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#teamballpointneedle here, I am very particular with needle choice and always use ballpoint needles for knits.
I do agree though, a nice sharp universal for attaching the woven collar would be best.

Any blunt needle will cause problems, some you may not be aware of until you wash your garment. I hate those little ‘pull’ marks that can…[Read more]

Okay, @sarahd2711 , that is seriously cute!

I think your fabric choice will be your deciding factor here. If you use a soft draping fabric, the fullness will be lovely.
A quilting cotton may look a bit odd.

@jesims, I alter a lot of ‘Light in the Box’ bridesmaid dresses and this is what works for me.

Place the dress on and pin out the excess in long French darts, take of the dress and tailors chalk the edges of the pinned section on the inside. Baste the darts in and try on again.

This can be very effective and means you have not cut away any…[Read more]

I wonder if this may help, it is not the Tea Party but it shows you how to join flat piping.
http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/play-date-part-2.html
Please disregard if it is not helpful.

Thank you @georgeandizzy.

I wonder if this may help, it is not the Tea Party but it shows you how to join flat piping.
Please disregard if it is not helpful.

Thank you @georgeandizzy.

So I finally ordered the pattern – I got the smaller size that her measurements actually correspond to rather than being cheap and trying to alter a size 5 so I have the pattern until she gets to middle school! I’m going to make a version in some very lovely green and white seersucker (which I know she will hate!) for size and then go from there.…[Read more]

@mama_knowles you have to go to a particular section – like Sewing With Oliver + S – or whatever – then you can create a new topic

I love, love that the @ feature now autocompletes!

@motherof5 do you have a tutorial for this one? I am on my mobile now and will check later if Nicole doesn’t check in before that. Also you could check her blog if you have the time, I know she has made this one many times and there may be an answer in one of the posts. http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com

@karen Thank you! I will have a look at that fox dress. Off into town today to see what I can find, ready made or fabric.
Regarding the Badminton Skort, I have always found it quite true to size. Mine is up on my blog now although I still haven’t had time to photograph it on her.

@karen Thank you! I will have a look at that fox dress. Off into town today to see what I can find, ready made or fabric.
Regarding the Badminton Skort, I have always found it quite true to size. Mine is up on my blog now although I still haven’t had time to photograph it on her.

Oh, forgot to mention that yes, I did consider having the button closure instead, and in fact our very own Lotta has a tutorial for it, but unfortunately this occurred to me after I’d already cut my fabric, and I didn’t have enough to cut another back bodice. I even thought about Frankensteining an extra button panel or something on there but…[Read more]

Oh, forgot to mention that yes, I did consider having the button closure instead, and in fact our very own Lotta has a tutorial for it, but unfortunately this occurred to me after I’d already cut my fabric, and I didn’t have enough to cut another back bodice. I even thought about Frankensteining an extra button panel or something on there but…[Read more]

I made and finished the size 4 bubble, adding length (about an inch each) to both the bodice and skirt, plus extra width to the skirt for extra pouf. I didn’t realize how much shorter a bubbly bubble is than a deflated one (without elastic) which is the way I usually make them. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m used to longer dresses on her or…[Read more]

I made and finished the size 4 bubble, adding length (about an inch each) to both the bodice and skirt, plus extra width to the skirt for extra pouf. I didn’t realize how much shorter a bubbly bubble is than a deflated one (without elastic) which is the way I usually make them. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m used to longer dresses on her or…[Read more]

Ditto the above — unless a particular needle is giving me problems like the popping/grinding you mentioned, I just use universal needles for everything, including knits.

I think my lining layer is more opaque, but the top layer is sheer enough that you could see this rectangle beneath it, but using fusible web and a scrap of thin fabric worked really well. I added a scrap to the bottom of the (white) zipper as well. It’s not perfect — is 1am sewing ever — but nobody’ll notice from the cheap seats 🙂

Thanks, Heidi!

D’oh! Good catch, Heidi! I only have *white* interfacing, not black. Oh brother, that was a very confusing question, wasn’t it. THanks so much, I’ll go check out that link!