I bought myself a gift a while ago, as you do, which was the most amazing Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing.
I love love love this book! The styles are beautiful and Gertie lays out the instructions clearly and nice for someone with a bit of sewing experience like me can begin to understand. I can’t say how many times I’ve flipped through the pages imagining I’m a better sewist and I’m making all the different versions I can think of.
Being time-poor and pretty new to sewing means it’s taking me a long time to get through my first project, which is the lovely and simple Portrait Blouse. I bought this book over a year ago and I’ve yet to settle on the adjustments to the blouse I’m happy with! Being large-busted means I don’t get the blouse-y effect Gertie gets in the book, instead it looks a lot more fitted. Sweetheart says this a good thing and it looks nice on me. I say I need to get out of the habit of buying baggy or stretch-y tops and embrace this fitted idea. (Posture, please.)
So! After having this fabulous book for a month and wondering when I was going to get myself into it, I found myself with a few hours to spare pondering what to wear to a party. I know! A New top!!
Trace, cut and sew a new project in a few hours with no testing to wear that night? I’ve done crazier things. Turns out, I had the top made and pretty well fitting in that time, paired it with my Back Up Christmas Skirt and off we went!
Truth be told, I just zig-zaged the neckline, armholes and hem and off we went. Such a minor detail won’t be noticed in semi-darkness, right? Well, it wasn’t noticed. ;D
The Portrait Blouse was so easy to sew, by the end I was so happy I didn’t care if it didn’t fit me I was happy enough with what I’d done I would finish it and maybe gift it to someone it did fit. But it did fit me, albeit not as blouse-y as I’d hoped and probably about an inch too short to be properly comfortable.
This has started a slew of ‘wearable’ muslins, old-bed-sheet muslins and pattern cuttings. Gertie has totally sold me on the idea of the Portrait Blouse and I am determined to perfect the pattern for my shape and make a million of them!
