professional dressmaking course

We are still offline at home, but in my lunchbreak I've been catching up with Gretchen Hirsh's Sew Retro course on Craftsy.com. If you go to Gretchen's blog, she'll give you 50% off her course - you need her links or click mine!


I have to tell you about this course, it's amazing. I am a self taught dressmaker, so an intermediate sewer if you will. This course is showing me all the techniques I should be using, like trace basting, who knew about that? Also how to fit those Burda paper patterns together easily! Plus, more importantly small and large bust adjustments.

I can see a dress form is quite important for doing a good job with this style of dress. It's a fitted bustier style dress by Burda (the pattern is included as well as a download). Gretchen is also showing a few different skirt options, or making it as a top only.


Whether you want to make a dress in this style or not, the demostration of all the different techniques you need to make a well fitting garment is invaluable. For $29.99 you get 15 indepth classes showing you each step of the way.

I have watched about 1/3 of the courses and I've learnt quite a few new things. Even if you are a beginner sewer this course is great as you will be taught things that you may not know, or are yet to get to.

Once you have the course you can watch it and rewatch it indefinitely. Also you can add notes against the videos, and ask questions which Gretchen and others will reply to.

I do recommend checking out Gretchen's blog, as it's got loads of advice and interesting discussions on sewing.

don't forget

In recent weeks I have managed to leave the house without my lunch for work and without my keys! To be honest it's not surprising as our life is so busy with our family of four all going four different ways every day; nursery, school, work and work.

So due to our hectic schedule some pertinent reminders are needed to help our days go smoother.I have put together a don't forget lists in three colourways for anyone to use. An easy print out and put on the wall, by your front door! This has been quite a palaver involving google docs - I won't bore you!

Red : Blue : Green

Hopefully I wont have to sit on the floor outside my front door again (luckily my wifi worked on the outside, so I sat reading The Guardian on my phone, eating the olives I had bought at Brighton Farm Market).

Autumnal Cheer

For all my lovely readers, I have managed to press-gang my compliant husband into arranging a super duper offer. (This might come in useful for some Xmas presents). I'd take advantage quickly before he comes to his senses - he's a Yorkshireman.

So for the next 2 weeks (until the end of November) you can get a whopping 30% off his Landscape and Abstract prints from his website. All you need is the code: AUTUMN30