It’s always challenging for me to introduce a new collection of sewing patterns. I nurture these styles for months before they are printed and delivered, and they’re my babies.
I was sorting through our spring development samples the other day, making room for fall. The entire time I was exclaiming to anyone within earshot, “Look, here’s the sample where we tried the other yoke idea!” or “I’m so glad we didn’t use this vent option.” It’s both strange to re-live the whole process through those samples and exciting to remember where we started compared to where we ended up.
And now it’s time for us to pass these new styles on to you so that you can make them your own. It’s time for my babies to become yours.
I’ll do a more in-depth show-and-tell for each of these patterns next week. But I know many of you have been eagerly waiting to see what we have in store for you this spring. So here we go!
Croquet Dress
This nautical-inspired dress has two different sweet options and lots of fun, easy-to-sew details. The dropped-waist style has elastic inside the casing so it’s very comfortable to wear, and the keyhole opening at the back means no stitched buttonholes! The version shown on the envelope has a cute little collar, while the alternate view has a simple yoke that lends itself beautifully to embellishment of all sorts.
This pattern is designed specifically for quilting cottons but can also be made up in a wide variety of other fabrics for dressy and casual styles alike. The straight hem of the skirt works beautifully with the border print in our newest fabric collection, The Ladies’ Stitching Club, and we’ve rated this style a two scissors out of four for difficulty level.
Secret Agent Trench Coat
Now all aspiring undercover agents can also look cool under pressure! This unlined trench coat pattern is lots of fun to sew, and the impressive-looking results will amaze even the evilest of villains.
The raglan sleeves and easy collar construction make this a much simpler project than it appears to be at first glance. This coat is unlined and can be finished with bias binding (instructions included) for an extra-special coat that looks as nice on the inside as it does on the outside. And the details, as you’ve come to expect from our patterns, really make this style special. We’ve included a shoulder flap, sleeve tabs, patch pockets, and a vent at the back. And secret agents can be feminine, too, with a dropped-waist version of the jacket for the girls.
This patterns makes up beautifully in laminates, canvas, denim, or home-dec fabrics. And of course you’ll want to pick a fantastic printed quilting cotton for the bias-bound seams.
We’ve rated this pattern as two of four scissors in difficulty. (See? I told you it was easier than it looks!)
Badminton Skort, Dress and Top
Every little girl needs a cute, practical skort for the playground or the badminton court, and we think this scalloped-hem style is both adorable and practical. The coordinating top features a curved yoke that doubles as shoulder straps, and the little ruffles at the shoulders add a bit of sweetness without being too frilly. We love the drawstring detail at the front, which cinches up the gathers a little bit. The top can also be lengthened to an adorable sundress with a scalloped hem.
Designed for quilting cottons, this style would be equally great in dressy fabrics like silk dupioni. We’ve rated it two out of four scissors in difficulty.
The patterns will be available on our website on April 2, so you don’t have long to wait to get your hands on them. I’ll be back next week with more details on each of these new styles to help you start planning your spring sewing.
All so lovely!! Looking forward to getting all! 🙂
Once again, Oliver and S has outdone itself! Beautiful patterns . . . can’t wait to see details of each next week. Thanks for sharing your “babies” with us!
Especially love the trench coat…going to get them all!
*squeeeeeeee!*
You are so very talented. You make me happy just looking at the pictures. You have a blessed gift and thanks for using it so well.
I love the dress and the top and skort! Gorgeous!
EEEP! So cute!!! Can’t wait to get my hands on these!
Skort??!! Active girls everywhere thank you from the bottom of their… er… skirts!
Christina, LOL! Thanks for your enthusiasm, everyone.
Just awesome! You outdid yourself!
I am in LOVE with that croquet dress!!!!
O, Happy Day! The newest patterns are worth the wait! I am so excited to get sewing! Thank you!
ohhhh, these are great! i can’t wait to get going on spring sewing!!
This collection was seriously meant for my kids. My daughter would love that croquet dress and one of my boys has decided to become a secret agent when he grows up. Can’t wait to start sewing these!!
I should have guessed it!
This time I was almost sure I wouldn’t “need” all the new patterns: it almost never rains around here and skorts are not necessary (yet).
But then, you show up with the cutest trench coat ever (matching mummy’s, of course) and an adorable top and skirt combo.
Yeap, you did it again!
Thank you Liesl (and O+S team)! I can’t wait to get my hand on these patterns (as always…)
Cannot WAIT to make the Badminton top for my little niece. Love it!
That coat is divine! That what I am sewing first-I adore it!
I always love what you do but I do think this seasons patterns look something very special indeed.
Congratulations.
I have been eagerly awaiting these since the Heather Ross weekend. I love the drop waist trend – just made the Apple Picking dress and it’s such a cute look. Lovely! 🙂
I am so excited! I have been checking in here and on your pinterest for weeks hoping for a peek at these patterns! They are so perfect! Thanks for making such a wonderful product. I learn more about sewing every time I use your patterns!
Love all of these patterns especially the coat! It is autumn here in Aus and I thought I might make the croquet dress in a light denim to wear with a long sleeved top and stockings for winter.
Trench coat absolute top of my list and suiting both boys and girls is just too good to be true. My kids need a good coat and this fits the bill. I love the Croquet dress – just so sweet (I can see this being shortened to a top also) and the skorts pattern will certainly be handy. Can’t wait.
Lovely, as usual, they are all so special and inspiring and I love the pictures of “actual” kids so you can see the fit and style in real life! Thanks!
Liesl, you make beautiful babies!! Th.ank you for such a lovely collection.
I see two I must have!! The coat will be one my boys will filp over!!
The badminton ensemble is my hands down favorite. I love the top, it’s absolutely darling. And the skort is genius. Maybe it’s the warm weather or the fact that I now a girl, but lately I’ve noticed so many little girls on the playground with underwear showing. I think girls should be active and still get to be girly. Here’s to the return of the skort! Of course Liesl would do it first. I can’t wait to see how it goes together.
Adorable! I’m really tempted to make the trench in a laminate. And I LOVE the idea of a skort.
Awesome!!! I can’t wait to make the trench coat!!! I love the school days coat and this new trench will be the perfect complement to it for the other seasons. And thank you for including a look for both boys and girls. I must have the skort as well, can’t wait to place my order!!
My daughter is totally in love with the badminton outfit.This skort is a fantastic idea, I can’t wait to sew it! This collection is adorable.
Yeah!!!! Love them all and can’t wait to get started. Especially the trench coat! Thanks for the infinite wisdom and inspiration.
That trench coat is amazing and the other patterns make me wish I had a girl to sew for. Fantastic additions to your range.