Hello, friends!
If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you might remember that we had a series of posts a while ago in which I answered some of your questions. And you asked good questions! We covered lots of topics: how to buy a sewing machine, what to do with outgrown clothing, how I learned to grade sewing pattern sizes. So let’s bring it back again, shall we?
I’d love to hear from you: what questions do you have? Ask anything: sewing-related, not sewing-related, whatever is on your mind. Drop me a line at askme@oliverands.com, and I’ll add your questions to my list. I’ll try to answer as many as I can since it’s so much fun to learn what you’re wondering. And it helps me to help you!
Do you have any tips for choosing printed/ patterned fabrics? Or how to combine printed fabrics? For example, I love bold prints/ fabric and think it will look great made into a certain dress and in the end, I hate it because of the fabric pattern I chose.
It probably just comes with practice, Courtney! I like to hold it up to myself and look in a mirror to get a better sense of scale, etc. But I’ll add your question to my list and maybe we can address it in greater detail.
Not a question, just a big thanks for the Margiela post–I loved that collection! And yes, I did scrutinize it and wonder how…? But it is so way beyond me (even the Building Block book exceeds my meager ability). Alas, no one on my sewing site seems to share my Galliano/Kawakubo adoration, and a post to that effect could only invite sarcasm, silence at best. So I very much appreciate a nod to randomness from somone with a refined and sophisticated sense of design and construction. Thank you!
Jane, I’m still kicking myself for not buying the way-too-expensive Comme de Garcons jacket I fell in love with at Bergdorf’s way back when I was in school. I know that I’d still be wearing it today, more than 15 years later. Those clothes are amazing and timeless because of their unusual silhouettes and details.
It could be you then who nudges patterns toward the avant-garde. The smoking Vetements collections are fairly basic pieces reimagined/redesigned by someone who truly understands proportion and how to play with it, like you.
Can the placket technique used on the baby romper in the layette pattern be made wider so that I can use it on the skirt portion of a child’s dress. I’ve never been pleased with my results using some of the other techniques and this one just sewed up perfectly and laid so flat . I’d love to be able to duplicate it on my granddaughter’s little dresses. Not sure how much larger to make the template though to make it proportional to a size 5 dress. thanks