Synopses & Reviews
Gretchen andldquo;Gertieandrdquo; Hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, a sought-after sewing teacher, and the creator of one of the webandrsquo;s most popular sewing blogs: Gertieandrsquo;s New Blog for Better Sewing. The blog began as a way for readers to follow Hirschandrsquo;s progress as she stitched all 14 fashions from the iconic 1950s sewing book
Vogueandrsquo;s New Book for Better Sewing (a
Julie and Juliaandndash;esque experiment for the modern sewist). It quickly became a place for Hirsch to share tutorials and lively posts about sewing as it relates to fashion history, pop culture, body image, and gender. An extension of the blog,
Gertieandrsquo;s New Book for Better Sewing is a hardworking reference title packed with lessons on couture techniques and customization, as well as an inimitable pattern collection featuring 25 wardrobe essentials and variations inspired by vintage fashion and Gertieandrsquo;s spirited, modern style.
Praise for Gertie's New Book For Better Sewing:
andldquo;If you read Gertieandrsquo;s New Blog for Better Sewing, you already know that Gretchen Hirsch is all about teaching basic sewing skills that some of us (guilty!) may have skipped right over when we learned to sew. Now you can find all of Gretchenandrsquo;s sewing knowledge in one place.andrdquo; andmdash;Martha Stewart.com
andldquo;Like her blog, Hirschandrsquo;s book is like a chat with a friend who happens to be an expert seamstress. Even if the vintage-inspired garments aren't your style, thereandrsquo;s plenty to learn from this book.andrdquo; andmdash;Library Journal
andldquo;The styles are all rocked out with the tattoo-clad Gertie as the model. If you love a retro pattern, then this book is the one for you.andrdquo; andmdash;CraftGossip.com
andldquo;White paper templates, not tissue! These will make it easier to trace.andrdquo; andmdash;Sew Spoiled
andldquo;I personally love the finishing details on well-made garments and found this book to be a fantastic resource for adding techniques to my repertoire.andrdquo; andmdash;ThreadBias.com
andldquo;Maybe my faaavorite part of the book is the Vintage to Modern dictionary. If you ever use vintage patterns or shop for vintage or retro-y clothes, youandrsquo;ll love this spread!andrdquo; andmdash;Adventures in Dressmaking
andldquo;The featured wealth of skills in a range of garment-sewing techniques are perfect for the home sewer with a thirst to learn how to create pieces for her own wardrobe.andrdquo; andmdash; EcoSalon.com
andldquo;Her new book is an excellent extension of the blog that includes a fantastic collection of nine patterns to create your own vintage-inspired wardrobe.andrdquo; andmdash;SewNews.com
andldquo;One of my favourite aspects of the book is that it pulls back the curtain on construction and reveals what the insides of the garments look like. Itandrsquo;s really helpful to take a peek at how another stitcher finishes her seams and keeps the whole thing hanging togetherandmdash;a very clever touch.andrdquo; andmdash;Tilly and the Buttons
andldquo;We love it, and weandrsquo;re so excited to have it in hand. Itandrsquo;s wonderful to be able to infuse some andldquo;Gertie styleandrdquo; into our sewing. All the projects are great, and the layout of the book is really easy to use and navigate. It has a great vintage, yet modern look.andrdquo; andmdash;Sew Mama Sew
andldquo;Gertieandrsquo;s New Book for Better Sewing is a fun, new pattern book, featuring sewing patterns that embody author Gretchen Hirschandrsquo;s fresh take on vintage style.andrdquo;andmdash;CRAFTzine.com
andldquo;If you read Gertieandrsquo;s New Blog for Better Sewing, you already know that Gretchen Hirsch is all about teaching basic sewing skills that some of us (guilty!) may have skipped right over when we learned to sew. Now you can find all of Gretchenandrsquo;s sewing knowledge in one place.andrdquo; andmdash;MarthaStewartLiving.com
andldquo;This is not down-and-dirty sewing, but studied and time consuming. Which is awesome.andrdquo; andmdash;
andldquo;Since most women are a size bigger in the hips than in the waist, the pattern proportions in the book are already adjusted to take this difference into account. When I read this in the sizing guide, I actually got out of my chair and did a little happy dance. Three cheers for patterns that are actually shaped like the women who will be using them!andrdquo; andmdash;The Zen of Making
andldquo;This book overflows with pictures, drawings and diagrams to ensure your sewing success. She also includes a whopping 25 patterns, making this book a steal! Sure to be a reference for your sewing room and guaranteed to be a resource you turn to for zippers and buttons . . . even if you donandrsquo;t make a single pencil skirt.andrdquo; andmdash;Generation Q Magazine
andldquo;If you are a fan of the mid-century vintage look, this book is a must-buy. Hirschandrsquo;s instructions are excellent, and use new technologies and techniques that didnandrsquo;t exist 50 years ago.andrdquo; andmdash;Examiner.com
Review
"[A]bundant and precise line art, enticing photographs, simple-to-follow instructions and valuable information on tools, supplies, materials and techniques." The New York Times
Review
"A woman who takes sewing seriously, or who wants to learn to sew, won't want to be without this book." Portland Oregon Journal
Review
"Here is everything you always wanted to know about sewing a veritable encyclopedia of stitching facts." The Austin American Statesman
Synopsis
Comprehensive, practical, and inspiring, the
New Complete Guide to Sewing gives sewers of every experience and comfort level everything they
need to know to create the wardrobe of their dreams and fill their homes with original decorative accents.
First published in 1976, Reader's Digest's popular Complete Guide to Sewing has become the standard stitch-and-seam reference book for both beginner and seasoned sewers. And, now, the best just got better! Building on the traditions of that all-time best-seller, the New Complete Guide to Sewing presents newly updated tried-and-true instructions to get you on your way.
Clear, simple instructions throughout, written by Reader's Digest sewing experts tell you what to do and how to do it throughout. Plus, thousands of illustrations and diagrams illustrate each stage of the sewing process. Sewing will become fun and easy to do.
Synopsis
The mid-20th century was an amazing time for American womenandrsquo;s fashion! Following the war, women started looking to American designers rather than French couture houses for inspiration and to demand clothing they could move in, even play in. In this follow-up to
Gertieandrsquo;s New Book for Better Sewing, Gretchen andldquo;Gertieandrdquo; Hirsch celebrates the classic casual styles that icons like Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, and Rosie the Riveter made famousandmdash;think wide-legged trousers, fitted capri pants, beach rompers, shorts, knit tops, jeans, and day dresses. In Part I, Hirsch introduces key techniques for sportswear constructionandmdash;from working with knit fabrics to the intricacies of pant-makingandmdash;and in Part II, she showcases a 30-plus-piece vintage-inspired casual wardrobe.
and#160;
About the Author
Gretchen Hirsch is the author of Gertieandrsquo;s New Book for Better Sewing and creator of Gertieandrsquo;s New Blog for Better Sewing. She has a pattern line with Butterick and a fabric line with Fabric Traditions, and teaches sewing around the country and on PBSandrsquo;s Itandrsquo;s Sew Easy, Craftsy.com, and Creativebug.com. Her work has been featured in Sew Stylish, Vogue Patterns, Threads, and Stitch, and on jezebel.com.