Nicole

I’ve always waxed afterward so it doesn’t clog up the machine. I know someone who sews with waxed canvas all the time and it does tend to make your machine a bit dirty, so if you wax beforehand be sure to use a press cloth and clean your machine well afterwards!

Good advice, Nicole! I’ll talk a little bit about my thoughts on this in a blog post for next week, ok?

@yeppoon4703 Fabric requirements for all our patterns are a pretty simple and straightforward 1:1 conversion.

OK, not really, but pretty close.

When we do our fabric requirements we do them to the nearest 1/4 yard because most stores won’t sell in quantities of less than that. We always use our pattern development software to calculate the…[Read more]

I find it strange that a simple to use, base 10 measurement system has not been adopted by the entire planet. Quilting, sewing and map making might be the last hold outs.

I learned Imperial for Cartography when I was in university. I find it best not to convert between the two. Too much room for error. I add masking tape to my throat plate to…[Read more]

@madtownmama Isn’t it great? I’m making another before my daughter outgrows the pattern 🙂

@justsewit I loved the pic of Chloe helping with the tracing! I can’t wait to see your music class outfit – are you doing both blouse and skirt?

I’m going to sew tonight, whoopee!! Going to finish layette trousers which shouldn’t take long, I hope!…[Read more]

@madtownmama Isn’t it great? I’m making another before my daughter outgrows the pattern 🙂

@justsewit I loved the pic of Chloe helping with the tracing! I can’t wait to see your music class outfit – are you doing both blouse and skirt?

I’m going to sew tonight, whoopee!! Going to finish layette trousers which shouldn’t take long, I hope!…[Read more]

I’d totally wear them together! I think it all depends on the fabrics you choose. But yes, they would absolutely work as a pair. It’s been on my list to sew a matching top and skirt using these two patterns, so if you get to it before I do I hope you’ll post photos! I think they could be cute as separates, but also as a matching set.

Aw, huge congratulations! Very pleased to hear your news, and that Dorothy is a sleepy baby!

Aw, huge congratulations! Very pleased to hear your news, and that Dorothy is a sleepy baby!

Thanks for asking about this! I’m sorry to report that we won’t be releasing any new Oliver + S patterns this spring. All of my energies have been going into the upcoming book, which will be ready in early September. In the meantime, later this months we will be announcing some new Lisette patterns for summer. And come September you can also…[Read more]

Yes, I think it’s fine for older kids. You might need the buttons for smaller kids. It’s a proportion thing; little kids have much larger heads compared to their overall body size. It can be quite a challenge when I’m developing patterns!

Thank you for thinking of me! Luckily I have both patterns as someone snapped them up pretty quick!

You’ll hand stitch the lining to the zipper in one of the final steps.
If you read the last steps it should be mentioned there. Meanwhile, just follow the instructions and it will all come together beautifully.

@justsewit, there is a men’s raglan shirt pattern on the Lekala site. I’ve never tried anything from there but I see that Nicole has been making beautiful things for her girls with these patterns. I don’t have the experience/confidence/desire to venture too far from Liesl’s excellent instructions! I was recently at a sewing class and several women…[Read more]

@justsewit, there is a men’s raglan shirt pattern on the Lekala site. I’ve never tried anything from there but I see that Nicole has been making beautiful things for her girls with these patterns. I don’t have the experience/confidence/desire to venture too far from Liesl’s excellent instructions! I was recently at a sewing class and several women…[Read more]

I now understand the pain of the size 5 project. Lady E, aged 3 1/2 is measuring age 5. I think I HAVE to make a bubble dress and puppet show shorts next week. Sob.

Some items are just doomed!

I took my sewing machine and the playtime dress away on a girls craft weekend the other week. I discovered I’d forgotten the pattern instructions, so I bought the digital pattern. Then I found I’d forgotten my unpicker. And thread. Then my thread kept getting tangled. The collar top stitching is off. I bought buttons…[Read more]

I’m afraid we’re bustier than Nicole’s girls were, although I have been looking at what patterns @motherof5 used as her girls were developing for inspiration. I’m going to measure her after school today and see how much of an increase we need. This girl is one of the 3 shortest in her grade of over 130 kids, with a teensy waist, narrow shoulders,…[Read more]