SUMMER SEWING + 25% OFF MY ONLINE SEWING COURSE!

Last year I launched an online sewing course with my best friend and sewing guru, Leanne of Elle Apparel. We both create sewing tutorials on our blogs, and get questions all the time about the specifics of sewing, or where to start.

So last year we created a two-part online sewing course that teaches a full foundation of sewing. If you're completely new to sewing, start with the beginner course. It covers all the information about your machine (how it works and how to thread it), we talk about different kinds of fabric, we teach you how to hem, how to sew straight lines, and more.

If you already have a basic knowledge, start with the intermediate course that covers more advanced skills like darts, necklines, pockets, zippers, and more.

Both courses have 10 videos, and the last video combines all the skills to make an item of clothing -- either an A-line skirt or a shift dress -- just like the ones we're wearing above! Both of these pieces are staples in our summer wardrobes, and we want to teach you how to make them.

Our course is 25% off this week with promo code SUMMER25, so grab yourself a course and let's make some summer clothes!

THE MODERN GIRL'S GUIDE TO SEWING 25% OFF EASTER SALE!

OUTFIT DETAILS: polka dot top via Golden Tote  |  wedges via lulu*s  |  striped top via h&m 

Last summer my best friend, Leanne, and I launched an online sewing course, The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing. It's a two-part online sewing course where we teach you every one of our sewing skills in an easy, concise, and super fun way. 

The Beginner Course is a ten-part series that covers all the basics of sewing and then finishes with a full tutorial on how to make a beautiful a-line skirt, and the Intermediate Course is ten more videos that cover more advanced skills and finishes with a tutorial for a classic shift dress with pockets, sleeves, a professional neckline, darts, and even a zipper! 

With Easter only a month away, it's the perfect chance to pick up our courses and use your skills to make a new dress or skirt for Easter! We made these skirts above using the tutorial in our Beginner Course, and a simple bright colored knee length skirt or a floral maxi skirt would be the perfect piece for Easter Sunday. 

This week the courses are both ON SALE for 25% off with code EASTER25 so hurry and pick them up so you can get started on those Easter projects. 

Find them at ModernGirlSewing.com!

MODERN GIRL'S CHRISTMAS: GOLD SEQUIN SKIRT

When Leanne and I created The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing, we did it because we wanted to teach women and girls how to make their own wardrobes. There are so many amazing pieces you can make, and it's just not that hard! 

During the holidays in particular, I love whipping up a one-of-a-kind piece that I can wear to a holiday party. During Halloween, we dedicated an entire week to handmade costumes, and now that Christmas is upon us we're back with another full week of handmade Christmas style! 

This week we'll show you four different holiday style ideas, each created with pieces you'll learn to make in The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing, and at the end of the week our courses will be ON SALE, so don't miss that!

First up, the sequin skirt...

OUTFIT DETAILS: SEQUIN SKIRT MADE BY ME, TUTORIAL HERE  ||  PLAID BUTTON UP  ||  PATENT LEATHER HEELS  ||  GOLD WATCH  ||  SPIKE BRACELET  ||  DIAMOND BRACELET  ||  LIPSTICK

A sequin skirt is such a holiday classic, and it's actually really easy to make! A skirt like this could be paired with basic black, white, or red, but I chose this green and blue plaid button up for a little unexpected holiday glam. A swipe of red lipstick, a stack of gold bracelets, and some black heels, and you're ready for a party in no time. 

Our online video sewing courses teach you how to use your sewing machine, measure and sew darts, insert zippers, hem a dress, create a professional neckline, and so much more. In our Beginner's course, we teach you all the basics of sewing and then use those skills to create a cute and simple A-line skirt, like the gold sequin one I'm wearing here. Did you know that such basic skills could create such a killer holiday skirt?? 

The great thing about this skirt pattern is that it works for maternity and non-maternity -- just add a little extra length to make sure it covers your bump and is still as long as you'd like it. The elastic waist gives you all the room you'll need. 

Leanne will be sharing another style of this same skirt tutorial on her blog tomorrow, so don't miss it! 

Both of our courses will be ON SALE this week for Black Friday through Cyber Monday! Mark your calendars, text your husbands, email your moms, or do whatever you need to do so you make sure that our guide shows up under your tree early this Christmas!

DIY FRIDAY: 4 EASY DIY HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

With Halloween only a few weeks away, it's time to start working on your costumes! This week Leanne and I shared four different Halloween costumes you could make with the tutorials we teach in The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing. Did you catch them all?

We used the A-line skirt pattern and instructions from our Beginner's Course to make a darling Tinkerbell and Mary Poppins costume, and the shift dress pattern and instructions from our Intermediate Course to make a killer Grecian Goddess and Kate Middleton costume. And then for each costume, we included an extra bonus tutorial on our blogs to create the accessories that will complete your costume.

Find the tutorial for Tinkerbell right here 

Find the tutorial for Mary Poppins right here

Find the tutorial for the Grecian Goddess right here

Find the tutorial for Kate Middleton right here

There's still time to take the course and get your costume done in time! Hop over to ModernGirlSewing.com to find our courses....and stay tuned for more fun Modern Girl sewing ideas as we move through the holiday season!

MODERN GIRL'S HALLOWEEN WEEK: KATE MIDDLETON COSTUME

It's time for another Modern Girl Halloween costume! So far this week Leanne and I have shared Tinkerbell, Mary Poppins, a Grecian Goddess, and today I'm excited to share a costume for Kate Middleton!

I think Kate will go down as one of the most iconic women of our generation. Her style is always so classic, timeless, and effortlessly chic. So when I was coming up with a costume for our Intermediate Course shift dress, Kate was an obvious choice. 

Our Intermediate videos cover more advanced sewing skills like darts, sleeves, necklines, and pockets, and the final video will show you exactly how to make this shift dress, perfect for your Kate Middleton costume. Then add a DIY fascinator (since Kate is never seen without one) and some heels, and your costume is done!

The Intermediate course will teach you exactly how to make this dress -- get started right here. And find the tutorial for the fascinator head piece by clicking READ MORE below.

MODERN GIRL'S HALLOWEEN WEEK: MARY POPPINS COSTUME

Yesterday, I mentioned that this week is Modern Girl's Halloween week! A few months ago my best friend, Leanne, and I launched an online sewing course, The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing. We have two courses, Beginner and Intermediate, where we teach you every one of our sewing skills. 

Well that fun part about taking our courses and learning to sew is that you can make your own wardrobe, but ALSO you can make Halloween costumes! 

Our Beginner's Course covers the basics of sewing and gives you all the skills to make a pretty little A-line skirt, so today we're showing you how to take that tutorial a little farther and make yourself a Halloween costume.

Yesterday Leanne shared a gorgeous Tinkerbell costume, and today I'm excited to share a costume for Mary Poppins! 

Hop over to ModernGirlSewing.com and check out the Beginner's course where you'll learn all the skills to make yourself this skirt. Then click through after the page break to find the rest of the tutorial to put together this easy DIY Mary Poppins costume.

BRICKYARD BUFFALO GUEST EDITOR WEEK (AND MODERN GIRL'S SALE!)

I'm really excited about this week because I've been asked to be a guest editor for Brickyard Buffalo! I've rounded up a few of my favorite shops and they've generously put their items on sale just for you, and just for this week. I'm super excited about Let's Playground mats (they have two sizes available), Nena and Co bags (they're just the prettiest south american hand woven bags), Wind and Willow Home wooden bowls (they'd make an amazing gift), and babylit board books (I love these little darling illustrated books for my kids!)

But the sale I'm MOST excited about, is that The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing is on sale this week over on Brickyard Buffalo! If you haven't heard about it, it's the brand new online sewing course I created with my best friend, Leanne Barlow. There are two courses, beginner and intermediate, and we walk you through everything we know about sewing so by the end you're able to create custom clothing, just like we do! THIS WEEK ONLY they're 15% off, so go snag yourself our courses and get sewing!

moderngirlsewing.com

We have loved using our Let's Playground mat this week. Since it arrived, I've used it as a table cloth for making cookies (and cleaning up was such a breeze), at the beach twice, and once at the park for a family picnic. These things are so great. Get 15% off this week only right here on Brickyard Buffalo.

we don't always cook without a shirt on...just when it's sweltering hot in our non air conditioned house ;)  

And gosh, aren't these the prettiest bowls? I love the modern warmth the wood adds to my crisp white area. The marbled gray and white dipped paint on the bottom is just the cherry on top (or bottom, as the case may be). You can find them on sale right here.

Hop over to Brickyard Buffalo to see everything that's on sale! 

SO YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO SEW

photography by Mary Costa

Did you hear the news on Friday?? The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing has officially launched! Leanne and I have worked on this project for almost a year, and we're so thrilled to finally be able to reveal it.

Sewing is a skill that our generation has lost, but it is such an amazing creative outlet. Learning how to alter my existing clothing or how to make a custom dress perfectly tailored for my body is so fulfilling and fun for me.

Here are just five reasons that sewing is amazing for me (and will be for you):

1. I can make clothing more modest for my standards
2. I can make duplicates of clothing items that are out of my price range
3. I can whip up a new dress for church or a holiday any time I'd like
4. I can alter clothing to fit parts of my body that aren't standard size
5. It's a skill I can learn once and then use for the rest of my life

So many of you have asked how to get started with sewing, or how I learned to sew. I took sewing lessons for a few years when I was little, but then didn't touch a sewing machine for over ten years. So when I came back to it, it took years of trial and error to get to the point I'm at now. And up until we created this course, the only way you could learn was through a class at a community college, private lessons from someone in your area (if you could find someone), or teaching yourself (and trust me, this is the longest and most difficult route). 

The Modern Girl's Guide to Sewing eliminates all that self taught trial and error, or the expensive costs of lessons or college courses. Our Beginner Course teaches all the basics of your machine, essential sewing tools, hemming, elastic, and other basic skills. And then our Intermediate Series covers more advanced skills like darts, sleeves, and zippers. 

But you won't JUST learn the skills -- we teach you how to use those skills to actually make two items of clothing, both of which you could use as a base to make a ton of other handmade pieces! 

Our videos are clear and concise, and once you purchase them, they're yours forever so you can watch them as many times as you'd like and refer back to them as you sew. You can watch them all in your home, at your own pace, and if you have questions you can just email us and we'll clarify anything that might be confusing to you.  

I love seeing you guys sewing along with me as I make and share tutorials for my own designs here on my blog, and I can't wait to see more of you doing it as you take these courses! 

You can watch the promotional video right here on our YouTube channel, and don't forget to subscribe because we'll have new videos coming very soon that you won't want to miss. 

Also don't forget to enter our amazing giveaway over on Instagram worth almost $3500 to win yourself a new machine, serger, or money to purchase supplies!

Purchase your course right here and let us teach you how to sew like a Modern Girl!