Lemon Sateen GIVEAWAY on Instagram!

I figured it was about time to do another giveaway for one of my new fabrics! I've been getting such positive feedback on this lemon print sateen, and it's one of my personal favorites, so I'm giving away four yards of it. The giveaway is sponsored by the generous folks at Fabric Traditions and the fabric is available at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.

I've been really into Instagram lately, so I'm hosting the the giveaway over there. So let's connect, shall we? Just follow my account and comment on this post to enter the competition. Open to all; please put in your entry by the end of this coming Monday, May 30th.

The sateen is 100% cotton and is great for summer dresses, like this one I made from Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book. 

Good luck everybody!

Lemony Sheath Dress

Can't you just hear Pee-Wee Herman now? "Mmmm, Leee-mony!" I kept hearing his voice in my head as I was sewing this dress! I am crazy for both Pee-Wee and lemon prints, so I was super excited that this one was chosen to be in my spring fabric collection. It's a 100% cotton sateen, opaque with a soft drape.

Black Sateen Lemon Print

I decided this print needed a simple, classic dress silhouette, so I decided on a summer sheath dress. The pattern is from Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book. I matched the strapless bodice with the pencil skirt, and made two simple straps to go with it.

The dress made its debut for Viva Las Vegas! I've never been before, and it was so cool to see everyone done up Rockabilly style. I tried to make my hair and makeup as '50s fabulous as possible, though the windy days made me wish I had invested in better hairspray.

Of course, flats are essential when doing a lot of walking!

Construction-wise, the only complicated thing about this dress is the bodice. It's both lined and underlined in black Kona cotton, and then boning channels are sewn to the lining layer. Steel boning is inserted throughout. I find boning to be essential for a dress like this, because it keeps a closely fitted bodice smooth throughout. Ten rows is my minimum for this bodice design, and that's what I used here. The most important placement points, in my opinion, are over the princess seams, side seams, diagonally on each side of the bust, and on either side of the zipper. 

Here's the inside of the dress. I didn't line the skirt, because I loved how the fabric drapes on its own and I didn't plan to wear hosiery with the dress. 

 I lightened this one a bit so you can see the boning channels.

I love how the boning keeps the back of the bodice smooth. I used a lapped zipper, my preferred method. 

This print is also available with a blue background on a cotton lawn. It has a lighter, almost gauzy feel to it, and I'm definitely going to make a full-skirted dress with it. 

This dress uses the same bodice and skirt pattern as two other dresses in the book! Can you see the basic similarity?

Faux Sarong Dress, Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book

Fringed Cocktail Dress, Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book

The latter two use the sweetheart option on the bodice, rather than the straight neckline. But see how much you can do with some different straps and trims, using the same bodice and skirt?

New Gertie Special Occasion Fabrics!

In addition to the new spring apparel fabrics, I also have a line special occasion fabrics available! These were inspired by the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Mad Men, and are specifically designed for sewing cocktail, party, prom, and evening dresses. These are all at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, with online links below each picture!

The first is this white organza embroidered with black flowers with a scalloped border.

Embroidered Black and White Organza

It was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina dress, and I have an evening dress pattern coming out with Butterick next week that will help you recreate your Audrey fashion fantasies.

Next is this super fancy organza! This stuff is seriously special. 

3D Blossoms on Cream Organza

So, here's what it is: it's an ivory organza base with an allover floral print. Then, on top of the print are stitched-on three-dimensional flowers. I cut it out in the three-quarter circle skirt pattern from my book and pinned it to a dress form.

And here it is with some ivory crepe pinned underneath it. 

I have to say, it looks so pretty and ethereal that I'm dying for someone to make a wedding gown out of it! There are lots of options with this fabric. You could do the whole dress in the fabric, or just the skirt. (I'm also kind of dying for someone to make a burlesque costume with the blossoms strategically placed. They're already nipple-width apart on my form!) The blossoms are easily to remove with a stitch-ripper for sewing seams and such. 

Next, a printed matte satin. 

Aqua Printed Floral Satin

I already have this cut out for a dress! Here's the skirt, so you can see how it looks on the form. This is the box-pleated circle skirt from my dress book. It has a lot of drape to it; it just hangs beautifully.
This one was inspired by those great floral satin dresses from Mad Men.

Finally, some jacquards!

Metallic Aqua Rose Jacquard 

Black Metallic Rose Jacquard

 These are just gorgeous in person, textured and metallic. I did a little draping with them so you can see better.

Obviously these would make a great slim sheath, a la Betty Draper. 

But they also have the right body for a nice full skirt.

I hope you love these. Now we all just need the right occasion to wear them to! Cocktail party, anyone? 

Spring 2016 Gertie Fabrics

I may have mentioned once or twice that I have some new fabrics in Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores this spring! And I've been sewing up a storm of dresses using these fabrics. But I also wanted to do a post featuring each fabric with information about each. If I've made a dress from a particular fabric, there will be a picture below so you can see what it looks like in a garment. Here goes!

First, lemons! I've always loved lemon prints, and they're so great for summer dresses.

Lemons on Black Cotton Sateen 

Lemons on Blue Cotton Lawn

Also in the fruity category is this small print with roses and strawberries. 

Toss Black Rose on Rayon Challis

Fruit Floral on Cotton Swiss Dot

Country Singer Dress 

Next up, tropicals! 

Tropical Pink on Cotton Sateen

Black Tropical on Cotton Sateen

Tropical Yellow on Poplin 

Yellow Poplin Tropical Sundress

A cheerful pink polka dot!

Dot to Dot on Ivory Cotton Lawn 

Atomic Starbursts! So Jetsons! And it's on a textured Swiss Dot Background. 

Starbursts on Cotton Swiss Dot 

Atomic Starburst Sundress

Also in the Swiss Dot category is this floral stripe, inspired by Horrockses dresses of the '40s and '50s. 

Rose Garden on Cotton Swiss Dot 

And you know how I love a good border print. 

Beach Umbrella on Cotton Sateen 

Butterick 6323

Also, the Rose Garden Border (which came out last year in silvery grey) is now available in some fun new colors! Aqua-y mint and buttercup yellow. 

Rose Garden Border in Mint on Cotton Sateen

I haven't blogged this dress yet, but it appeared on my Easter card!

Rose Garden Border in Yellow on Cotton Sateen

Butterick 6322

Next we have some big, lush florals. 

Pink Packed Floral on Cotton Sateen 

Butterick 6322

Blue Packed Floral on Cotton Sateen 

And another large-scale floral on pretty pastels. 

Blue Sketch Roses on Cotton Sateen 

Yellow Sketch Roses on Rayon Challis

Chambrays are back! These are a more blue background, as opposed to last year's greys. These are so soft!

Yellow Bows on Cotton Chambray

Chambray Bow Day Dress 

Pink Roses on Cotton Chambray

Mint Dots on Chambray 

Now, the embroidered cottons. These have polka dot pinwheel swirls on a Swiss dot background.

White Embroidered Dot

Princess Seam Pinwheel Dress

Blue Embroidered Dot 

Finally, something totally different! This is a lovely jacquard with a retro tropical feel. 

Blue Leaves Jacquard 

Whew, that's it for the more casual fabrics! There's also a special occasion collection, which I can't wait to show you soon.