Giulia came into the studio one day last year wearing a darling new dress. It was a really simple style, but I loved the shape of it so much we decide to adapt the same loose-fitting silhouette into an Oliver + S pattern. (And I still want to make a pattern for a similar dress in my size!)
Instead of making the dress in all one fabric, the way Giulia’s dress was, we thought it would be fun to add seams and a yoke so you can feature a special fabric, or maybe some embroidery. That dress became our new Hide-And-Seek Dress pattern.
One of the things I love about this pattern is the way it goes together. You’ll see what I mean when you make it. We designed the dress (View A) to have seams down the front and back, and we inserted some welt pockets in the front seams. These welt pockets are really easy to sew, even though they look fancy and complicated. The dress also has relaxed three-quarter-length sleeves with a cuff, which I think makes it looks really contemporary and sweet.
This is a loose-fitting, relaxed style. It’s not fitted, so keep that in mind when you’re sewing. You’ll notice that the sleeve seams don’t hit the shoulders because this style is meant to be a bit over-sized. This is one of those styles that you could make as a dress, and as your child grows the dress will convert into a tunic and still fit. So there’s lots of wear in a style like this.
View B is the same style as a tunic with short sleeves and no pockets. Wear it with leggings or skinny jeans, or even over a skirt. Really cute. And of course the sleeve lengths are interchangeable between the two styles: short-sleeved dress, 3/4-length tunic, you know–lots of options.
Both the dress and the tunic include my favorite V-notch neckline (I love the V-notch and try not to use it too often in our designs) and back button closure. Don’t fear the buttonholes! They’re easy. Next week I’ll show you another version of this dress that I made for S, and I had a lot of fun with the buttonholes on it. They’re each a different color to blend in with the fabric I used for the yoke.
Theresa actually hand-painted the fabric we used for the yoke on this dress, and I’ll ask her to tell you a little bit about how she did it if you’d like to try it yourself. When we were choosing the fabrics and trims I remembered this dress, which has been pinned and pinned, and I thought it would be fun to try using fringe trim on our dress, too. It’s so darling (but where are the girl’s arms in that photo?), and while fringe is not a trim I would normally use, the photo helped me feel brave enough to try it. When I show you S’s dress you’ll see that I used smaller, more subtle trim. So if you’re not a fan of the fringe, don’t fear!
This dress and tunic would be really sweet in all one fabric, too, like Giulia’s original dress. I love a good dress or tunic with a relaxed fit, and I can’t wait to see what you do with this pattern! It’s available now in both paper and digital format.
I love the in-seam welt pockets. Nice pattern!
Please make a grown up pattern of this!!!! Love it 🙂
I really love this pattern. I mentioned in the forums that it reminds me of the Japanese sewing book patterns. I can’t wait to make the tunic for my girls.
Yes, an adult version would be awesome!
It bothers me that this is identical to the vintage pattern 7615.
I am obsessed with this design and I will buy it if you make the women’s version!
Nerve, I’m sure there are similar styles available elsewhere. I’m not aware of any in particular, but no doubt other patterns have been designed with similar styles.
Actually I had a peek and the vintage pattern you mention has no buttons, has a zip, has no back bodice, has no pockets, has no notch, and the sleeves are different … I mean, I guess all a-line skirts are pretty similar, all button-up men’s shirts with a camp collar are pretty similar … but I wouldn’t want to start with that vintage pattern and try to figure out how to put in all the changes to get a Hide-and-Seek dress out of it. That’s just me, though!
I would quite like to hear about the handpainted fabric! And I love yokes like this, so great for using that last funny-shaped piece of something precious you can’t get even some bloomers out of.
Initially I was put off by the fringe because I am not a fringe kind of girl, but after looking at that photo you referred to on Pinterest, I could imagine a certain kind of fringe being really cute. Of course, I had to order it. I hope that my daughter would will wear it. She’s 9 and kind of resistant to mama-made clothes (sniff, sniff). Thanks for a great pattern.
Laura, I’m definitely not a fringe sort of girl either. Never used it before and probably never will again. But somehow it just seemed right with the hand-painted fabric, and I’ll show more versions without fringe next week. Isn’t it fun that we get to make these personal choices when we sew?
I’m looking forward to seeing more of these on flicker, although I might just buy it for the inseam welt pocket instructions 🙂
I love it and can´t buy it yet. I still have some O+S Patterns that I just haven´t had the time to make and my girl is outgrowing them. She is wearing 4T now… that means the last size of this pattern… sigh… I´ll have to wait one more year to buy it… but I definitely love it.
We love it here… Love all the new patterns to pieces! Thank you so much for all the beautiful work!
Actually…… google Simplicity 7615 vintage…….yours is an exact copy of this.
Nerve, you’re right that there are some similarities in style between the two patterns, but I think Sarvi’s comment clearly lays out many of the differences. Similar, perhaps. Identical or exact copy, no. And I’m certain that if you compare the sewing instructions and illustrations you’ll see that there’s no overlap at all.
I love it – congrats on a fab Spring line up, Liesl and Todd. Looking forward to making this and the Garden Party dress.
At first I wasn’t too sure about this dress, but after seeing a certain version on flikr I have decided I most definitely will be getting it. (I think maybe the fringe was kinda throwing me off, too)
As to being identical to 7615, Sarvi hit the nail on the head. And I couldn’t care less if Liesl would design things identical to everything else out there, I’d still get hers for the superb instructions and flawless design.
LOL! I had a look too, definitely similar, but more of a cool, modern update of a classic look. Certainly not identical 🙂
You are right they are not identical….inspired by? At least now you are using real children on the patterns and not the Citronille -seque pictures now. I am not the only person with murmurings of a lot of ‘inspired by’ in your patterns.
I love Sarvi’s idea of using that last bit of precious fabric for the yokes. It will be a nice way to make a statement, without over doing it. As for the roominess- Hurrah! I’m always in mourning each time my kids grow out of something mama made, so that will mean I can enjoy it for a little longer.
I really like the fringe, a lot!
I’m with you, Chicmamainedh. I love how Liesl’s pattern pieces fit together so beautifully and the instructions are so complete helpful. I commented years ago that sewing one of Liesl’s patterns is like taking a great sewing class and I still find that to be true. The fit and style, not to mention the beautiful finish of each garment really set them apart.
Actually, if we could find pictures of vintage patterns that we like and send them to Liesl to redesign into O+S patterns, I’d be first in line! What do you think, Liesl?? 😉
I love all the new designs, they are fab!
I like the look of this for my elder daughter and the Garden Party for my youngest. I will sit here on my hands to stop myself ordering the pdf’s and wait (calmly?) for some of the UK sites to stock the paper patterns.
Dear Liesl, and Todd, and S, I think this is the most brilliant pattern from your “stable” to date. I cannot adequately express how much I am looking forward to making it up. I can ‘see’ it so many ways, and with so many trims, and fabrics. I don’t feel nervous at all about because I suspect/believe it’s assembled similarly to the Seashore Sundress, but the pockets are an added stylish twist and bound to delight countless little girls. (I can’t remember caring whether my dresses had pockets or not, but I’m reliably informed that my young models, do!!!
Thank you very much for your elan, and diligence.
Love, love, love the pattern! It’s an adorable silhouette. It’ll be fun to play around with different prints for the yoke and various trims for accents!
I wasn´t going to buy the pattern because my girl will outgrow it this year… BUT I need it. I have precious pieces of fabric that I could use for it. I come in everyday to look at it. It will definitely have to come home with me.
I love the fringe too. Having a non dress loving girl, I’m so happy that both dresses in this release can be made as tunics although I’m going to find it hard to resist making them as dresses.
Eep, I cut a tunic front skirt and a dress back skirt — any tips for making a high-low hem?
I love this pattern. I definitely think that you should make this in adult size and sell it I would buy it in a minute. Although it does look like your late night tunic. Maybe a tutorial on how to alter that pattern to look like this dress?
Another fantastic release!!! Looking forward to playing around with this one a bit…..the possibilities are endless!!
What is the fabric you used for the main part of the dress? It looks like a linen. Thank you.
Love this pattern! Pulled out the fabric and pattern to make a dress for niece (size 7) but have no pattern layout photos in the pattern. Any ideas to resolve this fast?
Cutting layouts are located on the full sized pattern sheet.