Liesl Gibson

@MaggieH absolutely nothing wrong with slow sewing. Far, far better to have one good dress than half dozen rushed, ‘okay’ versions.

I will keep a look out for it and I am very keen to see your lace version.

Perfect your skills and pattern and you WILL have something you can see up for that last minute invite.

Good luck

xx Nicole

I would have definitely put this on my boy.
For up to 2 years I would make it as it is. (2+2 blouse would be adorable too) after that age I would consider leaving off the tucks and trimming the excess from the side and front to match the yoke.
I would keep the width at the sides for a chubby boy or trim the side too for a slimmer child (drafting a…[Read more]

@MaggieH how did it go?

I dismissed this pattern as a bit of a dull sew UNTIL I sewed it.
Very red faced, it is just lovely.

Stay stitching is a support for sewing, once the sewing is done it has done its job.

Clipping the curves is important for a nice neat turn and curve.

On a very sheer fabric, where the clipping will show, I trim the seam very closely and it will curve nicely but you need to be a bit careful.

I hope that helps?

I found by getting a good fit in the bust and shoulders the dress ‘skimmed’ the rest of me. It sort of tucked under my bust and hinted at a waist.

Here I had just had my 6 baby and was quite lumpy https://www.flickr.com/photos/motherof5/14999667107/in/album-72157636708064826/

See how it has gentle shaping.…[Read more]

@enbee I had forgotten about the cup size, apologies. You shouldn’t have too then.

I wish I has time to start this and do it with you.

I guess what I would do is is muslin the 8 graded to the 12 ( as you suggested). Put in one sleeve and check the bicep, you made need to add some there, check arm movement and check length.
Sometimes I have to…[Read more]

Me, me!
Small shoulders, big boobs and a big tummah!

You need to make a muslin. A FBA will be your friend here. I did one here http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/mama-gets-her-groove-back.html I have no idea if it is the right way but it may help you get started.

Liesl’s FBA instructions are brilliant.

Let me know how you…[Read more]

So funny. 5 years ago I made this post. Today I measured my daughter and she’s 51″ tall. Has a 23 inch chest. 4T chest and a 7 in length, but I’d prefer the 8 so it lasts. She’s so narrow!

And I thought, didn’t I have this similar problem before and I wonder what the forum has to say. Voila!

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!