Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing

In Progress: The Joan Rose Applique Dress

2012-02-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

I realized that I don't do a lot of posts as I'm working on a project lately. Being a drama queen, I'm all about the "big reveal." But I feel like there's something useful in watching the progression of a project, right? So I thought I'd do a little post about what's in my sewing machine right now.

So, you all realize I'm obsessed with Joan from Mad Men, right? I know I'm not unique in this obsession. But I do feel a personal connection to that character. It has nothing to do with her personality, it has to do with her hips. That's right, hips.

I know lots of us find it refreshing to see Christina Hendricks's body type on a current program. And for me, it's become almost therapeutic. You know those "OMG my hips are huuuuge!" moments? When that happens, I say two words to myself: Joan Holloway. ( I refuse to call her Joan Harris, it's true.) And it actually works! Instant therapy. Actually, it only works in conjunction with a mental image like this one:

So, long story short. I think about Joan a lot. I also think about her dresses a lot. And one of my favorites is the rose applique dress she wore on what I call the "accordion dinner party episode."

I recently had the idea to copy this style by taking vintage rose fabric and using it for appliques. I found this tablecloth:

source

It has many large stains on it, so I didn't feel bad about cutting it up. (I don't think I could bring myself to cut a usable vintage tablecloth!) The background matches the pinky-red merino wool I have. So I started cutting out individual roses, leaving 1/4" around them. I experimented with appliqueing them by hand, but found I preferred the polished look of machine applique instead.

I assembled the bodice of my dress and arranged my roses around the neckline, pinning them in place.

This took a lot of playing around and squinting at it. I even had to sleep on it one night, and come back to it fresh the next day. When I was happy with the arrangement, I glue-basted the roses in place.

Next, I began machine appliqueing them in place, using a narrow zig zag on a very short stitch length. I did a couple samples to get the setting I liked best.

And here's where I am! It needs a little work cleaning up the edges of the appliques, but you get the idea.

More to come!

Finished Vogue 8640 (a.k.a. "Suits Gone Wild")

2012-02-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

I started this little ensemble several weeks ago. The impetus was the purchase of this amazing merino wool in my favorite color: bright reddish-pink. The pattern is V8640, which was sort of an experimental look for me: I love this kind of high-waisted skirt, but the jacket is boxier than I usually go for. But the illustrations were so cute!

I went with a brooch instead of a knot on the ties. Just experimenting! Still, I don't know if this whole look is for me. The two pieces felt a bit too conservative together or something.

So that's when the jacket came off.

And the brooch went on my top.

My friend and first-class photographer Fleur suggested I throw the jacket jauntily over my shoulder. Done and done!

I love the skirt.

It's faced, and I used boning in the facing to keep the skirt from buckling around the waist. I just extended the facing an inch in length (I don't like boning to end right at my waist because I've found it can leave a crease in the skirt fabric). I also put the boning casings on the inside of the facing (instead of on the side of the facing that touches the skirt), to reduce the chance of the spiral steel bones showing through to the right side of the skirt. I kind of like how the black casings look on the facing, but you could also use pretty ribbon or something.

The jacket and skirt are both lined in Radiance cotton/silk sateen, which I scored on eBay. I wasn't sure if it would be a good choice for lining, but it turns out I love it. It's substantial, easy to work with, and slippery against the skin, tights, and blouses.

I finished the lining hem off with some lace.

I will probably wear the jacket again, just not with the skirt. Could be cute with little denim pedal pushers or something, no?

The good news is that I loved the merino wool so much I bought five yards of it. A matching dress is in the making!

Ryan Gosling Loves your Sewing

2012-02-08T09:56:00.002-05:00

Hey girl, I'm having a bit of a hectic week. And, like most humans, I often need a bit of stress relief. And I've found my favorite, and it doesn't involve chocolate or other substances! It's Handmade Ryan Gosling (blogged here previously), which is the gift that keeps on giving.

I have a friend with a high-pressure job who periodically checks People.com throughout the day when she needs a mindless and soothing activity. In my fantasies, Handmade Ryan Gosling is updated as much as People.com. (Hey, you can submit ideas for new posts here!)

I'm pretty sure a dissertation (or at least a detailed psychotherapy report) could be written about why this whole thing is so appealing to me--and other sewists/crafters. But that would take away the fun. Let's just accept this beautiful gift that has been given to us.

Have a good day, girl.

An Upgrade on the Walkaway Dress?

2012-02-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hey, have you all seen the new Vintage Vogues? 8788 is adorable, and it has a remarkably similar construction to the famed Walkaway dress (blogged, with ambivalence, here).

See how it has two panels that wrap around each other?

It ties in a cute bow in the back.

Here's the Walkaway reissue, for comparison's sake:

I think what I really like about the new Vintage Vogue is that it seems less boxy in the bodice. Also, the elegant jewel neckline and the flattering princess seams. (Related: I need the purse in this illustration.)

What do you think? Is this a better version of the Walkaway dress? I suppose only time will tell! Who's going to make it first and report back please?

P.S. I also love 8789, which is made up in a floral stripe. I think Vogue outdid themselves with the styling for the photography on these new releases.

Isn't it very Horrockses? One of my favorites from the V&A, for a little eye candy:

source

The Daily Dress: Dior's Sheer Roses

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

I am so pleased you all are into the idea of a home decor series! But even more than that, I was thrilled that one commenter asked for more Daily Dress posts. I miss writing these suckers.

So let's jump back in with a very au courant frock: this sheer loveliness from the recent Spring 2012 Dior Haute Couture show. This is one of those shows that everyone kept asking me if I had seen: after all, it has '50s-inspired couture, horsehair braid, roses--all of my favorite things! I finally got around to checking it out online, and it does not disappoint. Of course, every review of a Dior couture show mentions the absence of John Galliano. I kind of miss that little jerk too, but I think this Bill Gaytten fellow is really finding his stride.

The dress pictured above is one of my favorites. On the surface, it's classic. The surplice bodice, kimono sleeves, full skirt, obi-style waist embellishment, and glorious rose embroidery are all straight out of the late '50s. It's pretty similar to this pattern I posted about last month, isn't it?

The twist in the Dior show was using sheer fabrics so the inner workings of each piece are exposed. These two detail shots (of similar dresses in the collection) show horsehair braid in the sleeves, and crinoline net underneath. (And boobs. I always feel sorry for the girl who has to wear the "edgy" see-through thing without a bra.)

I'm really loving the vintage-y waist drape. So perky!

I'm trying to incorporate something kind of similar into a design I've been working on, and I have a collection of vintage images as inspiration. A friend pointed out today that two current Vogue patterns have a really similar detail. First is 1108 by Bellville Sassoon:

And secondly, 1270 by Kay Unger, a much more subtle take on the bow.

What did you think of the collection? What do you think of perky waist drapes?

Are You Into Home Dec Sewing?

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hi, readers! I'm just back from amazing Palm Springs, where I was guest teaching at Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing workshop. Amid the teaching, I did some learning myself: quilt piecing! I don't know if it was the fact that my lovely friend Jean taught me or that Denyse Schmidt was there (I die) or Anna Maria Horner (I die again) or the fact that Jeff and I are very close to moving into a new home with lots of windows that need curtains (more on that to come, I don't want to jinx it!) . . . Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I'm in nesting mode (the homemaking kind, not the babymaking kind).

And making my first quilt block felt pretty good. Not "pad stitching a lapel" good, but good. Home dec sewing is what got me started in garment sewing, kind of like a gateway drug. I don't find it totally exciting, but I find it satisfying. It's economical in ways that garment sewing isn't: I don't have champagne taste in home fabrics, and it's certainly cheaper to make window treatments or throw pillows than to buy them. That $600 silk comforter isn't going to buy--or make--itself. Also, I keep my decor projects simple (no spiral steel boning or bound buttonholes required!)--after all, I need to save time to make clothes!

I have tons of ideas on what I want my new home to look like: Vintage Modern Kahlo-esque Kitsch Boho Flea-Market Chic is how I explained it to Jeff. With plenty of glitter and roses. Are you with me? (Here's my inspiration board if you need a little visual guidance; Jeff certainly did.)

Since I will be doing a lot of home dec sewing in the coming months, I thought it would be fun to make a sort of series out of it here, with how-tos and inspiration and all that. Once a week or less, nothing crazy. But I wanted to gauge your interest first. Are you all into home dec sewing? Would you like to know more? Does decor sewing co-exist peacefully with your garment sewing? Or do you focus on one exclusively at a time?

P.S. Here I am sewing my first quilt block!

Gussets on Parade! The Finished Wiggle Dress

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

So, when I wrote about gussets a week or so back, you all seemed pretty intrigued. But were you intrigued enough to want to see pictures of my armpits?

That is the question.

Anyway, here is the finished dress. See how the kimono sleeves fit closely, thanks to our friend gussets?

I designed this dress pattern. It is directly inspired by a certain Mad Men character; I'm sure you can't guess which one. I suppose I can tell you now that the pattern will be in my book. So I hope you like it!

This version is made from Harris tweed, the real stuff. It has such interesting depth of color. In some pictures it looks purple; in others, it's red. It's fully lined and very comfortable to wear.

Also, it looks great with my new leather gloves and a little jacket.

Keep calm and sew on, indeed!

My Other Favorite Patternmaking Book

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've been doing a lot of patternmaking recently, and I realized I haven't written about a reference book that I use all the time. I have mentioned (on several occasions) my love for Dress Your Own Dress Patterns by Adele P. Margolis (updated edition available here), and I think that's a great one for beginners and anyone casually interested in altering patterns to make their own designs. But if you ever find yourself making patterns for professional purposes, you will probably want a more comprehensive and technical book. That's where Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong comes in. (I have the 4th edition; there's also a 5th edition now available.)

The book walks you through the process of developing a sloper set from scratch. But the real draw is the rest of the book (all 832 pages of it), which you can use to tweak existing patterns.

Though the illustration style (and some of the fashion) is a bit questionable (oh, and some of the hairdos are HI-larious), the content is stellar. It walks you through all the major principles of patternmaking, from dart manipulation to contouring the bust on strapless bodices.

One drawback is that I often find myself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. But I've discovered that if I follow the book's directions step-by-step (rather than trying to comprehend pages at a time), I'm always happy with the results.

The price is in line with most textbooks ($95 on Amazon), and it's got the content to back up that price. But if you're just getting into patternmaking, you may wish to start with a cheaper and less overwhelming text, like the Margolis (mentioned above).

Any other fans of this book? Or do you have recommendations of your own on this topic?

The 30-Day PFF Challenge!

2012-01-23T11:42:00.001-05:00

That's "Press Flat First", readers! Wow, you all had a lot to say on the subject of pressing seams flat before pressing them open. And while some were rebels without a cause (like yours truly), several of my sewing heroes from around the blogosphere are ardent PFFers.

You know how they say it takes 30 days to establish a new habit? So I've decided to take 30 days to dutifully press flat first and see what my findings are. Won't you join me? I'll be doing another post in 30 days time to report back.

If you'd like to join in this exciting pressing opportunity, all you need to do is PFF with every seam, on all types of fabric. So press the seam flat on one side to set the stitches (I'm still pretty sure that's nonsense, but I'm ready to be proven wrong) and then press the seam open. Take note of how different fabrics respond. Are you getting better results? Crisper seams? No detail is too small to share with your friend Gertie, who loves to talk about the most minute sewing issues for hours on end.

See you back here for a follow-up post on February 22nd, dear PFFers!

Pressing Seams Flat Then Open: Necessity . . . or Conspiracy?

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

So, when I teach beginners how to sew, I always tell them to press their seams flat (to set the stitches) and then open. I tell them this because 1) it's in the teacher's manual and 2) it seems like one of those cardinal rules of sewing, like don't cut paper with your fabric scissors.

And yet, I must confess: I don't do it myself. Let me clarify: I always press my seams, always. I just press them open only, rather than flat first. Why? Well, readers, I have to tell you: "setting the stitches" sounds like shenanigans to me. What does that even mean? I mean, they're pretty set, right? From, you know, sewing them with a machine? And if they're not "set" (whatever that means), I reckon they'll get set when I press them open.

The two exceptions for me are 1) when students are watching me and I don't want the sewing police to take away my membership and 2) when I notice a little puckering of the seams, I'll press them flat to smooth them.

So, what do you think--is this blasphemy? Do you always always press your seams flat and then open? Or do you agree that this "setting the stitches" thing sounds like a vast sewing conspiracy?

P.S. Also, I got a new iron recently (pictured above). And I realized I haven't written many posts about ironing or irons. Is this something you all would like to discuss or does that actually sound pretty boring?

More on the Illusion Neckline

2012-01-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

I'm back, readers! And I have a great post for you today: some insights into the sewing of a Peggy Hunt-style illusion neckline. As you may recall, I asked for your advice about how to sew this sort of neckline in this post, back in October. You all had so many great ideas! I also got an e-mail from the incredibly generous Sarai of Colette Patterns, who has a Peggy Hunt and offered to send me pictures! Jeez, how sweet is that?

This is Sarai's beautiful dress you see here, a perfect example of Peggy Hunt's work.

Sarai confirmed that the neckline is a very narrow hem, as many of you guessed.

Some super-duper close-ups. It looks machine stitched to me. You?

The wrong side:

The right side:

I played around with lots of different methods to acheive this type of neckline, and I landed on the cheater's method: the rolled hem on my serger. Here's a snippet of my results:

I love how neat it looks.

My second-favorite method I tried was a machine-stitched baby hem, which I think is what the vintage dress above has. To make a baby hem, (sew one line of machine stitching around the neckline, and turned the seam in on the stitching. Then stitch to the left of your first line of stitching. Trim down your seam allowance very closely and very carefully with tiny scissors. Turn the hem in one last time and stitch.) This is a bit time consuming because you have to be certain to keep everything exactly uniform, as it can start looking sloppy with anything less than perfect, even stitching. It does make a lovely neckline, though.

So there you have it. A big thanks to Sarai for the pictures!

Incubus of Viral Plague

2012-01-12T21:55:00.002-05:00

Hey readers, you know when you get one of those stomach bugs and you're convinced you'll never feel normal again? That's what I've been doing this week. Super fun. No sewing going on here, obviously. Just enjoyed my first solid meal of plain rice and broth, though--with a dollop of applesauce for desert! (Being on a diet like this always makes me think of Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada: "I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight." Hilarious--until you've got the stupid stomach flu.)

I hope to be back to blogging and answering your comments/e-mails/tweets very soon!

How to Sew a Two-Piece Underarm Gusset

2012-01-09T22:04:00.000-05:00

Readers, I don't know how you feel about underarm gussets, but I am mad about them. (That's British for I love them.) I wanted to share a little tutorial based on a design of mine, a wiggle dress with fitted kimono sleeves and a super curvy body. To avoid any drapiness underneath the arm, I added an underarm gusset--a little triangular pattern piece that adds width in way that increases mobility but maintains a close fit. The vintage pattern above also utilizes a two-piece gusset.

There are two types of gussets: one piece and two piece. I'm showing you a two-piece gusset, which is a bit easier to insert. It has a seam down the center of the gusset.

Here's the gusset pattern piece. I know the pattern says "cut 2" but you actually need to cut 4. (Oops!)

And here's the side front piece, where you can see the cut-on kimono sleeve.

What you're looking for is the "gusset stitching line." There will usually be a large circle at the top of the stitching line and then a dashed "slash line" that goes down the middle of the stitching line.

1. To start, you need to cut and transfer these marks to the RIGHT side of the fabric. I usually forget and mark them on the wrong side, but it's no biggie to then transfer the marks you need to the right side.

2. Next, we'll reinforce the gusset. Gussets can get lots wear and start to rip at the inner point (ask me how I know). I've adapted this organza method from a segment of Kenneth King's article in Threads magazine. I love it!

First, you'll cut four pieces of on-grain sheer silk organza (you'll need to see your pattern markings through the organza). They need to be big enough to completely cover the gusset stitching line. Pin a patch of organza over the gusset stitching line.

3. Using a regular stitch length, stitch along the gusset line. When you get to the point, take one stitch across the point. (Making a sharp pivot results in a less-crisp point.)

4. Slash down the middle of your stitching, cutting as close to your stitching as possible without cutting through it.

5. Turn the organza to the wrong side of the garment and press. Pull the organza to the inside as you press so that no organza shows on the right side of the fabric.

6. Okay, here's the part that's a little bit tricky. What you're going to be doing is sewing a triangular insert, which has a sharp pivot point. You want to keep the pivot point smooth and pucker-free.

Start by matching the circle on the gusset pattern piece to the point of the gusset opening, right sides together.

On the inside, pin along the gusset stitching line. The stitching line on the gusset matches up with the stitching you made in step 3.

7. Start by stitching along one side, with the garment side up. You'll be stitching just to the left of the stitching you made in step 3.

When you get to the pivot point, stop with your needle down. Pivot the fabric to the left, getting all the excess fabric out of the way of the needle, and making sure that there are no puckers before you continue to sew.

Stitch along the remaining side of the gusset.

9. Press the gusset flat.

10. From the right side, edgestitch around the gusset for added security.

Repeat this whole process on the back piece of the garment. Trim away any excess organza from the gussets and pin the front and back garment pieces together, being sure to carefully match the gusset seams.

Stitch the seam and press open.

You now have a two-piece gusset! That wasn't so hard, was it?

If you have a one piece gusset, you need to make your gusset openings with silk organza as above, and then stitch the side seams and underarm seams of the garment, which will leave you with an open triangle. Next you will insert the gusset into the triangle, which requires pinning it in and then pivoting at 4 points. Not impossible, but a little bit trickier. If you want to make a one-piece gusset into a two-piece gusset, just cut the pattern piece down the middle and add a seam allowance.

There you have it: fun with gussets!

Henry Outdoes Himself!

2012-01-05T22:37:00.000-05:00

All right, it's gotten even cuter up in here. Behold the Henry pic of the day! I don't know if you'll appreciate two cat posts in a row, readers, but I think such extreme cuteness can't go unblogged. (Plus I so enjoyed all your charming pet comments from yesterday that I just had to keep going with this theme.)

Once again I woke up to a sweet text from Jeff with a Henry photo so I could get my fix while I'm away from home. I thought yesterday's pic was the cutest ever, but I think maybe I was wrong. The composition of this one is quite striking--he looks like he's wandering through a field of wildflowers! (In reality, that is our duvet cover.) And the angelic look heaven-ward is practically heartbreaking. So I may have to revise my stance. THIS may, in fact, be the cutest Henry photo ever.

The thing about Henry, though, is that he's always got more cuteness up his sleeve. Hey, speaking of sleeves! Today was day two of filming my new Craftsy course and sleeves were a hot topic.

Here I am getting primped by my adorable make-up/hair artist, Danica.

The great news about the Craftsy course is that they've sped up the production times so the course will be available in a couple weeks! I will post the trailer here as soon as I have it.

In the meantime, feel free to vote on your favorite Henry photo. Today's or yesterday's?

Cutest Henry Photo Ever?

2012-01-04T23:41:00.003-05:00

Dear readers, I'm in a hotel room in Denver, where I'm doing the filming of my next Craftsy course. I'm pad stitching like the wind and my left eye is doing that crazy twitchy thing it does when I'm stressed. That's why I need to show you this photo. Jeff sent it to me this morning (when I'm away I get treated to many Henry photos by text). I think it may be his best ever. Look at that little white patch! Those soulful eyes! The perky ears!

I know I'm a bit of a crazy cat lady. The other day Jeff told me to stop kissing Henry on the mouth because apparently that's weird. (It's not like there was any tongue involved, Jeez! Why can't a lady just kiss her cat on the mouth??!!) But Henry is one of my great joys in life and I'm so happy I found him. I knew you readers would understand because many of you are crazy cat ladies as well.

So feel free to gush about your kitties and tell sweet cat stories here (the kind that would make you ineligible for a second date). Henry and I are all ears.

In the mean time, I'll be back to pad stitching! I can't wait to tell you more about my new online course.

Bill Cunningham, Fashion Monk

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, readers! I'm settled back in New York after a lovely vacation, and last night Jeff and I watched Bill Cunningham New York (yay, Netflix streaming!). I was truly blown away by it; it is certainly the most inspiring fashion documentary I've seen.

It follows a period in the life of 80+-year-old Bill Cunningham, style photographer for The New York Times. His two columns, "On the Street" and "Evening Hours", portray a vast array of New York fashion, from street to society.

But the most intriguing thing is his personal life. As I said to Jeff last night, he's sort of like a fashion monk. He was one of the last hold-outs to live in the Carnegie Hall artist studios, and believes in simple living to the point of asceticism. He works constantly, roaming the streets on a bicycle--wearing the same thing every day, eating the same meals. His tiny studio has no kitchen, and he sleeps on a wooden platform surrounded by filing cabinets that hold negatives of every picture he's ever taken. He's never had a romantic relationship, and goes to church every Sunday.

And his work philosophy is certainly admirable: he's inspired by the way real people wear clothes on the street and in life. His approach to fashion photography is very kind-spirited and never mocks his subjects. One of his first jobs was at Women's Wear Daily, but he quit after an editor changed his copy to make fun of the women he photographed.

Have you seen this film? If not, do! I think DIY types will especially appreciate his down-to-earth take on fashion. It's a great reminder of why we do what we do. As Bill quoted tearfully in an award acceptance speech: "He who seeks beauty shall find it." (Just try not to get choked up when he says it!)

Bill Cunningham New York Trailer from Gavin McWait on Vimeo.

Hi from Rehoboth Beach

2011-12-28T11:10:00.000-05:00

Hello, readers! I thought I'd do a quick update from my holiday at the beach. My family and I are currently in Delaware (my home state!) in a rented house right on the beach. I'm getting a bit of sewing done, finishing the hand sewing that needs to be completed for my next Craftsy course. I leave to film it next Wednesday--yikes!

There have been lots of walks on the beach and boardwalk with the family. Here's the whole gang on Christmas day.

We met a bunch of greyhounds, and they are now my absolute favorite kind of dog.

This is me and Luke; we're in love.

My brother, Bryan.

I found out I'm going to be an aunt! Bryan and his wife Amanda are with fetus!

I'm already thinking of ways Aunt Gertie can corrupt the little one.

My mom made me this amazing hat.

Here she is, looking adorable in a reindeer sweater.

I've been wearing my new blue coat all week.

Me and my dad. As you can see, I got very good genes on both sides.

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season! I'm on a little break from regular blogging, but I'll be back with more posts (and a tutorial!) next week.

Cupcake Wiggle Dress

2011-12-23T11:28:00.000-05:00

This is a project that has been hanging around my sewing room for MONTHS. But it's finally done! It's a simple black wiggle dress with pink soutache trim (more on that in later in this post). The pink swirls remind me of a Hostess cupcake. Yum. The black fabric is a tropical wool of excellent quality and drape that I scored in the Paron's 50% Annex years ago.

I made the pattern by attaching the bodice of this dress that I draped last year:

To this vintage skirt pattern, purchased on etsy.

I really love how the pockets stand slightly away from the body--perfect for embellishing!

So let's talk soutache. I read an article on soutache in Sew Beautiful magazine (issue 139) a couple months ago, and got really obsessed with the idea of using it on a dress. Sew Beautiful is an heirloom sewing magazine, but I've found that it has lots of great techniques for retro garment sewists too. Here's a little snapshot of the dress they featured:

I ran out to Mokuba (OMG, have you guys ever been to that store? It's a Japanese trim place and it sells the most amazing stuff. Worth a blog post on its own) and they had soutache in dozens of colors and varieties.

Soutache is a fascinating trim. Here's how it works. It's a rayon braid with two cords inside it.

You have to fray the ends slightly to get to the cords.

Pull one cord and the soutache will curl up. If you pull the other cord, it will curl in the opposite direction.

I made my embellishments by arranging the soutache how I wanted it, pinning it to the dress, and then attaching it by hand with a small back stitch. Any ends have to be covered up and sealed with a product like Fray Check.

Kinda cool, right? It's kind of painstaking work, so I think it's best for small areas. I had a fantasy of embellishing the hem of a circle skirt this way, but I'm thinking better of it now.

The inside of the dress is both faced and lined with bemberg.

I learned this technique from an article in Threads. You cut out both facings and linings, turn the facing edges under 1/4" (I staystitched at 1/4" first to make this easier), and lay the facings on top of the linings. Baste together, and then edgestitch the facing so it's attached at the bottom to the lining.

Also: pink lace!

All in all, a fun project. I love this pattern and can imagine making it in other colors and varieties. Sans soutache--I only have so much patience!

Hart's Fabric Giveaway Winner (Plus Another Giveaway!)

2011-12-21T10:51:00.003-05:00

Wow, what a great response to the Hart's Fabric giveaway! Alas, there can only be one winner and I'm happy to report that it is Alexandra R, who commented:

I have been looking for a nice grey chambray so I was super happy to see Black Caroline Chambray (which is actually greyish) on their site)- even if I don't win I will be buying some!

Congrats, Alexandra! E-mail me to arrange your prize. And please share the results of your chambray with all of us.

If you didn't win, don't be sad! There's another giveaway going on today at the STC Craft blog, and you can win your choice of craft books, like Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross or Oliver + S: Little Things to Sew. But hop over there quickly, little bunnies! You have to enter by noon today.

Ryan Gosling Meme for Crafters

2011-12-16T07:49:00.001-05:00

Holy crap, readers. Did you all know there's a Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" tumblr out there just for crafty types? It's called Handmade Ryan Gosling and you need to go read it. I previously thought Feminist Ryan Gosling was the pinnacle of this meme, but now I see that I was wrong. Damn, Ryan Gosling is a gift that just keeps on giving.

(If you have no idea what I'm talking about, just know that there's a whole world of blogs out there that imagine what adorable things Ryan Gosling would say if he were your boyfriend and started every sentence with "Hey, girl". Gotta love the internet.)

I'm catching a train back up to my editor's house today for more fine-tooth combing of my book, but I couldn't let this go unblogged. Can you blame me?

On that note: Hey girl, have a great weekend!

Velvet Dreams

2011-12-15T11:48:00.000-05:00

Readers, it's that time of year: the time I decide I desperately want to make a fancy holiday dress even though A) I have no occasion to wear it and B) I have so much else to do I shouldn't even think about taking on a big sewing project for myself.

But SIGH. I can't help it. 'Tis the season that gets me longing for red lace frocks (remember the epic red lace dress project last year?) and mulberry-colored velvet ensembles. My lovely silk velvet is hanging around (literally) and taunting me (not literally, that would be weird). And I found the perfect pattern for my velvet.

BEHOLD.

I saw this on etsy, and could not resist. It's perfect for velvet, with its soft pleats and folds.

I even made a bodice muslin in the wee hours the other night, when I should have been sleeping.

It needed a few tucks and pinches taken out, but it's almost perfect.

Readers, I certainly don't have time to make the dress as pictured for Christmas. But maybe I could make the bodice and slap a circle skirt on it? That would be lovely and quicker. Or perhaps (considering this will be a casual family Christmas), I will work on it in the new year. Velvet is appropriate for January and February too, right?

On the Sewing Table

2011-12-13T09:57:00.000-05:00

How does she do it? It's like Pip can smell expensive fabric from a mile away.

It's been a busy couple weeks, readers. I know I've been a little absent around these parts, but much has been happening behind the scenes! I've been frantically prepping for the filming of my next Craftsy course. The Bombshell Dress class was a big success, and Pip and I have been scheming day and night to make the next one even better. Can you guess the subject? I am super excited for this online course--it will have an exclusive pattern designed by yours truly in a wide range of sizes.

I also spent the weekend at my editor's house revising the second pass of my book. She put me up in her cozy guest room, fed me, and even lent me hand-knitted socks to wear.

More to come! What's on your sewing table, dear readers?

$100 Hart's Fabric Giveaway!

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

Great news, readers! Hart's Fabric is offering one lucky reader a $100 gift card (with shipping included, no less). They have a lovely selection of garment fabrics online. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment saying which fabric you'd like to use for your next apparel project.

Here, I'll go first!

How about some floral silk knit for a drapey bow-neck top?

Or maybe a 50s-style suit in some iris-colored Shetland wool?

Ooh, or even a cute little dress or pajamas in this tea-cup print linen.

Isn't this fun? Okay, it's your turn! All countries are eligible. Please just make sure I'm somehow able to find your e-mail address (either by linking to your profile or by leaving it in your comment). I'll choose a winner at the end of the day on Wednesday.

Good luck, my dears!

Storing Velvet

2011-12-07T09:59:00.001-05:00

Ah, velvet. So lovely, so temperamental. I bought an amazing silk/rayon blend in a gorgeous mulberry color from B&J. At the store, all the velvets are kept on hangers, attached by the selvage with safety pins. For some reason, I never thought to wonder exactly why this was done.

And then I got my velvet home and stored it in a bin, as usual. One day, out of the blue, I was dreaming about my velvet and had a sudden panic: the nap would get crushed if stored folded! Of course! Duh. I rushed to my fabric stash, folded the velvet like an accordion, and hung it from a metal hanger by attaching it by the selvage with safety pins.

Velvet has a short pile that basically has a mind of its own. I like to think of it as one of those brush doormats that make you slip all over the place when you step on them. (I hate those things. Just try stepping on one in high heels. Evil!) If you press velvet directly, or even just look at it wrong, the pile will crush. And, of course, if the pile is flattened in a bin for months on end, it will stay crushed permanently. The only thing to do then is channel a Stevie Nicks look and crush the whole damn thing. I want my velvet to say Hollywood glam rather than "witchy woman", so a non-crushed pile is essential.

So there's a little storage tip for you, readers! Hopefully it's more of the useful variety than the "Duh, Gertie" variety.

The hard thing now is figuring out what to make with my lovely velvet. I was hoping for a peplum jacket, but darts and style lines don't look so great with the nap. I might just need to wrap my naked body in it, toga style, and flounce around the apartment wearing it. It's that fabulous.

I Sewed a Sweater!

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a finished garment that I totally didn't blog about, can you believe it? I picked up some great Nanette Lepore ribbed sweater knit at the Haberman Fabrics booth at ASE (hey, it's available online!). I'd never sewn this kind of knit before, but I just did a little research and it was surprisingly easy. It helped that this particular knit is very stable--it doesn't stretch a ton and it didn't fray too much as I was working with it.

The pattern was the challenging part. I knew exactly what I wanted: a sort of "sweater girl" look with cute short sleeves. So I did something I've never done before: I draped the pattern, in the garment fabric! I draped the front and back separately, marking the seam lines with chalk. Then I basted them together on the seamlines to fit it. Once I was happy with the fit, I serged the seams. I borrowed the sleeve pattern from a knit dress pattern I have on hand, and measured carefully to be sure that it would fit properly (knit sleeves have no ease, so it had to be a precise fit).

I learned from my research that it's very important to stabilize any horizontal seams, so I basted some Stay Tape into the shoulder seam before serging it.

The neck binding worked really well in the fabric, since it's a rib. I just cut a piece of fabric a little smaller than the sweater neck and twice the width I wanted the binding. I serged the short ends together, folded it in half wrong sides together, and basted the raw edges together. Then it just gets serged into the neckline. Easy! The last step is to top stitch to get the binding to lay flat. The pro way to do this is to use a twin needle, and stitch with the neckline seam in the middle of the two needles. I just used a zigzag, though, because I was too lazy to set up my twin needle.

I did the hem on the bottom and the sleeves by turning it up and zigzagging. I tested this method first, and it worked well since the stitches really disappear in this knit.

I'm happy I now have a paper pattern for this, because I feel like I could use one in every color of the rainbow. Probably in a softer fabric--the ribbed wool is a little itchy to wear so close-fitting. It will be interesting to see how different types of knits work for this.

So there you have it. Isn't it so cool that you can sew a sweater?