Gertie's Charmed Sewing Studio: Pattern Making and Couture-Style Techniques for Perfect Vintage Looks

Bestselling sewing author Gretchen Hirsch returns to her roots with a fresh look at fashion classics—how they were made then, and how modern day sewists can re-create them now—in Gertie’s Charmed Sewing Studio.

Gretchen Hirsch, aka “Gertie,” returns to her roots with a dive into beloved fashion classics, including the mermaid gown, the structured sheath (think Elizabeth Taylor), the Rose Marie Reid swimsuit, and more—plus a little fashion history, to inspire modern-day style mavens.

Sewists, thrift shoppers, and fashion collectors will love making the book's three downloadable patterns, and learning how to reproduce favorite vintage looks that fit modern figures.

The first half of the book is a journey through pattern and couture sewing techniques and iconic designs. Gretchen combines a bounty of sketches, historic images, process photos, and clear instructions to create an irresistible sewing guide and lookbook for the vintage fashion enthusiast.

In the second half, Gretchen deconstructs three intricate garments, the Madeleine dress, the Camille sheath, and the Lillian princess coat: Focusing on just three designs offers a sewing and design foundation in a full range of sizes—from 2–20 and 18 to 34, with separate A-H cup sizes. This wide range is not easy to find in other sewing books, and more important than ever for body inclusivity. Each garment (two dresses and a jacket) is shown with detailed instructions and links to download and print full-size patterns.

Featured garments:

The Structured Tropical Dress
The Rita Blouse
The Night and Day Dress
The Lilli Ann-Style Princess Coat
The Rose Dressing Gown
The Tropical Mermaid Gown
The Marilyn Jeans
The Rose Marie Reid Swimsuit
The Cummerbund Bubble Dress
Plus full-size patterns (to download and print) for:
The Madeleine Dress, the Camille Sheath Dress, and the Lillian Jacket