[Liesl Gibson]

Hey everyone! I hope you’ve been well. I’m finally back in the studio again, settling down after a lot of deadlines earlier this summer and then a much-needed summer vacation. And now I’m turning my attention to the blog again, which has experienced some neglect on my part recently.

So I was wondering, is there anything you’d like me to cover on the blog over the next couple of months? Any tutorials that you’d like to see, or topics you’d like to see covered? Something you’ve always been curious about? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

[Sarvi]

Welcome back! I hope your vacation was a delight. A few things I’d enjoy seeing, but which may already have been covered elsewhere (apologies if I missed a huge post you did):

1. I really enjoy nerdery of all kinds, like your posts on the qualities of different fabrics. If you’ve ever started to write about something but then held back because you thought it was too much detail, or too technical, I’m one of the people who would want to read the full post.

2. Another favorite type of post is the inspiration post — little details you’ve seen somewhere with a note about how a certain effect was achieved, so I can try it out at home.

3. This might be too narrow, but I am always looking for cleaner, tidier ways to finish certain types of seams. For example, I made a pair of Sketchbook shorts yesterday, lengthened to the ankle. Once I’d sewn the outseam, forming the tube for the leg, I couldn’t make a flat-felled seam. I couldn’t scrunch the fabric up enough to get all the way down. There may already be a million descriptions of these things but each writer describes things a touch differently, and the next one might be the one that makes it ‘click’ for a particular reader.

4. If you can, and I know this is a difficult thing to put into words. I also always like hearing about underlying principles of design. I think this is one of those things you grasp with experience, and it might be hard to communicate, but I find the more philosophical elements just as interesting as the detailed, technical ones.

Thanks for the chance to chime in!

[Liesl Gibson]

I like these requests, Sarvi. Thanks! I’ll get working on these.

And we did have a lovely vacation with my family, thanks. It was great to spend time with everyone and to hang out on the beach for a week.

cheers!

[Mama_Knowles]

I hope your vacation was wonderful and restful!

I would love to see some sewing tips on sewing knit fabrics. I just started to sew with them about a month ago using the hopscotch pattern and would love to branch out a bit more with them.

[Nicole]

I would love some ideas on how to incorporate ”Todays” colours and styling into oliver+s patterns.

My Twins have pointed out to me the big floral print shorts (little shorts,think Class Picnic) with white tanks(shortened Pop Over dress) with a denim jacket(perhaps Sunday Brunch) is THE summer look!

I would love to see the New York vibe translated into oliver+s.

Thank you.

[heidileeann]

I always like to see the projects that you are working on, those posts are always inspirational.

Also, I agree with Sarvi, I like the “nerdy” posts about fabric types, sewing skills and techniques, etc… You do a really great job of explaining things in your pattern directions and blog posts. I’ve had all sorts of sewing firsts because of your skilled technical writing.

[Loralee]

Liesl, so glad to hear you had time for a vacation! Time with loved ones should be seized whenever possible. 🙂

Many of us who covet O+S patterns have kids who are getting slightly older *sniff* and are using the upper spectrum of sizes. (Thanks again for expanding the size range!)I’d love to see a blog with your take on a more mature ‘tween’ look using your patterns in the blog style of your previous post on how to pull together a whole wardrobe for your daughter. I found that extremely useful and insightful.

And I, too, love your technical blogs!

[Tamara]

I second Loralee’s request. Tween looks are only just surfacing in our house and opinions on clothing styles (and colours) are becoming very forceful. So a blog post on tween looks using your patterns would be so very helpful.

Looks for today using the “trendy” colours and prints would be useful too just so that we can look like we are up to date.

A blog post on stretch fabrics would be terrific. I’ve been sewing for years but still haven’t obtained total confidence with stretch fabrics of various kinds. It will be fun to find out what more I can do to boost the confidence level and not be so afraid of pushing the comfort zone boundaries.

Different trimming techniques also would be great – things other than piping or ric rac. Ways to make our projects have our personality but still be Oliver + s.

I’m really glad to hear that you had a lovely vacation Liesl. Time with family make holidays so much more enjoyable!

[sayiamyou]

Glad you’re back and that you had a good vacation!

I second the emotions here. I always love learning new techniques (especially since there are no sewers in my family) and info on fabrics. I itch to try new fabrics, but always feel intimidated.

Thanks!

[Sarvi]

Ooh, yes, stretch fabrics and more about trims would be great.

[Liesl Gibson]

Ok everyone, I’m taking note of your requests and suggestions and will work on these. Thanks very much!

[meleliza]

I like Sarvi’s suggestions, particularly regarding seam finishes. Glad you had a nice vacation, Liesl! For those of you interests in tween looks – have you looked at the little Lisette patterns?

[Emily]

Just chiming in to agree with what’s already been said. Styling advice for the clothes and wardrobe-building advice is wonderful. I particularly appreciate some of the more advanced, fine finishing techniques – I feel like every blogger out there has done the basics (How to sew a skirt, pajama bottoms, matching grain lines, basic cutting, etc) but there’s not as much information available for sewists without a formal education.

Example: I went to what was marketed as a zipper seminar at SewExpo this year, and it turned out to be a woman marketing her book about turning kitchen linens into other things with zippers. (It was seriously bizarre.) When one audience member asked about better/easier methods for inserting zippers, the presenter waved off her question, saying something to the effect of, “We all learned how to insert lapped zippers in home ec class. This is about going BEYOND with zippers.” I wanted to say that, no, we didn’t all learn to insert zippers in home ec – especially for sewists of my generation, it’s highly unlikely that we acquired those skills unless we specifically sought them out.

So I would really enjoy and find useful some detailed posts about different, more advanced techniques – closures (various types of zippers, buttonholes, bound buttonholes, snaps, hooks and eyes), seam finishes, and so on. I really liked the series that April did with posts about the seam finishes, and I would love to see more of those. I also REALLY loved your “Principles of Fabric Selection” series and I’d like to see more in that vein – taking a topic, and giving us several in-depth posts on various facets of that topic.

[Violaisabelle]

Liesl,

I would enjoy hearing about forecasting for textiles and designs. I would appreciate hearing how those in the industry forecast the upcoming trends and how you the designer make choices. 🙂

One of the designers touched on this a couple years ago at expo, but after a very long day of a hands on class, the information kind of went in one ear and out the other due to information over load. 🙂

Carol