Helping You Create Clothes that make You Feel Great
It’s a feeling of happiness to create and sew, which brings fulfillment, much more than buying something ready-made. It allows the imagination to flourish and offers a sense of accomplishment.
For so many people, sewing is that happy place. It’s getting into that creative flow where time doesn’t exist and problems seem to disappear.
The result is amazing. When you try that item on after you’ve finished it, there is nothing better than feeling 100% YOU. You’ve designed it with your fabric combinations and it fits you.
Of course, as I was growing up and sewing with patterns from the store, it didn’t always fit. I would spend so much time and money and there was nothing more shattering to try it on at the end and it didn’t fit me. I also struggled with finding sewing patterns that were stylish and fashionable. Not to mention the extremely difficult directions to follow… I felt there weren’t good tips to reduce the “homemade” look in the workmanship.
My passion for sewing began at age 14 when I set out to sew my entire wardrobe. Frustrated by the limitations of commercial sewing patterns, I started creating my own. Although the process involved a steep learning curve, it sparked a lifelong interest in patternmaking, garment fit, and clothing construction.
I later attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, where I studied Fashion Design, patternmaking, draping, and grading. During my time at FIT, I worked as a costume maker and backstage costumer for Off-Broadway productions, gaining hands-on experience in garment construction and fit.
In 2003, I began my professional career in New York City's high-fashion industry. For three years, I developed and fitted luxury evening gowns and tailored women's apparel, specializing in precision fit and quality construction.
Wanting to combine my passion for apparel with my active lifestyle, I relocated to Southern California and joined Oakley. I later spent five years at Vans, where I developed and fitted snowboarding apparel, outerwear, and boardshorts. These experiences gave me extensive expertise in both fashion and performance apparel.
In 2012, I moved to Europe and continued working as a freelance patternmaker and apparel developer for Vans. During this time, I founded Gina Renee Designs, where I began creating digital sewing patterns and educational resources for home sewists.
In 2014, I joined Odlo, a Swiss sportswear company, where I led teams of patternmakers and product developers. Teaching, mentoring, and helping others develop their skills was one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.
After nearly 20 years working in the clothing industry, I realized that my greatest passion is helping others learn patternmaking and fitting clothes. Through Gina Renee Designs, I teach sewists, like you, how to create clothing that fits their bodies and reflects their personal style, so you not only look amazing, but you also feel 100% authentically YOU.
I believe handmade clothing has a value that goes far beyond what can be purchased in a store. When you create your own garments, you gain confidence, develop valuable skills, and build a wardrobe that truly fits you. Sewing is also a more thoughtful and sustainable approach to clothing, allowing you to create pieces you will love, wear, repair, and potentially pass down to future generations.
All the courses I teach are with my own method, I call "The GRD Method." GRD stands for my original business name of Gina Renee Designs.
The GRD Method™ was developed after decades of professional experience in apparel development, patternmaking, garment fitting, and fashion design. While many patternmaking systems rely heavily on standardized formulas, fixed dart depths, industry averages, and traditional drafting calculations, the GRD Method takes a different approach.
At its core, the GRD Method is built around understanding the unique shape of the individual body rather than forcing the body to conform to industry standards. This creates a more accurate foundation for garment fit and helps sewists achieve results that are often difficult to obtain through conventional patternmaking methods.
Why the GRD Method Is Different:
Many traditional patternmaking methods use industry standards for dart placement, dart depth, shoulder slopes, and other foundational measurements. While these methods can work well for standardized sizing, they often leave home sewists struggling to understand why garments have fitting problems, draglines, pulling, or excess fabric. An
The GRD Method teaches students how to identify the true cause of fitting issues with a systemized approach, without industry standards. It uses your measurements, creating a more customized fit from the start.
Students learn:
• How body shape affects garment fit
• How to diagnose and correct diagonal draglines
• How to interpret fitting clues in the fabric
• How to create custom-fitting slopers and moulages
• How to develop patterns that reflect real body proportions
• How to make fitting decisions based on observation rather than rigid formulas
This diagnostic approach helps students gain a deeper understanding of garment fit.
A Fresh Perspective on Diagonal Draglines:
One of the most challenging topics in garment fitting is understanding diagonal draglines.
Many fitting resources teach students to treat draglines as the dragline "pointing to the problem," offering a list of possible adjustments without explaining the underlying cause. However, I find the dragline does NOT point to the problem. The problem lies above the draglines. The GRD Method teaches a systematic process for analyzing draglines and understanding the relationship between body shape, pattern shape, balance, and garment tensions.
This approach gives students the tools to troubleshoot fitting problems independently and confidently.
Designed Specifically for Home Sewists:
Most patternmaking systems were originally developed for the apparel industry, where patterns are created for mass production and standardized sizing. Every course taught by Gina Renee focuses on the home sewist or those sewing for clientele. The fitting courses are helpful for everyone, including those working in the clothing industry or within clothing factories.
The GRD Method was developed with home sewists in mind:
Instead of focusing on production efficiencies, the method focuses on helping individuals create garments that fit their unique bodies. Students learn how to work with their own measurements, proportions, posture, and style preferences to create clothing that feels comfortable and looks professional.
However, a well-fitting garment is only part of the equation....
The GRD Method also teaches students how to make informed fashion design decisions based on body proportions, silhouette, balance, and personal style.
Students learn:
• How to select flattering garment silhouettes
• How design lines influence visual proportions
• How to choose styles that complement individual body shapes
• How to create cohesive wardrobes
• How to develop confidence in their own design decisions
This combination of patternmaking, fitting, and fashion design gives students a more complete skill set than traditional drafting systems alone.
One of the most valuable aspects of the GRD Method is the ongoing support provided through online courses and educational programs.
Learning patternmaking and fitting can be challenging, especially when working independently. Students receive guidance, feedback, and support throughout their learning journey, helping them overcome obstacles and continue making progress.
Many students discover the GRD Method after trying other fitting or drafting systems and still struggling to achieve the results they want. They often find that understanding the "why" behind fit issues allows them to finally solve problems that previously felt confusing or overwhelming.
Who the GRD Method Is For
The GRD Method is ideal for:
• Home sewists who want better-fitting garments
• Students learning patternmaking and garment fitting
• Sewists frustrated with commercial sewing patterns
• Designers developing custom clothing
• Anyone who wants to understand how fit really works
The goal is simple: to help sewists create clothing that fits beautifully, reflects their personal style, and gives them the confidence that comes from understanding both patternmaking and garment fit.
Hundreds of students have taken GRD Method online courses and have achieved amazing results. Will you be the next success story?
My mission is simple:
Helping sewists create clothes that fit perfectly and feel great through patternmaking & fitting educational courses and books.
It's time to make clothes you love that fit!
