[Yirg]

Hi there, so sorry if this has been asked and answered before. I did a search but couldn’t find anything.
Just wondered why the fairytale dress was out of print? Is there something new in the offing to replace the paper pattern version.

[Sarvi]

I don’t believe it’s out of print? Here’s the link to the paper version: http://oliverands.com/oliver-and-s-patterns-dresses/OLV-OS036FT.html

[Todd Gibson]

The Fairy Tale dress, in the small size range only, has indeed gone out of print. It’s still available as a digital pattern. As is always the case, when we near the end of our stock on an item we evaluate sales and determine if there is justification to do a reprint. This pattern wasn’t selling at the level required to maintain it in paper.

It does remain available in paper in the larger size range, and it will continue to be available there for the foreseeable future.

[Yirg]

Thank you Todd, that makes perfect sense.

[dubhels2003]

@Yirg You might be able to buy a copy from a store, for exmple in the UK the smaller size in paper is available here http://www.eternalmaker.com/fairy-tale-dress-pattern-oliver-s

I’ll definitely be buying it in the smaller size in paper now I know that it’s not being reprinted!

[Sarvi]

I’m so surprised this one didn’t have the needed sales for another print run! This seems like everybody’s go-to fancy dress pattern.

[Yirg]

I know Sarvi I was surprised too. I think possibly, and Todd may confirm this, that it still sells well but in digital format. I wasn’t actually asking for me but for a friend who prefers paper. I actually prefer digital downloads myself as Oliver + S patterns are not easy to get in the UK. Other than a few places online there are very few bricks and mortar fabric stores here and of those very few sell Oliver + S and if they do only one or two of the range sadly 🙁

[Sarvi]

Oh, that’s a good point — the PDFs can reach a wider audience.You probably know about this shop in Islington already but I remember seeing them there, maybe they’ll have it? http://www.raystitch.co.uk/

[Todd Gibson]

That pattern has just been an OK seller. It was only selling at about half the monthly volume we would need to see to justify a reprint. And it doesn’t sell very well in digital format.

People who sew it seem to really like it, but it’s probably our most difficult pattern. And that puts a lot of people off. Easier patterns always sell better than more difficult ones because not everyone is up for the challenge.

Raystitch doesn’t appear to have that pattern in stock any longer, but I just checked and Backstitch does have a few paper copies available:

http://www.backstitch.co.uk/oliver-s-fairy-tale-dress.html

[Yirg]

Thank you for the insight Todd that is most interesting. I shall pass on the information about Backstitch to my friend. Either that or convert her to digital LOL.

[dubhels2003]

I share your frustration about the lack of physical stores which sell non-mainstream patterns, especially as I live ‘ooop north’ and many of the online stores I buy from have physical stores down south. There are a number of online stores which have it in stock besides Eternal Maker and Backstitch – Village Haberdashery, Fabrimake, Fabric Godmother.

[dubhels2003]

@Todd This post had me thinking, is there going to be another ‘Ask Liesl’ blog posting? I was wondering which patterns surprised Liesl with their popularity or unpopularity? Which pattern has resulted in incredible interpretations which have changed her vision of what the pattern was in the first place? That’s so poorly worded, sorry, I am asking whether some versions with mods have taken the pattern into unexpected territory. Still not great, sorry!

[meleliza]

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164136695/oliver-s-fairy-tale-dress-pattern-multi?ref=sr_gallery_3&ga_search_query=oliver+and+s+pattern+fairy+tale&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

maybe they’ll ship it for you? Although it seems like UK postage has gone way up lately. It cost me $60 to send a small box of Christmas gifts to my mother in law and then, to my embarrassment, she had to pay VAT when she collected it!

[Todd Gibson]

@dubhels2003 I think she has a list she keeps and works from when she’s going to do one. I’ve already passed on the question to her.

[Inma]

Thanks, Yirg, for asking on my behalf. I was actually able to find a paper copy on amazon (US) and will get it by tomorrow. It is going to be my daughter´s birthday dress (in June, so plenty of time for practice). I´m excited and intimidated by the difficulty but these patterns have come highly recommended. I hope I can make the pattern justice.