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Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing
blogforbettersewing.blogspot.com
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"Sewing for yourself requires only two basic ingredients: good taste and confidence." --Vogue's New Book for Better Sewing, 1952
#33440 in All

My Bernina 1008: Two Years Later

I only just now realized that Ive had my Bernina 1008 for over two years! When I was in the market for a new machine, I asked your opinions on mechanical machines and then discovered how much I liked...

1 day ago

Pink Floral Wiggle Dress

Hello, readers! I made a dress. And there are several exciting things to report about this dress. First, its made from this really lovely pink floral cotton poplin, marked Ascher Studio in the selvag...

4 days ago

Your Irons Auto-Off Feature: Friend or Foe?

Most irons seem to have one these days: the auto-off feature, that little mechanism that causes your iron to go into a "stand-by" mode when not in use. It cools down the irons plate completel...

24 may 12

Introducing the Frida Fascinator!

Thank you all so much for your support and kind words about my hats! Im happy to report that the final class went very well. Ill have more photos of each of the hats soon. The next class, Fabric Hat ...

21 may 12

Greetings from Hat Land

Hello, readers! My brain is out of town this week. Its currently residing in the strange, magical land of Millinery 101 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where finals are due tomorrow. Thats wh...

17 may 12

Goings On

A few odds and ends! First, here is my first official portrait with my bicycle. Isnt she cute? Ive decided that her name is Peggy Olson. I rode over to Peoples Bicycle yesterday, and found that amazi...

11 may 12

Dealing with Pattern Ease

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 ...

08 may 12

The Daily Dress: Cherry Smash

Do you readers watch Smash? I dont, and I really cant tell you why. Its comprised of many things I love: musicals, Marilyn Monroe, Katherine McPhee (I dont know why, I just like her, ok?), and musica...

04 may 12

The Generational Aspects of Crafting

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 ...

02 may 12

The Ins and Outs of Pattern Sales

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...

30 apr 12

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

The time has finally come! My book, Gerties New Book for Better Sewing: A Modern Guide to Couture-Style Sewing Using Basic Vintage Techniques, is available for pre-order on Amazon. Heres the product ...

27 apr 12

Happy New Vintage Vogue Day!

I mean, its practically a holiday in the sewing world. New Vintage Vogue patterns, readers! Im just popping in quickly because this is a matter of utmost importance, since the $3.99 Vogue pattern sal...

26 apr 12

Finished! Simplicity 1803

Well, this was a fun little project! This is one of the quickest things Ive sewn in recent memory. Just a simple LBD made from stretch cotton jacquard. I tried to pose on the deck with my hat box, bu...

24 apr 12

Week in Review {4.20.12}

Well, its been a doozy of a week. The idea of blogging has confounded me because, well, theres just too much muchness. How would I pick a topic? I think the remedy is to write a post all about me me ...

20 apr 12

A Modern Ceil Chapman-esque Pattern

Hello, readers! Sorry Ive been MIA lately. Its been a really stressful week (more to come on that later, if I can bring myself to write about it!). When Im feeling overwhelmed, one of the things I lo...

18 apr 12

The Daily Dress: Full-Skirted LBD

When we think of the Little Black Dress, its usually the sleek, slim-skirted model, right? But lately Ive been dreaming about a fluffy-skirted dress in black cotton for summer. Like the Kate Spade nu...

13 apr 12

Student Spotlight: Jacob

Isnt 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 ...

12 apr 12

Self-Indulgent Birthday Post

Readers, its 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 promi...

11 apr 12

Fashion and The Hunger Games

Theres 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 futurist...

09 apr 12

Friday Open Thread!

I figured it was high time we had one of these, readers. Topics may include--but are certainly not limited to: Everyones favorite: whatcha sewing this weekend? Im working on my white eyelet sundress....

06 apr 12

First Summery Dress of the Season

Okay, so its 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: sleevele...

05 apr 12

Gertie In Print

Readers, I have two articles out right now that Im really excited about! First, an article on Alfred Shaheen in the summer 2012 Stitch Magazine (of which Im now a contributing editor--never thought I...

04 apr 12

Im Obsessed: White Eyelet Sundresses

Readers, have you read the book Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen? Its one of those magical, whimsical, romantic books that I devour--and Jeff rolls his eyes at. (Seriously, read it.) The magical,...

02 apr 12

Inspiration: The Capelet Sundress

{source} 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 fron...

29 mar 12

Re-post: The Modern Crinoline Tutorial

Readers, this tutorial is from a couple years ago, and I think its an "oldie but goodie." I dug my yellow crinoline out of a moving box this morning (yes, I still have things in boxes; dont j...

28 mar 12

Giveaway Winner!

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 givea...

27 mar 12

Easy Felt Roses Tutorial (with Video!)

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. Theyre g...

23 mar 12

Vintage Pattern + Fabric + Lipstick Giveaway!

Its a lovely day for a giveaway, dont 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, whic...

22 mar 12

And the Next Thing I Knew, I Was Ripping Up the Carpet.

Hey, there are only so many times a girl can hear "why dont you rip up a little corner of the carpet and take a little peek?" before she succumbs to temptation. And once I ripped up that litt...

20 mar 12

Carpet in the Sewing Room: Okay or Nay?

Hello, readers! Im back from a week of moving into our new house (!) and I really have nothing to complain about: its gorgeous, roomy, brand new, and did I say roomy? Henry had to learn how to naviga...

19 mar 12

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