Gretchen Hirsch, our fave blog starlet and style icon from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing, is unleashing (pun totally intended!) her vintage-inspired sewing prowess, and a newly published book, Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing (STC Craft, September 1, 2012), to bring attention to helping shelter animals in need.

Hirsch has just launched a campaign to assist Pets Alive, a no-kill shelter in Middletown, NY, where she adopted her own dog, Rosie. Using her magical powers with a needle and thread, and her large blog following (15,000 page views a day), Hirsch hopes to help the shelter animals through a sewn bandana drive.

You can help too! Check out her tutorial for the adorable "Adopt Me" dog kerchief! It provides everything you'll need to craft fun bandanas that the shelter dogs will wear to look ultra-adoptable and fabulous at adoption events. There is also an option to make "Adopted" kerchiefs, which Gretchen hopes more dogs will soon be donning as a result of this drive.

Instructions for sending the finished projects to Pets Alive are also on the blog, as well as a list of other items Pets Alive needs, and a link to the organization's donation Pay Pal account. Soon to come will be a post on sewing pet comforters, too, "because every shelter dog needs a comfy place to sleep," says Gretchen.

Gretchen also plans to help Pets Alive by selling tickets to her upcoming book release party, sponsored by Kollabora, to be held at The Sewing Studio, 134 West 29th Street, New York City, on Saturday, September 15th. One hundred percent of the ticket cost will be donated to Pets Alive. The event will include snacks, cocktails, sewing fun, and a book signing--Kollabora will be there selling the books and sipping the cocktails!  Tickets can be purchased in advance on her blog: www.blogforbettersewing.com.

Hope to see you there, and stay tuned for more Gertie-centric posts to come!