Sewing never goes out of style, and today it is more popular than ever! Sew Retro offers twenty-five stylish, vintage-inspired sewing projects—beautiful bags, essential skirts, unique pillows, and more—that are a pleasure to sew, thanks to easy instructions, helpful diagrams, and a pocket of ten full-size patterns. This fun, inspirational book also uncovers sewing’s colorful history, from the introduction of the sewing machine to the modern DIY movement, and features interviews with today’s hottest fabric and pattern designers, including Amy Butler, Betz White, Barbara Brackman, Emma Brennan, Judie Rothermel, and Kathy Miller of Michael Miller Fabrics. Filled with gorgeous project photography and quirky vintage illustrations that bring the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, and beyond to life, Sew Retro celebrates sewing yesterday and today. Learn more about Sew Retro and enjoy bonus projects and tutorials at www.sewretrothebook.com!

Sheets of patterns are in an envelope inside the front cover, each sheet is doubled sided.

Textile lovers will delight in this inspiring book that shows how to turn vintage fabrics into beautiful garments and lovely accessories. It includes tips on working with fragile, stained and tired textiles, and overflows with creative ways to mix the old with the new.

Spend an evening stitching any of the designs in this book and you'll instantly remember what you've always loved about embroidery: it's fun, you can see the design quickly take shape right before your eyes, and in the end you have a delightful piece to brighten your home or office. From beautiful florals to inspirational sayings to whimsical tacos (yes, tacos!), you'll find more than a dozen designs to make you smile. Beverly McCullough of Flamingo Toes provides easy embroidery and finishing instructions so you can display pieces in hoops, on pillows or zip bags, and even on cork and clothing. Beverly's inspiring designs and ideas will make it a pleasure to take each stitch.

A nationally acclaimed sewing expert provides simple, step-by-step directions and more than 1,000 illustrations for making clothes for work, home, and play — everything from stylish skirts, dresses, and jackets to children's clothing.

The mid-20th century was an amazing time for American women'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 Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing, Gretchen "Gertie" Hirsch celebrates the classic casual styles that icons like Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, and Rosie the Riveter made famous--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 construction--from working with knit fabrics to the intricacies of pant-making--and in Part II, she showcases a 30-plus-piece vintage-inspired casual wardrobe.

“Gretchen ‘Gertie’ Hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, a sought-after sewing teacher, and the creator of one of the web’s most popular sewing blogs.” —Creativebug Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses is Gretchen Hirsch’s modern reinvention of this simple idea, focusing on easily mastered sewing skills, minimal pattern pieces, and fabulous designs. And the best part? Readers will end up with a sparkling wardrobe of easy-to-wear, fun-to-style dresses that will fill busy modern lives with retro charm. Chapters include: Supplies and Tools Fabrics Getting Ready to Sew Dress Construction: The Basics Dress Construction: Essential Skills Trims and Flourishes Fitting In the ’50s and ’60s, Simplicity released their popular line of Jiffy sewing patterns, which had minimal pattern pieces and simple constructions, yet were chic enough for fashion-conscious customers. This approach appeals now more than ever as stylish women are continuously looking for ways to fit their love of sewing into busy lives filled with family, work, school, and countless other obligations. With the lessons offered here, you can make a Popover Dress, Chemise Dress, Swirl Dress, Boatneck Dress, and Patio Dress. Everything you need is included: pattern maps, finished garment measurements, and more. Hirsch writes in her introduction, “So why did I write this book? Because I want to show that it’s possible to cultivate real sewing skills without spending days or even weeks on a project. Sewing more projects means more practice!” The vintage aesthetic of these projects will appeal to beginner and expert crafters alike. They stand on their own as great examples of retro fashion. They aren’t just simple sewing projects. So, don’t wait. Start sewing!