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!
Showing posts with label Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
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.
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.
I lightened this one a bit so you can see the boning channels.
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?
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Black Sateen Lemon Print |
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 love how the boning keeps the back of the bodice smooth. I used a lapped zipper, my preferred method.
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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?
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Faux Sarong Dress, Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book |
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Fringed Cocktail Dress, Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book |
Thursday, April 7, 2016
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.
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Embroidered Black and White Organza |
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3D Blossoms on Cream Organza |
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.
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Aqua Printed Floral Satin |
This one was inspired by those great floral satin dresses from Mad Men.
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Metallic Aqua Rose Jacquard |
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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.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
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.
Atomic Starbursts! So Jetsons! And it's on a textured Swiss Dot Background.
Also in the Swiss Dot category is this floral stripe, inspired by Horrockses dresses of the '40s and '50s.
And you know how I love a good border print.
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.
Next we have some big, lush florals.
And another large-scale floral on pretty pastels.
Chambrays are back! These are a more blue background, as opposed to last year's greys. These are so soft!
Now, the embroidered cottons. These have polka dot pinwheel swirls on a Swiss dot background.
Finally, something totally different! This is a lovely jacquard with a retro tropical feel.
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.
First, lemons! I've always loved lemon prints, and they're so great for summer dresses.
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Lemons on Black Cotton Sateen |
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Lemons on Blue Cotton Lawn
Also in the fruity category is this small print with roses and strawberries.
A cheerful pink polka dot!
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Dot to Dot on Ivory Cotton Lawn |
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Starbursts on Cotton Swiss Dot
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Rose Garden on Cotton Swiss Dot |
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Beach Umbrella on Cotton Sateen |
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Butterick 6323 |
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Rose Garden Border in Mint on Cotton Sateen |
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Rose Garden Border in Yellow on Cotton Sateen
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Pink Packed Floral on Cotton Sateen
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Blue Packed Floral on Cotton Sateen |
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Blue Sketch Roses on Cotton Sateen |
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Yellow Sketch Roses on Rayon Challis |
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Yellow Bows on Cotton Chambray |
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Chambray Bow Day Dress |
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Pink Roses on Cotton Chambray |
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Mint Dots on Chambray |
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White Embroidered Dot |
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Princess Seam Pinwheel Dress |
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Blue Embroidered Dot |
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Blue Leaves Jacquard |
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