Oh my God, the new BurdaStyle magazine Patterns are gorgeus.

 Patterns for Autumn

•  burdastyle

The Golden Hour is that beautiful time of day just as the sun sets, and this collection is just as pretty. Slip into comfy sweaters and flowy skirts in this dreamy collection from the January 2012 issue of Burda Style magazine.

Get a sweet, princess look with a lovely Romantic Maxi Skirt. This romantic design highlights your hourglass shape and has just a hint of medieval style, whether you pair it with a simple tee or a soft sweater.

Throw a cozy, swingy Square Cardigan over any dress or tank to make an easy fall look. This design is great for layering over other flowy pieces for a little boudoir style. Pour yourself a cup of tea and let your hair down in this fluffy sweater.

Switch up your standard blouse for this sweet and structured Tiered Tee. The tiered shape looks a little fancy, so you can wear it with pretty skirts or pencil pants. The shape is totally feminine, with tiny cap sleeves and a ruffled hem.

Instead of a boyish oversized sweater, why not try this Flutter Pullover The oversized shape is super comfy, but gets an extra dose of pretty from the fluttery front embellishment. This sweater looks great over slipdresses or shorts.

Cozy up in this cocoon like Cozy Sweater. Zippered front pockets add a sporty touch to this comfy design you’ll want to curl up in.

A fancy Ruffle Neck Coat is just the thing to brighten up dreary days. You’ll get lots of attention in this detailed coat. The slim shape makes the super ruffled neck stand out even more.

Bare one shoulder for a look that’s half sweet and half sexy. The Ruched One Shoulder Dress has flattering ruching on the side and one flowing loose sleeve for an angelic effect. A great piece for all seasons!

Ballerinas are so classically beautiful, and you can steal a little of their style in this Wrap Sweater. The short design with long ties and back darts is totally feminine.

Take a stroll through a flower garden or dance the night away in this frothy Gathered Maxi Skirt. Lots of gathers give this skirt swingy movement that looks so pretty when you walk.

This is a great collection for enjoying the fall. Put together a soft and comfy outfit that still has plenty of feminine charm.

Happy sewing!

CHANEL: THE MAKING OF THE 2.55

BY CYRIL FOIRET / 03 MAY 2011 @ 11:22 AM

More than half a century later, still carrying the magic of a great myth, CHANEL accessories remain the symbol of modernity and good taste. This is due to Karl Lagerfeld’s talent. When he took over the famous inheritance of the rue Cambon in 1983, he adopted Goethe’s famous phrase as his motto: “Create a better future from the widened elements of the past,” and endeavored, without ever destroying anything, to change everything nonetheless.

In 1929 Mademoiselle Chanel was the first to introduce an elegant version of the shoulder bag. It did already exist, in the form of a large pouch with a wide strap, but was only used by members of the military on campaign. Women discovered, to their delight, that by using a thin strap they could walk around with their hands free. A new fashion was born. From then on, Mademoiselle Chanel constantly used this idea, until she eventually created the bag commonly known as the “2.55” (which is in fact its “date of birth”) in February 1955.

In leather for day, in silk or jersey for evening, the 2.55 is a “chef d’oeuvre” of refinement and perfection.
First and foremost she wanted it to be functional, so she gave it a double flap which has a zip-fastened pocket inside it – a secret place for storing a love letter or blank notes. The three bellow pockets inside the bag and particularly the tube pocket for lipstick are equally useful.

To give it volume and shape – “it has to have body” she insisted – it was quilted in a diamond shaped pattern, using plain stitch, while on the garnet colored lining (the color of the uniform she wore in the orphanage) a double C is stitched like a coat of arms. Lastly, like an artists finishing touch, the rectangular clasp is gilted with gold, and the famous leather and chain shoulder strap slips easily through golden eyelets. Only details, perhaps, but nobody else had ever thought of the them. From then on the 2.55 became an integral part of the legend of CHANEL. Today it is considered a classic amongst leather goods: It is one of the accessories that every elegant woman must own.

Launched into orbit by Mademoiselle Chanel, the famous bag, a mythical object par excellence, has not, as yet, finished its trajectory. Today it is propelled into the contemporary world by Karl Lagerfeld. He adorns it with all the colors of the rainbow, dressing it from season to season in denim, tweed, velvet, sequins or raffia, and as if by the stroke of a magic wand, it is transformed into a giant or a Lilliputian. Or, in a practical frame of mind, fulfilling the demands of a new generation of women, he metamorphosises it, with gentle wit, into a rucksack, banana bag or vanity case.

Constantly inspired by contemporary trends, Karl Lagerfeld has, with a touch of irreverence, turned this legendary bag into the ultimate modern accessory. Even if the clasp still has a double “C” (gold plated, 3 microns), the chain and leather strap is sometimes replaced by one in stitched lambskin, the quilting patterns become more fanciful, herringbones or honeycombs, the CHANEL bag still remains faithful to its style and that “something” which makes it recognizable among all the others. The care taken over the quality of the leather and the finishing touches is just as important for Karl Lagerfeld today as it was in the time of the great Mademoiselle. The manufacture of the bag, with its 180 essential operations, still requires a level of precision and craftsmanship which is jealously guarded.

1955-2002…Mademoiselle Chanel once confided to Paul Morand: “Tired of carrying my bag in my hand and losing it, I added a strap and wore it as a shoulder bag”, must be satisfied. She may be intrigued, but also confident to see that her tradition is constantly renewed. Karl Lagerfeld can certainly prove that he still has more than one cat to let out of his bag!