Todd Gibson

Sure, as it happens I did a tutorial specifically to help with this issue! https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2012/10/fitting-a-muslin.html

You can do anything! I have French seamed the whole lullaby layette and it’s fiddly but definitely doable.
Baby clothes don’t get worn as many times as big clothes but they do get more washing per wear so I guess the finish needs to be somewhat durable.
A simple Zig zag stitch would be perfect.

You could try, but you’ll need to baste the fabric into place rather than fusing it, which means the interfacing won’t be adhered to the fabric. It would probably be ok, but I haven’t tried it on this pattern so I can’t say for sure.

Hi Vicki, sorry for the late reply. Since the elastic only goes around the sides and back you don’t need the full waist measurement of elastic.
I usually stitch one end in pace then try it on the kid before trimming the elastic and stitching the other end.
If I haven’t got the kid to hand then I adjust the elastic until the waist circumference of…[Read more]

Hi Lyndsey,
Have you typed your hip measurement correctly above? I notice it’s different on the image you attached.
If it’s as per the written then a 12 with any necessary bust adjustment would be fine.fwiw,I measure 38(same high/full)/30/40 currently and made a straight size 10. It’s comfortably loose in the top half but more fitted below. Hence…[Read more]

Thanks Todd.
I must have the first printing too. So, will this mean that our placket actually is 1/4″ further in, as the centre front is only a 1/4″ off the cut line, but we’re going to sew the placket on with a 1/2″ seam?
I know 1/4″ is probably neither here nor there in a shirt with as much ease as this, but I’m curious…
If I follow the…[Read more]

Good pick up and very good question.
I’ve got one cut out and ready to sew for the first time.
You’re right that the instructions differ. The cut line drawn on the pattern is certainly at the 1&1/4″ distance from the fabric edge.

I tend to follow the written instructions and never look at photographed sew alongs, but now you’ve got me…[Read more]

Hi EDB,
It’s nice to hear you have people looking out for you and time to sew!
Sleeve heads fitting into armscyes nicely is definitely a pattern designers forte. The sleeve from one pattern will almost certainly not go easily, if at all, into the armscye of another pattern.
If you’ve made the long sleeved classic shirt and the sleeve fits you…[Read more]

Sure–athletic clothes are often made of hydrophobic materials, which makes it difficult to eliminate odors because water is repelled by the fabric. Two suggestions: soak them in a water-vinegar mixture first. Then add some baking soda to the washing machine. Both of these methods will help get rid of odors easily!

The “cut placket piece” referred to in step 2 is not the 1″ strip you’ve just removed from the front of the shirt.
The cut placket piece is a separate pattern piece.
Check your cutting layout. You’ll find it. It’s plenty wide enough to follow the instructions as written.

Hi Ann,
Curly knits can be a right pain.
One tip I’ve heard, but never yet resorted to trying myself, is spray starch.
I tend to pin the shoulders, centre back and centre front and then start stretching and pinning all the rest of the way around.
Use lots and lots of pins.
If you then find it scary to sew the neckband on with the serger and all…[Read more]

That’s really cute! Very inspiring.

I notice you asked in the Facebook group too and I answered in a little more detail there.
In short, it depends entirely on whether the dress you’ve designed requires any opening in the centre back skirt.
If an opening, like a zipper, or button placket extends into the skirt panel then you need that extra seam allowance.
If not, use the inner line…[Read more]

It looks great on you! Well done.

Here it is: https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2016/08/reversible-bucket-hat-tutorial.html
The photos help to show how you get the lid set into the crown.
Good luck.

Even when you’ve got everything right, seeing hats can be tricky.
I find it helps to mark, or stitch, along the 1/2″ seam lines and make sure I’m pinning at the seam line, not trying to match up raw edges.
It also helps to pin the four quarter marks (front, back and each side) and then ease the fabric inbetween to fit.
You may also need to clip…[Read more]

Lining up the raw edges flat like that doesn’t represent what happens when you stitch. What you need to look at is the stitching lines.
With a 1/2″ seam allowance you should overlap those pattern pieces so there’s 1″ of double pattern.
Does that make the edges meet properly?
It’s a slightly curved seam, so there’ll be a little bit of angle change…[Read more]

Oh, I agree with Lightning! Checks would be darling:

It would be a challenge, sure. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a go!
Options to make it easier for yourself might include cutting the waist/belt section on the bias (windowpane check) or cross grain (stripe)
That gives you a bit of a visual break between the bodice and the skirt so your pattern matching across those sections doesn’t have to…[Read more]

The Saint-Germain has waist pleats, not waist darts. So you don’t really need to extend anything. If you don’t think that will work for your shape, you could try rotating the fullness of the pleat into a side bust dart. I added a dart for mine since I have a large bust.