Nicole

What about using french seams on the side and doing either regular or bound seams for the other seams. I would not recommend french seams for joining the bodice to the skirt as it is a very curved seam and trying to sew it twice would be awful.
Rita a corduroy Tea Party sounds lovely.

What about using french seams on the side and doing either regular or bound seams for the other seams. I would not recommend french seams for joining the bodice to the skirt as it is a very curved seam and trying to sew it twice would be awful.
Rita a corduroy Tea Party sounds lovely.

Oh this is so funny. I just came back from the fabric store and said to my husband, I am having trouble deciding which fabric I want to use.
Sarah Jane’s balloon fabric is perfect for a birthday party dress.
I am dreaming of a small scale animal print with a contrasting piping around arm neck and waist for a snappy casual dress ala the 1950s.
I…[Read more]

I tend to sew at about 12mm ie half way between the 10mm and 15mm on my throat plate for a 1/2″ seam allowance. I use the edge of my foot for a 1/4″ seam. If I see a 3/8″, if it is a basting stitch (as it often is for Oliver and S) I just do it at my 1/4″, or move it slightly further out. I also use my tape measure as it has imperial and metric on…[Read more]

Lisa – I totally agree with you on growing up metric and I had the hardest time at the beginning of sewing with inches and fractions. It all looked so jumbled.
I would recommend finding a good ruler that has inches and all eight fractions marked and try and not think about if 1/4 inch is 0.6 or 0.7 cm any more.
I found my sewing was a lot more…[Read more]

Lisa, we have metric conversions for all our patterns available on the website. Go to the shop section and find the pattern you are using. You can click on the green tab for “size chart” toward the bottom of the page. This will give you the info in both English and metric measurements.

I don’t have the pattern in front of me at present, but if memory serves correctly the notch at the top of the sleeve matches the front yoke instead of the shoulder. Hope that helps!

I like that Kona comes in so many colors, it’s not hard to find a shade that matches what I need. I don’t like that it’s SO wrinkly.

Kaufman claims it’s the same, and I imagine that they’d be careful about protecting the reputation of their brand:
http://www.swatchandstitch.com/all-about-kona/2010/9/21/what-is-kona-cotton.html

I read somewhere that the “Kona” at Joann’s isn’t the same as Kaufman’s. Anyone know about this?

Hi Gillibeanz!
Spotlight carry the Lisette fabric range, which is also designed by O+S. The Oliver +S fabric is not readily available here….. :-(. I think most of us buy it online from the US (places like QuiltHome and Fat Quarter Shop probably have the best range.) Some smaller places sell it too, and a couple of Aus online places stock…[Read more]

Hi Gillibeanz!
Spotlight carry the Lisette fabric range, which is also designed by O+S. The Oliver +S fabric is not readily available here….. :-(. I think most of us buy it online from the US (places like QuiltHome and Fat Quarter Shop probably have the best range.) Some smaller places sell it too, and a couple of Aus online places stock…[Read more]

I’m fairly certain you wouldn’t need them–they’re really more of a design detail to define the shoulder/armhole than to hold the two layers together. Just be sure to smooth and pin and you should be fine without the topstitching. Can’t wait to see!

I’m fairly certain you wouldn’t need them–they’re really more of a design detail to define the shoulder/armhole than to hold the two layers together. Just be sure to smooth and pin and you should be fine without the topstitching. Can’t wait to see!

The only thing I suggest is that you practice changing the threads and sew on scraps first. I’m still new to mine, and I’ve had a few times where I was gung-ho and didn’t make sure my fabric was out of the way, and cut into my fabric and not at the seams 🙁 So I tend to sew without the knives until I need them, and go carefully when I do.…[Read more]

Yes, velveteen is cotton velvet. Nicole nailed it: poly velvet, etc. Should be a really cute dress!

Yes, velveteen is cotton velvet. Nicole nailed it: poly velvet, etc. Should be a really cute dress!

OK – another question because I am just finally somewhere where I can see a wide variety of fabrics in person. Velveteen is cotton velvet, right? I’m talking about a drapey stretch velvet that is polyester. I do prefer natural fabrics in general but as this is a special occasion dress I told myself I wouldn’t mind if she didn’t wear them for…[Read more]

Thanks for pointing that out. It’s odd, and you’re the first to notice it.
It looks like 1/8″ was added to all sides of each sheet when the Bubble Dress file was generated. (I’ve checked all the digital patterns, and it was only this one that is sized that way.)
The good news is that this won’t have any impact on the accuracy or sizing of the…[Read more]

I’m bumping this up for the serger questions