easter sewing inspiration

I don’t know about you, but spring tends to be my most prolific sewing season. I love warm weather, and by February I am always sick of being cold and dreaming of jacket-less days. I find Easter sewing to be a great way to channel that energy. I’m not sure I’ll have time to make things for all four of my kids this year, but I enjoyed putting together some inspirational styles for both girls and boys. Oliver + S has patterns to recreate each of them. It’s not too early to be thinking about festive spring clothes for yourself and your children!

1. This Lily Pulitzer dress looks very similar to the Badminton Dress.  Dress it up with lace at the collar like our inspiration.
2. To make this purple version, just add a skirt with a ruffle to the Badminton pattern.
3. You could make a dress like this sweet Swiss dot by leaving the sleeves off the Playtime Dress and adding ruffles.
4. This pretty pink dress reminds me a bit of the Garden Party Dress. The upper bodice is also reminiscent of the Class Picnic Blouse.
5. This Grecian-inspired chiffon dress also reminds me of the Garden Party Dress.  It never occurred to me to maxi-fy that pattern, nor to sew it in chiffon, until I saw this dress.
6. I think the print on this dress is absolutely stunning. It has the same classic silhouette as the Fairy Tale Dress.
7. I really love this sailor-inspired dress. Add ruffles and buttons to the Fairy Tale Dress to make your own.
8. This striped cotton caftan is a dead ringer for the Hide-and-Seek Dress, isn’t it? Buy it for $300 … or make your own!
9. I never thought of making the Carousel Dress in a plaid, but here’s an example from Burberry proving that it’s a great idea!
10. The Music Box Jumper is a classic silhouette that could be used to make a dress like this confection with floral mesh bodice and tulle skirt.
11. I love the simple elegance of this green shift dress with the flounce at the hem. This would be a breeze to whip up using the Building Block Dress book.
12. The piped hem detail and matching color is so sweet on this little dress. Make it using the Fairy Tale or the Building Block Dress patterns.
13. This tweed dress is really close to the basic pattern in the Building Block Dress book. I never would have thought to choose tweed for a little girls’ dress, but I really love this!
14. The Playdate Dress is one of my favorites. I sewed it a couple of times for my oldest daughter. It never occurred to me not to make a contrast yoke, though, and here’s a dress that shows how stunning the pattern could be if the yoke was made up in the same bold graphic print as the rest of the dress.

And, although there never seem to be quite as many options for them, we can’t forget the boys. I actually slightly prefer sewing Easter outfits for my boys than for my girls. I think that’s because there are so many ready to wear options for girls and just not as many for boys, but with my favorite O+S pattern, it’s easy to create one-of-a-kind styles for them. If you want to sew something festive for your little guys, take a look at this inspiration for dashing looks that can be recreated using our patterns.

1. This ensemble looks really fresh in seersucker and crisp white. Sew up the Buttoned-Up Button-Down Shirt and the Art Museum Trousers to recreate it.
2. I love the little areas of contrasting colors on this linen vest and trousers set which could be achieved using the Art Museum Vest + Trousers pattern. Also awesome: these ensembles are handmade to order by a group of women in Canada!
3. The Tea Party Playsuit pattern is the perfect choice to sew a bright plaid romper for the baby boy in your life.
4. This double-breasted vest is really unique and sharp. You could achieve this look by widening the front each side of our Art Museum Vest to accommodate a second row of buttons.
5. For older boys, classic khaki Sketchbook Shorts or shortened Art Museum Trousers pair well with the Buttoned-Up Button-Down in a plaid like this set.
6. I found this adorable plaid set on Pinterest. Make it up using the Art Museum pattern.
7. This adorable ensemble could be made using the Sketchbook Shirt and the Art Museum Trousers or the Lullaby Layette pants, shortened, with simple straps and buttons to attach them.

Anything here strike your fancy? What are you waiting for?