Swatching for Book #2 at Mood

I've been quietly working away on my next book, Gertie Sews Vintage Casual (due out fall 2014). I've completed the text and now it's time for the fun part: sewing the designs! There will be 10 patterns in the book with variations on each, for a total of 35 garments.

A few fun facts: 1) the patterns for the book will be printed on pattern tissue so you won't have to trace them, hurrah! and 2) I'll be modeling some of the garments, but we'll also cast a couple actual models for some diversity, and 3) genius illustrator Sun Young Park is doing the drawings again. I am SO excited about these developments.

Illustration by Sun Young Park from Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing

Anyway, with the sewing comes the other fun part: picking out fabric. Mood Fabrics (of Project Runway fame) is the generous sponsor of the fabric for the book. And now I can't resist saying "Thank you, Mood!" in my best Tim Gunn voice, of course.

Yesterday I spent a couple hours on my first swatching trip. This is, in a word, overwhelming. Mood has three floors and countless bolts of fabric. (The photo above is just the eyelet section.) And then there's the matter of the book design: everything needs to coordinate to a set palette so it's pleasing to the eye. Where does one start?

I decided to wander and cut swatches of things that I loved and then bring home the spoils and sort things out, hoping that a pattern would appear. Here's the result:

The cool thing is that, if I squint, I can see the palette revealing itself.

Picking out fabric for a second book is easier than a first book in some ways. This time, at least I know which fabrics are a nightmare to photograph (I'm looking at you, duchess satin).

Henry knew exactly what to do with the swatches:

Get fur all over them, of course!

Book #2: Gertie Sews Vintage Casual

Fun news today, readers! Since publishing my first book last year, I'm not wasting any time to do a couple more. My fabulous publisher has signed me up for TWO more books, yay! The next one is coming out in fall 2014 (which sounds far away, but is scarily close) and will focus on the theme of "vintage casual." I'm in the thick of writing and designing the patterns for it now, so I thought I'd share a bit of my research and process with you.

When I was planning the first book, many of you asked for a pattern for pants (better known as trousers, for those of you of the British persuasion). I wanted to comply, but came to the realization that a pant pattern would pull me too far from the couture theme of the first book, and require a lot of extra content (fitting, for instance) that I hadn't planned on. Caroline, my genius agent, suggested saving that trouser pattern for another book, and perhaps even focusing on casual clothing exclusively. I loved the idea. So here I am, writing it.

It's the perfect timing too, since my life has gotten decidedly more casual since writing my first book. But I still want to wear cute vintage stuff! So I'm designing a bunch of patterns that are easy and comfy to wear, while still maintaing a retro vibe. Not necessarily just pants, either! I'm talking skirts and dresses that are more at home at a picnic than a cocktail party.

Without giving too much away, I wanted to share a few of my main inspirations.

Rosie the Riveter is essential to the spirit of the book. Never has vintage casual looked so badass.

If I were to choose one inspirational designer, it would be Claire McCardell. Her cotton dresses and easy separates were revolutionary in their time.

And, of course, my thoughts keep gravitating toward Katherine Hepburn.

Did you know she had 30 pairs of beige garbardine trousers in her wardrobe at the time of her death? I've never been a huge fan of beige pants, but perhaps I need to reconsider.

Another huge inspiration is coordinate wardrobes. Don't you love this type of vintage pattern?

That's pretty much all I can give away at the moment. I hope you are as excited as I am about this! More to come, of course.