunity to have readers design a pattern and it might get printed in an issue. That is usually my favorite section. I find the readers to be very innovative and the patterns they include are most interesting and fun to make.

There is a craft section which is often not too great, in my opinion. They used to have recipes which I used to love, but that has disappeared- for now, anyway. I hope that they will come back again.

For $5.00 a month, if you can discipline yourself to take a few extra minutes to trace out the patterns from the centerfold pattern papers, you can have practically any kind of pattern that you might need in a year's time. They are cut well, and run pretty true to size, depending on the style, of course.

The seam allowances do have to be added onto the pieces after they are traced out. I do this by eye when I cut out the pieces.. The pattern pieces for each pattern are color coded making it easy to trace them to tissue paper. With a little time invested to learn the method (which is very easy), I have enjoyed every single pattern that I have made from this magazine, and I have made a lot of them.

If you do not have the opportunity to make something from every issue, you have still only spent $5 on the magazine for that month, which is as much as most other magazines you might just throw away.

Comes in a plastic bag, which I love and shows up at the end of the month previous to that dated on the issue. In other words, March's issue will show up the last day or two of February. It is translated in England and sent to the New Jersey distribution center where it is mailed out to US customers.

I have been very happy with this magazine, and it is the only magazine I have consistently subscribed to (it is my bday present every year) without stopping for that long. It is just so much fun to see what styles are coming through Europe and know that I can make most of them if I feel like it right from the magazine!


2 Years ahead in fashion!   July 28, 2006
overtakenbyanap (BC in Canada)
82 out of 82 found this review helpful

I sew, and I love this magazine. Till recently I had an annual subscription and I need to refresh my subscription again.

Here are some helpful tips on why you might like to subscribe EVEN IF YOU DON'T SEW, and how to do so if you are out of the States area.

For Canadians there is a Burda magazine reseller, and it will cost about 10$ Canadian per issue. Which is MUCH less than a normal pattern now. So it saves you on patterns.

Burda has ways to subscribe for each country, just go to their website and click till you get the reseller for your own area.

WHY BURDA IS THE BEST!
The fashions presented are 2 years ahead. I found that styles presented in Burda were a year ahead of hitting the stores in retail, and 2 to 3 years ahead of the other major pattern companies, and about 1 year ahead of Burda's pattern envelopes sold in the fabric stores.

EVEN IF ALL YOU DO IS LOOK AT UPCOMING STYLES and never sew a stitch you will find this magazine useful to keep ahead of trend curves.

This is what the European ladies are wearing.

All clothing is well put together, showing current trends (future trends for north america!) in Europe in shoes, purses, jewelry, colour choices and more. They use fashion forward textiles to make the garments and the photos are clear enough that you can get trim detail and figure out fabric from your local store.

Looking at their trends page in each issue will give you an idea where things are going in accessories as well as fashion.

If you do sew, this magazine will keep you from wasting money on outdated paper patterns and keep you in the front end of fashion. After all if you go to the trouble of sewing, and fitting it's nice if you can wear something for a few extra years and look up to date while doing so.

Each magazine comes with ALL the patterns in regular sizing to make all the clothing featured. Look thru, see what you like and trace off your own pattern.

A note about sizes --Burda fits much closer than normal pattern companies which makes for a much nicer fit, but you may find yourself needing to go up a size or two.

Measure carefully, and try cutting one size up till you get used to the fit. Don't cut into expensive fabric till you are used to how they fit. Make a few cheaper garments first. The armholes and the crotch area fit differently than north american clothes.

Plus sizes are not in all the featured clothes, but have a separate plus size section in the magazine. REALLY nice styling for plus sizes too. However be aware that above a size 20/22 in north american sizes, won't fit into these plus sizes. Their idea of plus is 14-20/22.

They have a special Plus size magazine as well as Burda Moden, which is all plus sizes, and it comes out twice a year. I found that to be a useful addition to my regular Burda magazine and the clothing was never duplicated from one to the other.

Children's and Men's outfits are featured in many but not all of the issues.

Here are a couple of helpful hints to dealing with tracing off the patterns in the centerfold.

I used waxed paper in the usual kitchen type roll and traced with a sharpie marker pen.

WHY WAX PAPER? It's cheap, you can SEE THRU IT, and you can fuse it into bigger sheets as needed.

FUSING WAX PAPER: take a warm iron, and press thru a paper towel so you don't get wax paper on your iron. (when you finish, run your iron over a clean terry facecloth to absorb any wax that seeped out). When fusing, hold till the wax paper clings and it will look a bit "bubbly".

EDITED TO ADD: USE A HIGHLIGHTER PEN to mark the lines you are tracing off. It will help you "see" the correct pattern peice and the correct size in the spaghetti trail that is the master pattern in the centerfold.

TRACING: Burda patterns DON'T come with a seam allowance so I added that after tracing my patterns. Using a sharpie and a straight edge for long runs I traced off my desired size in the patterns which look like multicoloured spaghetti lines all over the newsprint center.

About all those lines. Here is where my wax paper tip comes in handy. I've tried tracing paper, even interfacing but the multiple lines on a Burda magazine pattern are too much for those usual tracing papers or interfacing. You will need something much more see thru. Wax paper! cheap, almost transparent, sturdy and won't bleed sharpie marker ink.

Burda doesn't print one sided pattern masters so you HAVE to trace. You can't just sacrifice the rest of the patterns to cut yourself one only since the other peices will likely be printed on the back.

REMEMBER TO ADD YOUR SEAM ALLOWANCE

Once I cut out my pattern (and write all the notes about what size, layout, darts etc on the pattern) I put my pattern pieces in a Manila envelope.

Pattern envelopes for home made patterns work best with some labelling. I put the magazine (june 05) and the page # (34) and the model I'm copying along with the size, the yardage I require and any sewing notions or extras (zippers, interfacing, 17 buttons, yada yada)

Maybe due to being a bit obsessive about such things I sketch a line drawing on the envelope with a note saying, skirt, pants, jacket or whatever the garment is. My drawing isn't perfect but I try to include a front and back view with major seams and darts drawn in. It's useful.

I keep them in a normal household file folder, since the manila envelopes fit perfectly.

File under Jacket, Dress, Skirt etc. or by year.

There, I hope that helps. This is WELL worth getting even if you never sew a single stitch from the magazine.


love it   March 1, 2004
Miriam (NYC)
42 out of 44 found this review helpful

I have recently sent in a request to receive the magazine and can't wait for it to arrive. I used to subscribe a few years ago but fell out of sewing for a while. Every time I received the magazine I wondered why anyone pays for patterns. I also wonder why no American magazine will include even one pattern in it for clothing. Haven't had time to make many of the clothes, but like a fashion magazine it helps you shop! It is an extra step to trace patterns but so what, its free!
Each pattern is rated for beginner through advanced, each has variations and clear pictures of what it looks like. Worth every penny.


Best in Europe   April 18, 2004
Elena (Madrid, Madrid Spain)
33 out of 33 found this review helpful

Burda fashion magazine is considered the best in its category in Europe.
They sell monthly editions in england, france, spain, germany, russia, check republic...and more.
Each magazine includes the patterns for all the clothes shown, and they cover classic clothes, more fashionable ones, children, young, plus sizes in each number.
You'll also find special clothes like sport, men, festive, summer now and then. For example you can get night dresses in the december issue or bride gowns in April issue, and swimsuits in summer.

Each number includes some sewing ideas for the home, cooking recipes, some knittings, beauty reports...the magazine is very complete.

But the top of all are the patterns, because they are excellent. Their fitting is considered the best. And their pants are wonderful, they fit very well but are totally confortable to sit or move. Even Mrs Betzina recomends them.

They also sell special numbers along the year or single patterns. You can even buy "made to meassure" patterns from them. If you want to see the contents of each number before buying or complete info about their services visit www.burdamoden.com
The page its in german but soon will come also in english and spanish.


What an addition to your Pattern Library!   December 26, 2003
sf_today (San Francisco, CA USA)
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

I vote strongly in favor of Burda Moden pattern magazine. I sew a great deal, particularly wearable art, and use both original and commerical patterns. I like having fashion news, pattern updates, the actual patterns, and sewing technique details all arriving at once. Yes, all the patterns are printed together, which means tracing off your selection - which is a good idea for conservation of any sewing pattern. That huge sheet will never fold back up into the magazine - I bag both the originial pattern sheet and the periodical in a large ziplock bag. I agree that Burda is easier for the experienced sewer, but all can learn to add seam allowances or a clever new technique. The ideas presented are numerous and the patterns immediately accessible. In addition, I find Burda patterns to fit well and to offer more fitting solutions (explained) than our domestic companies. And for those who treasure their pattern libraries, having a magazine of actual patterns arrive, and not just advertisements for same, is very satisfying.