Pattern Paralysis

I've had a nice long holiday week, and you'd think I'd be sewing up a storm. But since finishing the New Look skirts from the previous post, I haven't sewn a thing. (The Burda knit jacket is on hold- again, because I've decided I don't like the zipper I bought for it.)

I want to sew, I just don't know what I want to sew, if that makes sense. Oh, I have several dress patterns I want to try, but I don't have the right fabric on hand. And with Christmas coming so quickly, I don't want to be spending money on new fabric right now. So my next project has to be something I can make from stash fabric. I have a pretty coral stretch jacquard fabric that I ordered as a candidate for the flap dress, and I was kind of thinking that it might make up nicely into a skirt and jacket.

I really like jacket #103 and skirt #105 in the December issue of Burda Style:
It's a little bit different take on a skirt jacket combo. The jacket is a simple princess seamed style, but with horizontal seaming added to give it extra interest. It's hard to see the seaming in the model photo since Burda chose to show the outfit made up in black, but I think my fabric would show it off quite well.

The skirt is also a little bit different. It has a pleated wrap-over front and a wide waistband. It's very pretty and feminine, and would look great with or without the jacket.

Once I started thinking about this jacket skirt combo, I remembered I have a Butterick pattern that I've been wanting to make up for some time, B4617:

This one is so old it's no longer even on the Butterick site, but I still like it. It's a semi-fitted jacket with a (tame) peplum and long sleeves. There are four waist darts in front and in back, shoulder darts in front and in back, and small darts on the peplum also. The skirt is tapered and has a wide yoke that sits at the natural waist.

I actually made a muslin of the jacket years ago and was ready to cut it out for real, but I ran short of fabric. I folded it up and put it aside to wait for different fabric, and I just forgot about it.

I'm pretty sure I still have the jacket muslin folded up somewhere in my sewing room. The Butterick pattern is also a step ahead of the Burda pattern because it doesn't have to be traced. And there are seventeen pieces to the Burda pattern. But, the Burda jacket pattern has princess seams, and I always seem to get a better fit with princes seams. Even though the Burda jacket pattern has more pieces, I don't think the Butterick pattern would be any easier or quicker to make. The jacket has 16 darts, which are time consuming and fussy to mark and stitch, although they should look very nice once they're done.

I suppose a muslin of the Burda pattern is in order. I'm pretty sure if I can get the fit right I will like the jacket. The skirt definitely will need a muslin because I'm not sure if the draped, pleated front will be flattering on my figure. It could help camouflage my tummy, or it could draw attention to it.

So I suppose my sewing activities for today will be to find the Butterick muslin and try it on. Then maybe I'll go ahead and trace the Burda patterns. Maybe I'll even make it to muslin stage by tonight.

Has anyone out there made this Butterick pattern? Do you have any thoughts or advice to share? Is anyone working on the Burda patterns?