Tamara

Let me get this right, you’re not planning on the skirt being reversible are you? If yes, the you need to consider leaving the pockets off.
If not, then construct the outer skirt and pockets as per the instructions, then construct your skirt lining. You need to have made the lining pieces so that they don’t have pockets. If you’re unsure of how to…[Read more]

Hi Victoria, have you seen the errata note for this pattern?
If you go the pattern in the shop then you’ll see the tabs for details, photos, reviews etc There’s a tab for errata.
I’ve seen this shirt a few times and found it works fine, but when the pattern first came out there were a number of people who experienced difficulty fitting the collar…[Read more]

Thanks Heidi, I knew it was there somewhere but was too busy to hit the search.
Cybele, I think those sleeves need a flounce not a ruffle in order to get the fluttery effect you’re after.

So,…. You’re planning on keeping the dropped shoulder sleeve head the same, just changing the attached sleeve portion, is that right?
I wonder if it might be better to keep it single layer and have a narrow or rolled hem on the end of the sleeve. A double layer might be too heavy to “flutter” – flappy and saggy are not really what you want…[Read more]

You certainly can fit a hood into the Forest Path Cape. I’ve added a collar, and I know someone’s added a full hood to the Woodland Stroll Cape (the grown up version).
But….. What you really need is the Red Riding Hood Cape from the book Little Things to Sew. It has a hood, single front button closure, lovely little hand slits and really nice…[Read more]

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!