[2filles]

Hi. I am starting on my first roller skate dress and have a sizing question. My soon-to-be 4yr old’s measurements put her in the 18-24 month size ( is this weird??), except for her height which she measures in the 3T size. When I lengthen the dress, should I just add length to the bottom or should I add it in the chest? Would adding it to the chest just lengthen the bodice and mean that the waist would be lower?

I still consider myself a beginner when it comes to sewing garments so any help would be great.

Thanks,

2filles

[Brittney]

Liesl has a great blog post for lengthening garments, the correct place and techniques, etc.

http://oliverands.com/blog/2010/02/lengthening-and-shortening-a-pattern.html

As far as picking a size, I would be inclined not to go too far down from what she wears RTW, like not the 18m. Maybe the 3T?

[with love Heidi]

I have a 4 year old niece I sew for who’s chest is 3t but height is size 5/6. I like to lengthen the 3t rather than making A bigger size as I feel the fit is much better through the shoulders and chest. I would be inclined to lengthen the smaller size as the pattern seems to have a widish neckline and I would be concerned that the bigger size would fall off her shoulders. I haven’t made the dress but this is my process and reasoning. For this style I would split the length and add a quarter to a third to the bodice and the rest to the skirt.

[2filles]

Thanks for the replies and I’ll be sure to check out Liesl’s blog post on lengthening garments.

That is exactly why I’m having trouble picking the size. I looked at the finished garment measurements and feel as though if I make her the 3T, she’ll wear it in 2 years! The neckline will be too big on her and she’s thin so anything oversized just looks horrible on her. I figured that in her case a perfect fit is better than too big. Plus she has a little sis that can wear it if she outgrows it too soon. Then I get to make more roller skate dresses!

[Masha Richart]

My nearly-4-year-old has a chest circumference of the 6-12month size. But she is tall. I made her a 3T Ice Cream dress (+2″ length) and it swallowed her whole. Then I tried on the 18-24 mo size Ice Cream top (lengthened) that I made her 18 months ago, and it still fits fine, width wise. So I will go back to that size, just lengthened. In a more fitted pattern, like Jump Rope, she wears a 2T. Also when I made the Seashore Sundress I drafted a 4 but then took in enough width in the side seams to make it the measurements of a 2 and it fits perfectly. I don’t have Roller Skate so I can’t comment on the roominess of the pattern, but from pictures I’ve seen I think I would go with the 2T for her and maybe your daughter as well. Maybe do a quick bodice muslin to check?

[Todd Gibson]

Be sure you’re taking her measurements from the sizing chart, not the finished garment measurements. I’m assuming that’s why the sizing looks so “off” to you. Use the size chart on the web site’s page for the dress, and compare it to her measurements. Then determine if you need to add length.

[JohannaO]

I have a skinny Minnie little girl as well. She measured between the 4/5 in her chest, but wears a 6 or 7 for length. I lengthened the bodice by an inch right above the mark for the casing, and then added two or three inches in the middle of the skirt, and smoothed out the lines between. I would measure the pieces on the target size, and then make the adjustments on the size you need for the width. (I.e. if the larger bodice is 7″ from the neckline to the casing, and the smaller one is 6 1/2″, I would add a 1/2 ” to the bodice right above the casing, and then repeat for the skirt.)

[AmyFin]

This is the first O+S pattern I’ve made…. I just want to make sure I’m understanding the size/grading scale: According to the size chart, my 9 1/2 y.o. stepdaughter is a size 5 with her 23 1/2″ chest…. that sizing seems really off, but it’s not big deal if that is indeed the sizing. She is a wiry kid, but she wears an 8 (pants) or 10 (shirts) in store-bought clothes so I typically only have to go down 1 size in patterns (e.g. Figgy’s) when I sew for her and adjust length.

Do O+S patterns run that large? I can adjust the 5 pattern as necessary in the length, I am just concerned about making a dress she will not be able to wear (she picked out special fabric to match my Washi dress….) If you’ve made other O+S patterns, I’m trying to get a sense of what size I should really make.

Thanks in advance for any advice/confirmation!

[with love Heidi]

Yes, 23.5″ chest would be size 5. If you are very concerned have you got a less precious piece of fabric to make a mock up (muslin) of? It can be any fabric even an old sheet, just make the outside, sew up the shoulder and side seams, turn in the neck and arm seam allowances (very important as otherwise you will think the neck is smaller than it really is) and try it on her for size. It would also be good to check the elastic placement as it may need to be a little lower than the pattern suggests if her height is much taller than the size 5 height.

[with love Heidi]

I just wrote a whole post (essay) about why I think Oliver and S , and other sewing patterns, can differ this significantly from age and RTW (ready to wear) sizing.

[meleliza]

This is a good pattern for learning! It’s simple, but the finished result is lovely. I don’t think you can go wrong with fabric. It seems to look good in anything. The sizing is pretty forgiving here. This time of year, I like to sew up a size from what she’s actually wearing. My nearly three year old still fits in her size 3 clothes, but I can see they’re getting small fast so I’m making her fours. They still look fine but she has more room. The roller skate dress looks just as nice in the 3 as the 4 on her. So don’t worry too much about the size, I would split the difference between her chest and height measurement.