April Henry

Well done!

Great! If it still doesn’t lie flat after a good pressing, maybe try hemming it again? If your machine tension is off that could make the hem wavy. I think it’s just one of those things that gets better with practice. Glad you’re having fun with it!

What kind of fabric did you use? Slippery fabrics are more difficult to hem then more stable fabrics, so maybe that had something to do with it? Also, a good pressing can often solve a wavy hem…

It’s pretty easy to shorten sleeves. Just decide where you want them to end, add a hem, and cut the sleeves at that point on the pattern piece. Or wait until you can try it on and decide how short you want them to be then. You can always pin them to see if you’re happy with the length.

Completely agree, Sarvi. In fact, I think I wrote something similar in this post: https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2014/12/ask-me-how-to-buy-a-sewing-machine.html

I’m not sure I’m following you, @mrskanuckles. Can you clarify a bit?

Hmm, sounds like you need a trip to NYC! Actually, you could try calling the Fashion Directory, which is a free service. It’s a great resource: http://garmentdistrict.nyc/fashion/fashion-directory/

I hope that helps!

I agree; it’s perfectly fine to take a break until inspiration hits! I know I personally can’t always be sewing or I burn out. Take a break and try something different or don’t do anything at all for a while. And maybe when we have some new patterns out (soon) that will help???

Thanks, @markjebobarrhotmail-com. My understanding per the SVP reps is that their different brands are targeted like this:

Singer: entry-level/beginning sewist
Viking: more advanced/a little more expensive
Pfaff: more expensive and more features.

In the end I think it’s just important to buy a machine that feels good to you and comes from a…[Read more]

Very cute!

That looks like a good idea! Thanks for posting.

Those are great, Lightning! Thanks, and thanks for the love.

My preference is Bemberg: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Bemberg

Other types of rayon can be ok, too, but I prefer the hand feel of the Bemberg. Hope that helps!

Hello! The dress works great with knits, and I’ve seen lots of photos of it made with jersey, etc. I’ve even used sweatshirt fleece for it. If you check the Oliver + S Flickr group you’ll probably find lots of images, although I can’t comment on the weight of your fabric. You’ll have to be the judge of that one.

This is bad news indeed! Thanks for telling us.

Please keep me posted! I’m curious to hear how it goes. And it’s great to hear the PDF assembled easily. Cheers!

Is it a true double-faced fabric? Because if it is, you can separate the fabric at the edges and tuck the edges in between the layers before hand-stitching to finish it. The would allow you to create a fully reversible cape if you don’t mind hand sewing quite a bit. I just did a quick google search and found a couple of tutorials to help…[Read more]

Hey Johanna,

Very perceptive questions!

1. I gave you a little extra width in the skirt back placket for “turn of cloth” and because the testers felt it was a bit tricky to sew. It felt safer to have a little extra there, but if you match the crease to the line of stay stitching you’ll be fine.

2. With regard to the difference in width on the…[Read more]