Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing

Introducing the Frida Fascinator!

2012-05-21T10:32:00.000-04:00

Thank you all so much for your support and kind words about my hats! I'm happy to report that the final class went very well. I'll have more photos of each of the hats soon. The next class, Fabric Hat Construction, starts next week! I can't wait.

I have more exciting news for today, though. I'm selling one of my pieces! I call it the Frida Fascinator, and it's an item I've been developing for a couple months now. {Update: the first one sold--yay! I have more ready to go, so I've re-listed it here.) Since I started learning millinery, I've become enamored with making felt roses (see my tutorial here). And then I became enamored with the idea of turning them into a Frida Kahlo-inspired fascinator. My love for Ms. Kahlo is well-documented here, so I'll just leave it at that.

I fiddled with it for many weeks before I figured out how to make it successfully. The secret is a handmade fascinator base. I shape it out of wire and then cover it with felt, and then add an elastic to keep it on the head.

I must have been very influenced by the techniques of my couture millinery class, because I've insisted on making the whole thing by hand. (I tried gluing one of the early models, and, well . . . yuck.) I also looked into less expensive materials, but nothing compares to 100% wool felt. Anyway, here's where you can find it on etsy.

I hope you like it! I'm playing around with more rose accessories too. More to come!

P.S. I also have a Frida braid hair tutorial! For the pictures above, I just made the braids a bit looser.

Greetings from Hat Land

2012-05-17T11:36:00.003-04:00

Hello, readers! My brain is out of town this week. It's currently residing in the strange, magical land of Millinery 101 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where finals are due tomorrow. That's when I will present my first collection of hats to the class. I'm somewhat terrified.

You see, at the beginning of the term we had to present a "mood board" (I've come to loathe that term) and the instructor wasn't very taken with mine, to say the least. Here, you can see it if you want. (Click to make bigger.)

My theory was that I would make a collection of vintage-inspired hats that are wearable today. Emphasis on wearable. I don't think I've quite succeeded in that, but I have kind of learned how to make hats, which was the aim. Here are a few of my favorites.

Anyway. I'll admit to being in kind of a dark place about the whole thing. It's so hard starting out at something, wanting it to be perfect, and not being able to really make your vision happen. It's so much like learning to sew! I don't mean to be so negative, but I knew you all would understand.

I have tons of finishing little finishing touches to do, so my brain and I are going back to Hat Land. I hope to be back in Dress Land next week!

Goings On

2012-05-11T13:10:00.001-04:00

A few odds and ends! First, here is my first official portrait with my bicycle. Isn't she cute? I've decided that her name is Peggy Olson. I rode over to Peoples Bicycle yesterday, and found that amazing cherry blossom print saddle bag. It's like it was made for Peggy! The shop owner, Jon, was so excited that he took my picture. Peggy and I have gone for several joy rides lately and we're like two peas in a pod.

Also! I have some writings and tutorials up various places on the interwebs:

Check out my lapped side zipper tutorial on the Coats & Clark blog.
Last week, I asked the question "does the phrase 'not your grandma's knitting' bother you?" I got so many great responses that I wrote a follow-up post at STC Craft incorporating comments and thoughts from readers. Thanks for your insights, as always!

Last, but not least: have an awesome weekend! May the sewing goddesses be with you.

Dealing with Pattern Ease

2012-05-08T12:05:00.001-04:00

Here’s a topic that gets a lot of discussion, but I think the info bears repeating: ease in patterns. I’ve been making more contemporary patterns than usual, and also featuring them here. I’ll often get comments (virtually and in person, when I teach) warning me to watch out for the sizing on a certain pattern because it’s all off and it came out ginormous, etc.

So, here’s the thing: the sizing on a pattern doesn’t have to be a surprise. Actually, let me restate that: the EASE on a pattern doesn’t have to be a surprise. (Ease being the extra inches built into a pattern for wearing room.) It just takes a couple more steps in preparation than usual.

As traditional sewing wisdom would have you believe, all you have to do to get your correct size is measure yourself, check the size chart on that pattern, find the size that corresponds to your body, make that size, and ta-da! Your dress will fit you perfectly. Unfortunately, this is completely untrue.

The two most important pieces of information you can have when you start sewing a pattern are

1. Your preferred amount of ease in the style you’re making. So rather than measure my body, I’d be better off measuring a dress I have that fits me the way I want: provided it’s a similar style and fabric to the pattern I’m making. (You can’t compare a stretch woven dress to one that you’ll be making in a woven without stretch; you have to compare apples to apples.)

2. The pattern’s finished garment measurements. You can find this information a couple ways:

A. By looking on the tissue and finding the symbol that looks like a circle with a cross through it. There’s usually one at the bust, waist, and hips. The chart underneath will tell you the finished measurements at each of these points.

B. In the absence of the above, you can measure the flat pattern pieces at the bust, waist, and hips. Subtract any seam allowances and double the measurement (if necessary, i.e. the piece is cut on the fold or on a double layer). This is how big the piece will be when you sew it. So, you’ll have to measure the front and back bodice at the bust, and add them together to get the finished bust measurement, for instance.

So here’s a real world example. Let’s say I’m going to make a dress with a full skirt and fitted waist, and I’m sewing it up in a woven fabric without stretch. Let’s say it’s McCall’s 6503.

My measurements put me at a sewing pattern size 16. But if I made that size, I would be very unhappy with the fit, especially in the retro-style garments that I make. The first thing I’ll do is measure I dress I have that fits me well. I recently made Vogue 2960, and had to adjust the waist, but now I’m happy with the fit.

I measure the dress itself and find it’s 31” at the waist. When I look at the pattern tissue on McCall’s 6503, the finished size at the waist of the 16 is 32.5”. No good. The finished size on the size 14 is 30.5”. Close! I now know that I need to gain .5” in the waist to be happy with the fit. There are 4 seam allowances on the bodice (2 at each side seam). Divide .5” by 4 and I get 1.8”. So if I add just 1/8” at each side seam, I’ll get a finished waist measurement of 31”, just what I wanted.

I’ll repeat this process for the bust measurement, but not the hips. Since it’s a full-skirted dress, the hips will naturally have a lot of ease in them.

One thing you might be wondering is: if you’re on the cusp between two size groups (as I am), how do you decide which pattern size to buy? There’s usually one finished garment measurement on the back of the envelope, which will give you a preliminary idea of how much ease there is in the pattern.

via Simplicity.com http://www.simplicity.com/t-sewing-101-part2.aspx

Also, after you’ve sewn a few patterns, you’ll see a pattern. (Get it? Pattern!) And I can tell you that the pattern is usually this: you’ll wear one size smaller than the pattern companies tell you that you do. I don’t know why so much ease is added to sewing patterns, it just is. So be aware and be prepared!

Okay, readers. I’d love to hear your experiences with ease and pattern sizing. And tips, please!

The Daily Dress: Cherry Smash

2012-05-04T11:27:00.001-04:00

Do you readers watch Smash? I don't, and I really can't tell you why. It's comprised of many things I love: musicals, Marilyn Monroe, Katherine McPhee (I don't know why, I just like her, ok?), and musicals (yes, that had to be said twice). Someone wrote to me about this cherry print dress months before the show even premiered, and I'm sure you can see why. So cute! So retro!

Anyway, it's months and months later, and I find myself thinking about the dress again. And about Smash, which I just informed Jeff that we're going to get caught up on.

Anyway, the dress comes from repro brand Stop Staring!, and you can buy it here.

Or, better yet, you can sew your own! New Look 6002 has a great option.

I would just remove the bow thingy and widen the neckline, making the straps slightly narrower. I would make it very snug, in a stretch woven (let me know if you find some cherry print fabric!).

Happy Friday, dear readers!

The Generational Aspects of Crafting

2012-05-02T09:36:00.000-04:00

Hello readers! I am currently jetting off to Denver to film an episode of Sew It All TV, but I wanted to make sure to tell you about a guest post I wrote for STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books about the whole craft trend of saying “it’s not your grandma’s sewing!” or some such. The idea for the post came out of a conversation with Melanie about the topic when we realized how much that adage bothered us. As someone who sews styles that my grandmother might have liked, well, it really is my grandma’s sewing. And, in general, crafters have relied on older generations to show us the ropes, if you will.

What do you think of that phrase? Does it bother you at all? Definitely come read the post and jump on in the discussion!

P.S. This is what I look like in a bow turban and no makeup, after waking up at 3:45 to catch a flight (with some "airbrushing" help from Instagram, I can’t lie). Don’t worry, there will be a makeup artist on set and I’ve got pin curls under my turban!

The Ins and Outs of Pattern Sales

2012-04-30T10:51:00.001-04:00

A quick question for you today, readers. How do you buy your "Big Four" patterns? And what do you expect to pay for them?

Of course, no one ever pays full price for a pattern--I was trying to explain this to a friend the other day and realized how strange the whole system is. And some people seem to understand the sale schedule with a special sixth sense. When I wrote about the recent Vintage Vogue release and sale (which was ending that night), several people commented to alert me that there was a pattern sale at Joann's coming up, along with precise details about dates and prices. Okay, people: HOW DID YOU KNOW THIS. Is there some special underground communication system about upcoming pattern sales? Or is it painfully obvious and I just don't get it? Is it in the newsletter? Because I signed up (twice!) and never get anything. Jo-Ann, I want your junk mail. Please.

Because now that I live near a Jo-Ann, I want to be one of those people who's on those 99 cent sales like a hawk. That's right: I want to be waiting in the parking lot that morning so my size doesn't sell out. (Okay, maybe not. I value my beauty sleep too much.)

Also, is there a way to find out in advance about the online sales? Come on, friends. Share your secrets! My Googling ended up in vain, so I'm hoping this page can become an information hub for other clueless people like myself.

P.S. Does anyone here frequent the Poughkeepsie Jo-Ann? Maybe I'll see you at the pattern table!

P.P.S. Thank you for your overwhelming response to my post about pre-ordering my book. I'm grateful to say I was the #1 bestseller in Crafts for a day or two! Thank you so much for your support, readers.

Pre-Order My Book! (And the Cover Reveal!)

2012-04-27T11:14:00.003-04:00

The time has finally come! My book, Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing: A Modern Guide to Couture-Style Sewing Using Basic Vintage Techniques, is available for pre-order on Amazon. Here's the product description (I can't believe I have a product description!):

Gretchen “Gertie” Hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, a sought-after sewing teacher, and the creator of one of the web’s most popular sewing blogs: Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing. The blog began as a way for readers to follow Hirsch’s progress as she stitched all 14 fashions from the iconic 1950s sewing book Vogue’s New Book for Better Sewing (a Julie & Julia–esque experiment for the modern sewist). It quickly became a place for Hirsch to share tutorials and lively posts about sewing as it relates to fashion history, pop culture, body image, and gender. An extension of the blog, Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing is a hardworking reference title packed with lessons on couture techniques and customization, as well as an inimitable pattern collection featuring 25 wardrobe essentials and variations inspired by vintage fashion and Gertie’s spirited, modern style.

Readers, if you've enjoyed my blog, may I humbly ask that you support the book by pre-ordering it? This is a crucial time in showing bookstores that the book will sell if they carry it.

A few fun facts:

Can you spot Henry on the cover?
The dress I'm wearing is a brocade, short-sleeved version of the Wiggle Dress pattern (see below), which is included with the book, along with 9 other patterns. The patterns are printed on sturdy paper sheets and go from bust size 32" to 46".

The infamous green clogs made the cover!!!
I love the way the cover echoes VoNBBS, with the larger-than life sewing illustrations (done by a fabulous illustrator named Sun Young Park).

I think that's it for now. Of course, I will have many more things to tell you about the book between now and September 1st, when it officially releases!

Happy New Vintage Vogue Day!

2012-04-25T18:31:00.001-04:00

I mean, it's practically a holiday in the sewing world. New Vintage Vogue patterns, readers! I'm just popping in quickly because this is a matter of utmost importance, since the $3.99 Vogue pattern sale ends at midnight tonight.

Here's 8812, one of my favorite Vintage Vogues in recent memory:

Nice photography, too. Are those Remix Shoes I spy?

The line drawing reveals the pretty bust shirring and the easy, breezy shape of the skirt.

Then there's 8811, which is simplicity defined.

At first, it didn't do a whole lot for me. (But the shoes? YES PLEASE.)

A look at the line drawing revealed what a useful dress this could be--the vintage-loving gal's version of a t-shirt dress, if you will.

Okay, ladies. Five and a half hours of the sale left to place your orders!

Finished! Simplicity 1803

2012-04-24T07:13:00.000-04:00

Well, this was a fun little project! This is one of the quickest things I've sewn in recent memory. Just a simple LBD made from stretch cotton jacquard.

I tried to pose on the deck with my hat box, but apparently there is such a thing as too much natural light. Who knew?!

So I took her upstairs to the new sewing room (!). Here she is with her new necklace, wearing a little crinoline for fluff. On her new stenciled floor. (And yes! I totally have a floor post planned.)

Simple scoop back (with lapped zipper) and princess seam pockets.

And voila! This was a fun pattern and the size 14 fit perfectly right out of the envelope. I did add an inch to the waist length though.

And like pretty much everything else, it looks great with my green clogs. (My mother disagrees with the notion that these shoes go with everything, can you believe it?!)

Week in Review {4.20.12}

2012-04-20T09:55:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a doozy of a week. The idea of blogging has confounded me because, well, there's just too much muchness. How would I pick a topic? I think the remedy is to write a post all about me me me and just get it out of my system. Okay, here's what's been going on.

Let's start with the good news. My sewing room is finally ready to move into! I ripped up the carpet, smoothed the subfloor with wood filler, sanded the whole thing with an industrial sander I rented (that was an interesting day), painted three base coats, and then stenciled on top. Whew! If I do say so myself, it looks beautiful.

I want to start offering private lessons in my home studio, so if you're around the Dutchess County area and might be interested, please let me know!
Okay, now for the not-so-good stuff. Jeff and I adopted a dog last weekend: a big, goofy, adorable lab/boxer mix named Phillip. We had him home for four days, and he started having behavioral problems during the afternoons: barking, whining, storming through the house like a hurricane, biting, etc. I called his former foster mom to discuss what was going on and ask for advice. It turned out that the time that Phillip was freaking out was the time of day that her two sons would come home from school, take Phillip (and his best doggy friend Gage) down to the creek, where they would play for hours with about 10-20 other kids and dogs. Obviously, this made him very happy. The foster family missed him sorely and told me that if we wanted to bring him back, they would adopt him permanently. Readers, it was obvious what we had to do. We tearfully drove Phillip back to his new forever home and said our goodbyes. Jeff and I adore animals and we never thought we'd be returning a dog we adopted. But it was obviously the right choice and Phillip is happy, so that's what's important. We miss you, Philly!

The cats are happy again, too. (OMG, how handsome does Henry look on that floor?!)

My dad is having his third brain surgery on Monday. They're going to remove his latest tumor and implant some sort of radiated seeds in his brain, which sounds very sci-fi to me. He's very resilient--stubbornly so, actually. So I can't worry about him too much. But if you think to send him some good thoughts in Arizona, please do. Feel better, Dad!
Wow, sewing stuff seems so minor after that last one, but let's get back to some fluffier content. I finished Simplicity 1803 last night. That's the Kate Spade-inspired LBD I wrote about last week. I'm going to wear it today and get some pictures taken that I can share with you!
I ordered a cotton-candy pink necklace to wear with it from this etsy shop. I can't wait for it to arrive.

I made cheery new pillow covers.

I've been making napkins too.

There's a lot more home dec stuff I could show you. A pink coffee table! Skull stencils! A treadle sewing machine table! But I actually have to run and grab a train into the city. I'm teaching a private lesson and then I have my millinery class at FIT. Thanks for listening, readers.

Have a great weekend!

A Modern Ceil Chapman-esque Pattern

2012-04-18T11:54:00.002-04:00

Hello, readers! Sorry I've been MIA lately. It's been a really stressful week (more to come on that later, if I can bring myself to write about it!). When I'm feeling overwhelmed, one of the things I love to do is peruse the "Big Four" pattern websites. I always notice new things, even though I feel like I've looked at these designs a million times. Today I was struck by Butterick 5750, a Suzi Chin design.

It's a little flow-ier than I'm usually drawn to, but there's something so pretty about it. I love the mock wrap bodice, and the layered folds at the top of the neckline. Then I realized why I like it so much. Doesn't it really resemble the draping on a vintage Ceil Chapman dress, like these ones?

source

Even the backs are similar.

Anyway, I'm now curious to get my hands on Butterick 5750 and play around with it. So many possibilities! Like trying it in a more structured fabric, with a straight skirt. Or sticking with chiffon or voile and making the skirt super full.

Any of you have this pattern? Or given it a test drive?

The Daily Dress: Full-Skirted LBD

2012-04-13T12:26:00.001-04:00

When we think of the Little Black Dress, it's usually the sleek, slim-skirted model, right? But lately I've been dreaming about a fluffy-skirted dress in black cotton for summer. Like the Kate Spade number above. Wouldn't that be an incredibly useful dress to have in one's wardrobe? (Love it with the pink shoes and necklace!)

If I make my own version, I think I'll use New Look 6886. (I just got it for $1.99 at Jo-Ann! Yes, I have a Jo-Ann's now!)

I'd make View D, and add some box pleats to the flared skirt for extra fullness.

The fabric would be simple, like a black sateen or pique with just a little stretch.

Another great pattern option? Simplicity 1803, the pink version.

Okay, I've now worked myself up into needing this dress. I have a sewing afternoon with a friend planned for this weekend, and I just want to cut out a ton of summer dresses. This one will be included!

Anyone else down with the full-skirted LBD?

Student Spotlight: Jacob

2012-04-12T11:58:00.001-04:00

Isn't this Warhol-esque portrait of moi wonderful? It was a birthday gift from my sewing student, Jacob. He nailed the lipstick color and even accentuated my beauty mark! I love it so much; I have to find a place of honor for it in our new house.

Jacob is 14 and a budding fashion designer, photographer, and all-around creative type. We've been working together for almost a year, and he's very inspiring, to say the least.

Here's one of his first projects, a Charlie tote bag.

He later moved on to skirts. (He makes clothes for his mom!)

He's now graduated to a cocktail dress that he draped himself. I couldn't be a prouder teacher!

Jacob is also a budding blogger, authoring The Fashion Procedure. I notice he hasn't written in a while, perhaps some new followers will motivate him! Hint hint.)

Self-Indulgent Birthday Post

2012-04-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

Readers, it's my birthday! I am the ripe-ish age of 33, which is probably a little old for eagerly announcing my birthday in a blog post, but, well, you can stay immature forever.

Jeff has promised me hiking boots as a gift. Last weekend, we hiked up Mount Beacon (yes, our new town has its very own mountain) with some dear friends. The mountain kind of kicked my butt (my knee is still making a funny sound when I walk up the stairs), but I vowed to do it again--in proper footwear! It's kind of hard to get excited about hiking fashion, though. Any tips?

My gift to myself was the pink Dutch bike, featured in my eyelet sundress post, which I will now show you again just because I'm giddy over it. It's a Gazelle Basic, for those of you who asked.

P.S. When I'm feeling a little overcome by hiking, I will remind myself that even Marilyn Monroe got pit stains (see photo at the top of this post). Also, her hiking shoe of choice? Saddle shoes. (I was hoping for something with a little more ankle support, personally.)

Fashion and The Hunger Games

2012-04-09T10:45:00.001-04:00

There's something distinctly uncomfortable about critiquing the fashion in The Hunger Games. In the book, clothing is a marker of the role one plays in a totalitarian regime: the villians are futuristic Marie Antoinettes, with a grotesque interest in adorning themselves--we're supposed to be disgusted by them, not covet their fabulous clothes. The victims have other things to worry about than fashion, like staying alive.

So it was strange to me that some well-known voices from the fashion industry would choose to haughtily express their disdain for the movie's costumes in a New York Times article, and to do so in a way that was completely oblivious to the politics of fashion in the film. A sampling:

The costumes “looked cheaply made,” said Joshua Jordan, a fashion photographer who has done campaigns for Anna Sui and Neiman Marcus. “You wanted it to bring you to an evil Thierry Mugler place, and it didn’t. It has nothing on the fashion business.”
Olivier Van Doorne, the head of SelectNY, a fashion advertising firm that makes commercials for brands like Emporio Armani and Tommy Hilfiger, agreed. While he liked the film, he said he found the outfits “ridiculous.” “ ‘Blade Runner’ gave a vision of the future you’d never seen before,” he said. “With this, there’s nothing new. It looks like a lot of recycling stuff Jean Paul Gaultier had done before.”
“This is not a fashion film. It looks too cheap.”--Sally Hershberger, celebrity hairstylist
Paul Wilmot, the public relations guru who has worked for designers like Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein, simply called the film’s costumes “hideola.” (This did not appear to be a compliment.)

"Hideola"? Can these people hear themselves? They're practically critiquing the Hunger Games fashion in the voice of the Capitol residents themselves, sniffing at the "cheaply made" outfits of the lower classes. The irony is too much to bear. Sadly, their whining points out that the world of Panem (the Hunger Games's dystopian North America) is not so far off from current North America. Can't you just see these folks in their Effie Trinket get-ups, thumbing their noses at the poor people's outfits while watching them fight each other to the death?

Not that the costumes are exempt from critique--just thoughtless critique. And I'm not suggesting that the fashion industry outsiders are blameless. Far from it. When I saw the film last week, I found myself transfixed by Katniss's blue dress that she wears at the reaping, the public drawing where two kids from each district are chosen participate in the Hunger Games.

In fact, it reminded me of a retro dress Betsey Johnson designed a few years ago. A quick online search for "Katniss blue dress reaping" shows that people have built entire Polyvore sets around this dress. There are also at least a dozen YouTube videos showing you how to achieve her braided up 'do. I too loved her dress and hair, but not without a sense of major discomfort, an icky feeling that in Panem, I would be more of an Effie than a Katniss.

Did you see the movie? What do you think of the fashion industry's reaction?

Friday Open Thread!

2012-04-06T11:22:00.002-04:00

I figured it was high time we had one of these, readers. Topics may include--but are certainly not limited to:

Everyone's favorite: whatcha sewing this weekend? I'm working on my white eyelet sundress. I'm temporarily sewing at the dining room table, since I'm still painting the floor in my sewing room! I have the base coats down, now for the lace stencil.
I'm also craving an eyelet shell with hot pink cigarette pants, as in the new Banana Republic Mad Men campaign.
Speaking of Mad Men. Are you watching the new season? What did you think of Betty's weight gain storyline? I kind of loved it. Betty is the last character we would expect to "let herself go" (I hate that phrase) and it provides a new twist for a character who wants to be perceived as perfect.

Also, that rose print silk blouse she's wearing in the photo above? I have some of that fabric! In pink! I got it at Mood last year.
Seasonal sewing. Are you just starting your summer sewing (or winter, depending on your hemisphere), or are you one of those clever people who plans way ahead?
Fabric Softener. Do you use it? Since I now have a washer and dryer (hallelujah!), these are the kinds of things I think about. I don't really like dryer sheets since they leave a greasy residue sometimes. But I hate static cling, so I don't want to go without. I'm now using liquid stuff for the first time--Mrs. Meyer's lavender scent (which smells amazing, even Jeff thinks so). I'm still noticing a bit of static sometimes though.
Pre-washing. I've been on a mission to pre-wash every cotton in my stash (no small feat) and it's become a sort of obsession (apparently I love doing laundry). Do you pre-wash when you buy your fabric, or right before you use it?

Okay, party time!

First Summery Dress of the Season

2012-04-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, so it's still tights weather around here. But I love the summery sewing season! Flouncy dresses in cotton florals? I can never get enough!

This is my own pattern, and a very simple one: sleeveless, boatneck bodice with a dirndl-style skirt that's only gathered on the sides.

I wanted to showcase the fabulous cotton floral, which I got at Paron's Fabrics. Paron's had a ton of fabulous prints that were all labeled "Ascher Studios" in the selvage (including the rose fabric of this dress I made) and they were all so gorgeous; you'll definitely be seeing more of them here. I delved a bit into the history of Ascher, which is a fascinating story for another day.

I took a cue from a ready to wear dress I own and lined the skirt with poly organza. It has a lot more bounce than silk organza, so it makes the skirt incredibly fluffy.

Here I am demonstrating said fluffiness.

And here I am demonstrating my general sauciness.

The bodice is lined with a bleached cotton muslin.

The back neckline dips down a bit.

And here's my new favorite photo of myself, which I plan to supply whenever anyone asks for a picture for a bio or something.

Happy summery sewing!

Gertie In Print

2012-04-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

Readers, I have two articles out right now that I'm really excited about!

First, an article on Alfred Shaheen in the summer 2012 Stitch Magazine (of which I'm now a contributing editor--never thought I'd see my name on a masthead!).

This article was a dream come true to work on. Shaheen's work was the inspiration for my bombshell course, and he's one of my favorite designers of all time. To write a profile on him, I ended up getting in touch with his daughter and having several enlightening phone conversations about her father's work, their family history, and the surprising way Alfred was influenced by his mother's work as a seamstress. I also learned one of the sewing secrets behind the icornic "Shaheen Sheath" (see below)--clever elastic stays in the bodice! You can find this issue of Stitch in bookstores or you can order it online here.

You'll also find some of my design work in SewStylish magazine!

I was asked, along with fabulous sewing superstars Cal Patch and Christine Haynes, to design our own take on a new Simplicity pattern, number 1920.

I used the blouse and skirt patterns to come up with a glam 50s-inspired ensemble.

It has an illusion neckline (which you may remember me blogging about here and here!). I sewed crystals onto lace appliques to get the scattered floral effect on the shoulder.

Then there's a full skirt and a matching cummerbund belt. The tutorial for the belt is online here!

Here's the whole look in my (old) apartment before I sent it off to SewStylish.

I had envisioned lime green pumps, but they went with truly fabulous purple suede ones.

SewStylish is now in stores, or available online here. I hope you will read and enjoy!

I'm Obsessed: White Eyelet Sundresses

2012-04-02T10:49:00.002-04:00

Readers, have you read the book Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen? It's one of those magical, whimsical, romantic books that I devour--and Jeff rolls his eyes at. (Seriously, read it.) The magical, whimsical, romantic main character often wears a white eyelet sundress while doing magical, whimsical, romantic things. The idea of the white eyelet sundress has been implanted in my brain ever since, and I'm convinced that wearing one will make one's life 100% more whimsical.

And since it's sundress sewing season (yay!), it's time to start planning. I love a strappy style with a full skirt, like this Lilly Pulitzer from a past season (though I'd prefer more substantial straps).

I also love this sultry D&G number Eva Mendes wore.

Hey, you know what would be perfect? Using my "bombshell dress" bodice with two straps and a full skirt. Right?

Or maybe add a "peek-a-boo" detail like this Milly dress (from eBay)!

Anyway, there are lots of sundress patterns out there, and white eyelet fabric is cheap and plentiful. Line it with a soft white batiste and you're good to go!

To increase my whimsicality and romance factor, I envision riding my new pink bike (just ordered!) while wearing my white eyelet sundress. I should probably get a front basket to fill with flowers and baguettes and puppies too. (Too much?)

Have a whimsical week, readers!

Inspiration: The Capelet Sundress

2012-03-29T10:21:00.001-04:00

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How great is this pattern? I almost hit "buy it now" before I realized how simple it is: a square neck fitted bodice, flared skirt (circle or half?) and straps that button on in front. The cherry on top? The little capelet that attaches to those same buttons. Mon dieu, I'm getting a little pink from the sun! I must put on my little capelet! (Yes, that's exactly what I would say.)

Anyway, it's getting to be sundress sewing season, and I think it would be such fun to incorporate at least one little capelet into my ensembles. I think I would start with a fitted capelet pattern, like the one from Butterick 5032:

Then I would make a muslin of it, try it on with my dress and figure out my style lines and buttonhole placement from there. (You could also do this on a dress form.)

What do you think? Will you be also be flouncing about in a sundress capelet ensemble this summer?

P.S. The pattern at the top is from a repro seller that I am not familiar with, and I have no experience with their products, FYI.

Re-post: The Modern Crinoline Tutorial

2012-03-28T10:27:00.001-04:00

Readers, this tutorial is from a couple years ago, and I think it's an "oldie but goodie." I dug my yellow crinoline out of a moving box this morning (yes, I still have things in boxes; don't judge) to wear under a 50s-style shirtdress. I was reminded how handy this crinoline is for those days you want just a little extra fullness, plus the benefits of a half slip. Enjoy!

Here's how to use this tutorial:

1. Watch the video for an introduction.
2. Look at the pattern diagram for the measurements on my crinoline (yours might be different depending on your hip measurement and the length desired).
3. Follow the sewing directions.

The video!

The pattern diagram! (Click to see it full-size.)

The sewing directions!

**Note: finish all seams with the method of your choice.
1. Cut your pattern pieces out. Cut two of pattern piece 1 in Rayon Bemberg or another slip fabric like charmeuse or china silk. Cut pieces 2 and 3 out of a sheer fabric with lots of body like cotton organdy or silk organza.

2.Sew the upper portion on the crinoline following the instructions on this tutorial.

3. Sew pieces 2 and 3 together at the side seams. Press seams open. They'll now be large circular pieces.

4. Gather the tops of pieces 2 and 3. I prefer to gather by sewing a large zig zag over a piece of sturdy cotton string or cord, and then pulling the cord up to gather.

5. Pin gathered piece 2 to the bottom of piece 1. Distribute the gathers evenly and pin together. Baste, and then stitch. Press seam upward.

6. Pin gathered piece 3 to the bottom of piece 2. Distribute the gathers evenly and pin together. Baste, and then stitch. Press seam upward.

7. Sew lace to the bottom of piece 3 using a very narrow zig zag stitch. Trim the excess fabric from the back of the lace.

8. Add a bow to the waistband.

9. Slip your crinoline on under a full skirt.

10. Sashay about!

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Giveaway Winner!

2012-03-27T09:18:00.000-04:00

The winner of the vintage blouse pattern, blue jersey fabric, and Nars lipstick is Katty Lea! Come on down and claim your glamorous prize.

A big thanks to The Blue Gardenia for another fabulous giveaway!

Easy Felt Roses Tutorial (with Video!)

2012-03-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

I never get tired of roses! (I have at least 21 tattooed on my body--I can never quite count them correctly.) The ones here are made from wool felt and I plan on making buckets full of them. They're great as a bouquet on your tabletop, but they're also fantastic for hair clips, brooches, sashes, etc.

I came up with my technique after reading this lovely paper roses tutorial. One day while working on my millinery class homework on the train (of all places), I realized that the process could be applied beautifully to felt-like fabrics, if they were stitched in place by hand. A tilted retro hat was born.

I became a little obsessed, and starting making roses out of a wool felt remnant I had on hand. (I'm using this lovely felt from Purl in the video below.)

To make one rose, here's what you'll need:

a 2 x 32" strip of wool felt (you can play around with longer or shorter lengths for different effects)
all purpose sewing thread
a long hand sewing needle
green florist's stems (optional, use these to make a rose to put in a vase) Note: I used a small-gauge wire for this, but I would recommend looking for something like a 20 or 18 gauge to support the weight of the felt rose.

Now's the part where I demo the technique. Please forgive the casual outfit; I got really excited about this and didn't have time to change out of my Pee-Wee Herman t-shirt or touch up my makeup.

I hope this is useful to you, my dear sewing friends. Let me know if you have questions!

Vintage Pattern + Fabric + Lipstick Giveaway!

2012-03-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's a lovely day for a giveaway, don't you think? Denise from The Blue Gardenia is back with some goodies, and as usual, they are FABULOUS.

Denise always lets me pick out the pattern to giveaway, which is both fun and makes me feel powerful. I noticed that she has an unusually good selection of 50s patterns in bust size 38", which can be hard to find. I've been feeling the need for simple but adorable casual blouses in my wardrobe. So McCall's 3848 really spoke to me.

Isn't it cute? It's got the perfect slim kimono sleeves, sexy-but-not-too-low scoopneck, and a lovely v-neck back. And it's "instant"! (Gotta love the quotation marks on that one.) (I also love how the lady in brown accentuated with a brooch on her hip. What a style trailblazer!)

But that's not all. The winner of the givaway will also get fabric to make this top, a peacock blue jersey.

And last but not least! A lipstick to complete the look. (Actually, you should probably wear a skirt or pants or something to complete the look as well.) Funny Face by Nars. (How Audrey!) It's a fabulous fuschia.

To enter, please leave a comment here by the end of the day on Monday the 26th. All countries eligible. Please make sure I have a way of getting in touch with you, whether that's leaving your e-mail in the comment or linking back to a profile or page where I can contact you.

And finally! Denise is giving a discount on all her fabulous wares at The Blue Gardenia as well. Get 15% off by entering the code Gertie Blue through the end of the giveaway period.

Thanks, Blue Gardenia!