Just a quickie report on my Burda 8.2009.128 dress, the one I am sewing dangerously. I didn’t make too much progress yesterday, but managed to do the pleats and assemble the shell of the dress minus the sleeves. I was too tired to put it on to show to you, but here it is lying on the floor, looking none too perky:

I managed to beat the darts into submission. And here’s a close up of the pleats, which are looking pretty good so far, and based on an initial test fit seem to be working out and not doing any unflattering belly emphasizing:

There is about a quarter of an inch gap between those two central pleats, and I suppose it was probably intended that they meet perfectly to form an upside-down V, but the little gap isn’t really bothering me, and I actually rather like it that way.

As for the fit, so far so good without alteration (though surely at some point this belief of mine that I no longer have to muslin Burda dresses is going to come back to bite me in the butt, no?).  Obviously it will need to be shortened at the hem, but that’s standard for me. It appears to be slightly roomier across the upper back than some of my other Burda sheath dresses, but I’m assuming that this is because I’ll need that ease once the sleeves are set in.

That’s it for now, but keep your eyes peeled because I’m going to have a fun sewing story for you sometime later today (time permitting)!  Who wants storytime?