I’ve known Jennifer from Historical Sewing for over 20 years, and I was delighted when she asked me to be a guest on her wonderful sewing podcast this month.

Now that we’ve made it through the holidays and have had a chance to draw breath, I feel good about moving forward on several new projects.

In early 2010, while hunting for retro-style dresses that I could wear while nursing my baby daughter, I found a deadstock 1950s shirt dress for sale on eBay. Incredibly, I snagged it for only $25, and it was a perfect fit. I really loved the style with its curved collar, self-cuffed sleeves, and pleated skirt. I'd been telling myself for a couple of years that it was time to branch into 1950s patterns, but I hadn't been struck with inspiration for a new design until I got and wore that dress.