Choose Your Own Adventure with Gertie

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When I was a kid I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. I think I may have read every book that the library had of that series.

It was fun because you could read the book two or three times and get different outcomes. Of course the “You Die” outcome was never one you would settle for. Thus, that meant you had to go back read it again.

Gertie’s New Book

Gertie Hirsch of Gertie’s Blog for Better Sewing just released her third sewing book entitled Gertie’s Ultimate Dress Book. This book features 23 mix and match dress patterns, which in a way is similar to the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

I preordered my copy of Gertie’s Ultimate Dress Book and immediately went through the book after getting it in the mail.

The book has a ton of helpful information from fabric types to basic sewing techniques.

The Dresses

As I said earlier Gertie’s Ultimate Dress Book comes with 23 dress patterns each are amazingly adorable.

As with her other books and pattern line the dresses all have a retro inspired 50s & 60s look and feel. I also especially love the fabric choices and themes that Gertie has come up with for each dress.

Not only are their fun full day dresses in the book there are a number of more office friendly styles. This is a great addition to the book as I have been wanting to make more things I can wear to work.

Mix and Match

As I was saying earlier Gertie’s Ultimate Dress Book is marketed as a mix and match pattern book. Because each of the 23 dresses can be put together to your liking.

You can change the neckline, the sleeves, the skirt, add a peplum or not. It’s completely up to you!

I think it was Gertie herself who was cited as saying it’s like a “Choose Your Own Adventure”. When you think about it, it is! There is so many options and as long as you know a few basic sewing techniques this is one adventure which can’t end in “you die”. Or is it?

Summer Plans

All kidding aside I can’t wait to get started with the patterns in Gertie’s Ultimate Dress Book. However, the next few month will be pretty busy for me so it probably won’t be well into summer before I actually have time set aside to work on any of the projects from the book.

My plan is to make each dress as directed in the book first. Then once I’m comfortable with the outcome I’ll experiment with the whole mix and matching of pattern pieces.

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Gertie’s Pinterest Contest

On a side note McCall’s pattern company recently hosted the Gertie Pinterest Contest. The idea was to create a Pinterest board around a central theme of your choice that would highlight book Gertie’s Fabric and pattern line.

Right now I’ve been dreaming of a warm sunny beach and I’ve also been watching I Love Lucy in the mornings while getting ready. So, I thought why not a 1950’s Havana Vacation theme.

Follow Akram Taghavi-Burris’s board Gertie’s 1950s Havana Vacation on Pinterest.

I thought the idea was pretty novel as Gertie’s fabric line has a few tropical floral prints and several of her dresses from her pattern line have been made by sewing bloggers in some very island themed prints.

Also I couldn’t help it but also make a fun custom pin to add to the board featuring Miss Gertie herself in a vintage Cuba Poster. The dress she’s wearing in the poster is one that she made using a variation of the Red Eyelet Sundress from Gertie’s Ultimate Dress Book.

The winners for the Pinterest contest won’t be announced until March 22, but I’m hoping I have a little bit of a chance 😉