Oliver + S

general post

playdate variations

Every time I look at the Oliver + S Flickr group I’m amazed at the new photos that have been posted by our customers. Such wonderful fabric choices! Such adorable children modeling the finished projects! Really, seeing your photos inspires …

summer sewing

I spent a little time in the garment district last week visiting my favorite fabric shops for a few items I needed. And while I was there I was thinking about you! Several blog readers have recently requested ideas for …

reason #17?

I was thinking this weekend about one more benefit of sewing. Because you can choose fabrics, patterns, and colors of your own liking, you can also build a cohesive wardrobe that all works together in many interchangeable ways. How may …

the economics of sewing, part 2

When I started this thread, I was thinking about how when I was young my mother sewed to save money, but how most people I know today don’t list that as their primary reason for sewing. I gave a few …

the economics of sewing, part 1

Let’s talk about the economics of sewing, shall we? When I was growing up, my Mom sewed to save money. With five girls, and five parochial-school tuitions to be paid on a professor’s salary, there wasn’t much left over for …

the size of it, part 2

(continued from part 1) There are usually several stages in the development of sizes for an Oliver + S pattern. I always draft the first pattern in a 12-18 month size and fit that garment, or several consecutive garments, to …

the size of it, part 1

Have you ever wondered how clothing gets made in different sizes? It’s a rather technical process, and I thought it might be interesting to explain some of the steps to you. Clothing and sewing patterns always start out from one …

happy 2009!

I hope you enjoyed the holidays are are excited about the new year. We certainly enjoyed a little break over here, and I’ve been busy finishing up some personal projects that have been languishing. Now I’m ready to go with …

free holiday mitten ornament pattern

I first designed this little ornament two years ago and offered the pattern on disdressed, my personal blog. It’s been quite popular. But I wasn’t entirely happy with the method we used to make it available, and I thought it …

harvest dress

I always have a difficult time letting go of Thanksgiving and moving into Christmas. Maybe it’s something about the family-oriented reflection of Thanksgiving versus the consumer pressure that seems to preceed Christmas (can you tell which holiday is my favorite?). …

Boersma’s

Located in historic downtown McMinnville, Oregon, Boersma’s Sewing Center offers a tremendous range of products and services, from sewing and knitting supplies to long-arm quilting machines for rent and sewing classes of all sorts.Because the store is located in a …

at last!

When we moved into our new studio space in early September, I knew almost immediately how I wanted to use the space. But it took a lot longer than that to bring it all together. Now, at long last, we’re …