Tamara

Hi @ischyrus Steven. I wonder if it would be as simple as sewing the collar stand without the collar.
That may give more of a Mandarin collar look rather than the image you’ve shown.
That image has the collar band lying very flat and almost looks like the neckline is finished with a bias.
If you use scraps (just cut a neckline and shoulders) you…[Read more]

Short answer, yes. Long answer: I seem to recall another thread where this was discussed at length.
I’ve only made one hide and seek with the notch but it was a linen type weave and on the very first washing it all frayed around that notch. Maybe I’d clipped too close, but that was certainly a fabric where interfacing both sides of the yoke would…[Read more]

I find they flatten out just fine. Much better in fact than a baking paper tracing, or the printer paper if you’re using a PDF pattern. – one of the reasons I even trace home printed PDF patterns.
Just whatever you do, do not (NOT!) try and iron the trace and Toile!! 🙂

Hi Kathy @kjmcinerny , sorry for the late reply.
I tend to trace all my patterns, including the BBD block on thin interfacing (known as Trace and Toile, and similar to Swedish tracing paper).
Then I store each pattern tracing in a clear plastic sleeve in a ring binder.
I have all my ring binders labelled with which patterns are in them and it’s…[Read more]

Jolly good! In that case, it has all printed out perfectly. Thank you so much Todd. I can’t believe after all these years, I didn’t figure that out for myself!!

I didn’t look at the sizing, but since Maggie’s been helpful and done so, then yes, just make the size 8 and add length.
I think your daughter and my son must be the same shape. He’s nine and I generally make a size 8, lengthened to 10-12 then throw on an extra 2 or 3″ sleeve length again!
Lengthening will be easy as the sleeves are quite straight…[Read more]

You know what I would do?
I’d use the Building Block Dress block to get the right chest, shoulder, armhole width… That goes up to size 12. Make a basic dress or two to be sure of the fit.
Then I’d take the elements of the Sunday Brunch: wide cross over front placket, short bodice with gathered skirt, Mandarin collar and wide sleeves and draft…[Read more]

One of the easiest ways to deal with a sheer fabric is to underline. That is; cut the main fabric and the lining fabric, baste them together around the very edge, then treat them as one for the rest of the construction.
Obviously you won’t get the clean inside finish of a true lining. But you also won’t see your seam allowances through the sheer…[Read more]

Is it the circles on the second picture not lining up that has you worried?
Don’t forget that it’s at the stitched seam line, not the fabric edge, where they should line up. Whenever I get those slight discrepancies I try pinning the seam line at the notch point, matching the notches, and then work out from there and it usually works as the curve…[Read more]

Absolutely! I haven’t shortened the Parachute pants but it would work fine. I often do this to the previous years trousers as my son grows in length much faster than width.
I’d do a 3/4″ single fold hem and use a twin needle. If you’re not keen on twin needle hemming then a zig zag or even a long straight stitch, as the hem won’t need to stretch…[Read more]

Trust the instructions! The beauty of Oliver + S patterns is that sometimes it seems counterintuitive, but if you do as the instructions say the finish is always beautiful!
So, yes, the facing is stitched with the right side of the facing against the wrong side of the pyjama top. Just as in the illustration (below step 1 Attach The Facing).
Now…[Read more]

Does this blog post help?

metro t-shirt keyhole modification

If you omit the placket allowances and cut your back pattern piece on the fold, then you can create any shape of slit or keyhole opening you like at the centre back and facing as shown in that blog post.
Just be aware that you need to…[Read more]

I’ve made a lined version (and a mini lined one for my daughter!) and it’s quite simple to do as you can just make two skirts, baste them together then attach the waistband and facings.
We don’t have a tutorial for lining this particular skirt on the Oliver + S blog but the lining the Soho Shorts tutorial is almost exactly the same…[Read more]

Dupioni silk would be absolutely lovely, and I’d be tempted to swap the skirt gathering for pleats as it would pleat beautifully and then stick out very nicely.
I’ve made it with silk satin, quilting cotton and organza type silk with underlining. Every one has worked just how I’d imagined it.
I think the crispness of a shantung would be perfect!

I’d maybe use a cotton voile or Batiste. Often you can pick up those lightweight almost lining weight cottons quite cheaply at the big box store fabric shops.
What a lucky mum and congratulations on your upcoming ‘vacation’ 🙂

That’s exactly how I’d do it. You’re not wanting it to be reversible so a casing applied to the inside of the lining is spot on.
I made a Roller Skate dress with sequins and did just that. Once the casing and elastic were sewn to the lining, I just hand stitched / tacked the sequin fabric to the lining along the stitching line.
It will look fabulous!

Given that the product to buy is a pattern, can you be more specific about which pattern you’re asking about.
Almost any skirt looks good with stilettos (the spearheaded shoes?).
So, if I’ve understood your question properly, and that’s debatable, then the answer is yes!
🤣
Or 42….

Hi @florencetaylor “sorry” to have inspired you into this quandary 🙂

Here’s what my approach would be: start with the building block dress: do princess seams and dropped waist adjustments. At the dropped waist you can add the ruffles and pockets using the Seashore pattern as a guide.
Give it a neckline facing and copy across the Seashore’s…[Read more]

You can do it Nicole!
My Christmas gift sewing so far: a couple of bags and a wallet using Kraft-Tex washable paper, one for my mum and the others are teacher gifts – that stuff is great fun!
I’m sewing a stencilled school bus t-shirt for my nephew and an All Day Shirt for my husband.
On the rope craft front I’ve made a dreamcatcher (shudder) for…[Read more]