Elena Couture – 01-2011

This magazine (and its aliases) is by no means new to me, but this is the first time I’ve actually bought it so I thought some of you might enjoy a glimpse inside. Elena Couture is published three times a year – this is the first of the three 2011 issues, rather than being a January edition as you might expect from the numbering!

This magazines goes under a few different names, which you can see printed on the pattern sheets since they all use the same ones.

  • Sabrina Woman (German)
  • Fashion Trends (Dutch)
  • Elena Couture (French)
  • Modellina (Italian)
  • Tendencias de Moda (Spanish)

I’m not sure why they chose different titles for different territories, as it seems Burda have the better idea in keeping the magazine title the same no matter what the language. That way, readers get a more coherent feel for the brand, and it certainly makes reviews, eBay searches, and subscriptions easier! As it is, Americans can subscribe to the Italian version through GLP for $30, just fyi.

This batwing knit top is pretty basic, but I like the cool hem-band gathers on this skirt. Just different enough to intrigue me…

La Maison Victor magazine – Sept/Oct 2017

While we were relaxing in the Loire Valley in France a few weeks ago, I took the opportunity to hit up some of the big hypermarchés’ magazine sections and flip through all the sewing magazines! I saw the usual suspects like Burda, Elena Couture, and Fait Main but also a fair amount of new(ish) ones, too. I was unimpressed by the several magazines which simply reprint Big Four patterns (I understand the economics, but I’m not tempted in the slightest), but excited to see Fashion Style (the French language version of KnipMode, which I’ll share in a future post), and also Couture Actuelle, the French language version of Patrones, and of course, La Maison Victor!

Fait Main magazine October 2012

First of all, apologies for the delay in getting this (and about four other posts you haven’t seen yet) live. Immediately after we returned from our week’s holiday in France, I caught an awful cold/flu and was off work for a week and then re-entered the office to an unholy stress-storm. So all the wonderful planning and progress and goodies which I meant to share right after we came home are still only now dribbling out of my brain and into the site.

(whisper it) And I’m running a marathon this Sunday. THIS SUNDAY!*

Moving on…

While we were in France, I had a browse through the sewing magazines in a few supermarkets. The bigger ones tend to stock Burda (regular, Plus, and Easy), Fait Main, and Elena Couture. I wasn’t planning on buying either of the latter two, but I had a flick through this one and decided it was worth it for the workout gear (read on!), but the Elena got left on the shelf. And then, of course, I found the new Burda Classics at Calais, too. I also grabbed the latest Burda Easy (which you’ll see soon), as it too was surprisingly better than usual.

If you’re not familiar with Fait Main, it’s a translation of the Danish magazine Sy but printed in France by Hubert Burda Media. As far as I know, it’s not available in English, or any other languages, and is a monthly publication, featuring not just sewing patterns, but also knitting and embroidery patterns, too.

I bought this once before last Spring during our French road trip, but I think I prefer this issue!

First up is a cosy faux-wrap sweater and skirt – the sweater reminds me of the one I sewed for my UK Citizenship ceremony back in 2009, and like that one, this sweater also appears to wrap but is actually attached at the side seams, which I prefer.

Figurino Moldes magazine

This is the last of the three Brazilian pattern magazines that my friend very kindly brought back from Brazil for me. I’d love to say that I saved the best for last, but, err, no. To be perfectly honest, I struggled to find anything in this magazine to scan. I don’t really want to make anything in here, and most of it isn’t really bad enough to mock, either. But I’ll do my best with what’s here.

I have no idea what month or year this issue is (or judging by the design, which decade!), but the cover says “Anno 1, Numero 8”. I even did some eBay searches to try and determine what number the latest issues are, but there seem to be a million different types of “Figurino” magazines and no consistent numbering….

Here’s a really unflattering and dated-looking lime green jumpsuit, for formal occasions where you want your skin to appear neon orange!

My first thought on seeing this was “Why is that Brazilian woman wearing an NHS nurse’s uniform?” (UK readers, you know what I mean, right??)