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.
Embroidered Black and White Organza
It was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina dress, and I have an evening dress pattern coming out with Butterick next week that will help you recreate your Audrey fashion fantasies.


Next is this super fancy organza! This stuff is seriously special. 
3D Blossoms on Cream Organza
So, here's what it is: it's an ivory organza base with an allover floral print. Then, on top of the print are stitched-on three-dimensional flowers. I cut it out in the three-quarter circle skirt pattern from my book and pinned it to a dress form.


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. 

Aqua Printed Floral Satin
I already have this cut out for a dress! Here's the skirt, so you can see how it looks on the form. This is the box-pleated circle skirt from my dress book. It has a lot of drape to it; it just hangs beautifully.
This one was inspired by those great floral satin dresses from Mad Men.

Finally, some jacquards!
Metallic Aqua Rose Jacquard 

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. 


But they also have the right body for a nice full skirt.

I hope you love these. Now we all just need the right occasion to wear them to! Cocktail party, anyone? 

24 comments:

  1. Oh wow wow !! These are just gorgeous!! Congratulations. I hope these make their way to Australia so I can purchase. Well done

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  2. Such pretty fabrics! What's the fiber contents?

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    1. The fabric content is online. All of the special occasion ones are Polyester. The 3D flower one has 40% viscose, and the jacquards are 30% metallic but otherwise all poly

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    2. Thanks! So pretty... darn it that it's poly. The environmental impacts weigh heavy on my little hippy heart. Dear Gertie, I love your aesthetic. If you ever have a chance to make special fabrics like these (omg, the jacquard in the blue) in more natural fibers, I'll snatch them up.

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  3. Gertie girl, these fabrics are CRAZY BEAUTIFUL!

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  4. Really beautiful! I'm with you on the wedding dress - I can easily imagine how gorgeous, special and fancy that would be. Sigh.

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  5. OMGL! Can you even believe what your life has become?? Sewing frocks and writing books and making up your own fabrics?

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  7. Those three d flowers are giving me serious heart eyes .Omg cannot cope need fabric!!
    Frankie
    http://www.knitwits-owls.blogspot.co.uk/

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  9. Really beautiful fabrics!! When will it be possible to buy them for us who live in Europe?

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  10. These fabrics are beautiful! I hope I can afford these.

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  11. Wow! The Sabrina dress is one of my all-time favourite film/fashion moments and I love the fabric you've designed. I've always wanted to sew my own version but have never managed to source affordable fabric with which to do so.

    I'm in the planning stages of my gown for this year's summer ball (my husband is in the Army) and the thought of making my own Sabrina dress just made me all happy! Our Mess is an historic one and as the CO's wife, I'm supposed to set the standard - I'd love to sweep into the ballroom in that gown! Sadly, the tennis court is not convenient for champagne and waltzing...would the croquet pitch be an adequate substitute? ��

    While I can get the pattern in the UK when it's released, sadly, it appears I can't get my mitts on your fabric. Rats. I'll just have to go back to my original idea of using this pattern (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/1955-Vintage-VOGUE-Sewing-Pattern-B34-DRESS-EVENING-GOWN-1290-By-JACQUES-HEIM/261872437637?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&_trksid=p5197.c100068.m2280&_trkparms=ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140211130857%26meid%3D329c28d04f1040ec93c7c53f6006834a%26pid%3D100068%26clkid%3D4575825790461110513&_qi=RTM2063723 ). I'm currently thinking of navy shit taffeta...

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  12. I adore your fabulous organzas! That 3 D blossom is really fantastic, I just wish I had an occasion to use it! And the black and white embroidered! well, again, I wish!

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  13. No other words, just beautiful!!

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  14. My exact words when I saw that blossom organza were "Oh my goddamn", so I obviously need it

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  15. Good morning Gertie,

    I just adore the new fabrics. Thank you. Your sewing videos have my Singer singing all the time now. Thank you.

    I need to know how to take a diagram of a pattern about four by four inches for a girdle and draft it out to size. It has some measurements but not drawn on a grid. I can use a french curve to get the curves close. I was just wondering if there is a specific technique to accomplish this.

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  16. Hi Gertie,
    Love those gorgeous fabrics especially the 3 D one
    You inspired me to take up sewing all those years ago and I have enjoyed reading all your posts with those beautiful pictures of newly sewn lovely lovely clothes
    I have recently started the site htttp://sewguide.com and hope to post photos my dresses too
    keep on doing your inspiring work
    sarina

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  17. You mention the box pleat skirt is from your book. WHICH book? I'm buying ASAP!

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  18. Though I love the Sabrina inspired dress, I have no reason to make it :( But I did go ahead and get the summer set! I LOVE it! :)

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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