{"id":65768,"date":"2018-05-22T11:10:38","date_gmt":"2018-05-22T15:10:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/?p=65768"},"modified":"2021-09-24T05:14:24","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T09:14:24","slug":"oliver-s-patterns-sewn-by-esme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2018\/05\/oliver-s-patterns-sewn-by-esme.html","title":{"rendered":"oliver + s patterns sewn by esme"},"content":{"rendered":"

Please join me in welcoming Esme to the blog today! She\u2019s stopping by to share her Oliver + S makes that she\u2019s made over the years. Thanks for visiting us Esme!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Art<\/a><\/p>\n

Hi all, it\u2019s Esme here from Esme In The Attic!<\/a> Actually, I don\u2019t have an attic to sew in anymore, and I\u2019ve barely updated the blog in the last few years (these two things are connected…). But I still sew when I get a chance and can clear a space on the kitchen table, so it wasn\u2019t difficult to tempt me out of sewing retirement to tell you about my favourite Oliver + S patterns!<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll confess up front, I\u2019m a bit of a pattern magpie and I do love trying new things, so it\u2019s not often I\u2019ll return to a pattern. One thing I have made an exception for, though, is the ultra-practical Art Smock from the charming Little Things to Sew<\/a> book. Isn\u2019t it amazing how kids seem to end up with more paint on their sleeves than on their paper?! These long-sleeved smocks are the solution…. I\u2019ve made three now, they\u2019re THAT practical. Seriously, barely a day goes by when these don\u2019t get a splattering from either the girls\u2019 paint boxes or, as aprons, from their messy eating habits! I love how professional the french seams look, too \u2013 they\u2019re just as functional without, but somehow so much more satisfying with\u2026 I\u2019ve never made them with pockets though as I know they\u2019d just end up gathering crumbs (or worse).<\/p>\n

To my dismay, my eldest daughter recently maxed out of the largest size, so I added a bit of length and breadth to the pattern pieces to make an \u2018extra large\u2019 version, and fortunately, the sizing worked out great. I actually added quite a bit of length for this one (more child coverage = less laundry!). Here it is below, in all its Alexander Henry glory. I know these smocks are just going to end up covered in stains, but when you\u2019re going to look at something every day, I think it\u2019s totally worth using a special fabric for it.<\/p>\n

\"Art<\/a><\/p>\n

Another gem from Little Things to Sew is the Reversible Bucket Hat. This is a great little project if you\u2019ve got a small piece of special fabric you\u2019ve been saving up. I\u2019d been holding on to this snippet of beautiful strawberry fabric and I think this was the perfect project for it. If you don\u2019t yet have the book, you\u2019re in luck, because the pattern is also available her<\/a>e<\/a>, and it looks like there\u2019s now a lovely tutorial<\/a>, too \u2013 yay! I don\u2019t know about your kids, but no matter how good the hat, they just don\u2019t stay on the head without a ribbon. So mine\u2019s not really reversible, but at least it hasn\u2019t been blown out to sea or lost at school. Yet.<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n

Here in the UK, the girls wear school uniform most of the week. Fortunately for me, their school is pretty relaxed about these things, so I occasionally get a chance to bend the rules by sewing them something a little bit different. I admired this super stylish, kimono-style Library Dress<\/a> pattern for such a long time before I plucked up the courage to try it, but it\u2019s probably the pattern I\u2019ve learned most from. Facings and understitching were new to me, and those buttonholes\u2026! If you\u2019re not a pro before you start, you will be by the time you finish! Here\u2019s my sort-of-almost-legal-school-uniform version below.<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the thing I love about Oliver + S patterns \u2013 they\u2019re practically a \u2018teach yourself to sew\u2019 course. So long as you know how to operate a sewing machine and can handle a pair of scissors, the instructions walk you through the rest, and there are plenty of instructions, diagrams and nuggets of sewing know-how to help with new techniques. I\u2019m really no good at \u2018whipping things up\u2019 quickly (I wish I could!), but I do get a lot of satisfaction from making something well.<\/p>\n

I kept it more straightforward for this gingham school Butterfly Skirt<\/a> (I love the understated pleats at the front). I\u2019m itching to try the Badminton Skort<\/a> as uniform next \u2013 it looks such a practical and smart piece, and would solve the cartwheeler\u2019s perennial problem of needing to wear shorts under a skirt\u2026!<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n

School isn\u2019t all uniforms though \u2013 sometimes it\u2019s a fancy dress day! When it comes to costumes, Oliver + S haven\u2019t let me down. I sewed up a modified (hoodless!) Red Riding Hood Cape (again, from Little Things to Sew) when my youngest dressed as Madeline<\/a> for World Book Day \u2013 here she is, demonstrating that she\u2019s not afraid of mice!<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/a><\/p>\n

The tutu pattern from the same book also came in handy for making a daffodil outfit for St David\u2019s Day, our national day of celebrations here in Wales. I loved choosing the tulle for this \u2013 different layers of gorgeous peach, yellow, white and cream. I\u2019m so sad I never got a good picture of the girls actually wearing this, and it\u2019s been so well used ever since that it\u2019s practically ripped to shreds now. Apparently, that happens if you play fairies in prickly bushes\u2026 Here\u2019s all I have left; you\u2019ll just have to take my word for it that it used to be every bit as delicate and ethereal as the pictures in the book!<\/p>\n

\"Tutu<\/a><\/p>\n

On the other end of the spectrum is the sweet, simple Sunny Day Shorts<\/a> pattern. Not delicate or ethereal, granted, but ever so good for playtime \u2013 and not so easily ripped to shreds! I already had a good shorts pattern so this wasn\u2019t an easy sell, but they came together quickly and easily and have been well worn since, so that\u2019s definitely a win.<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n

Also easy to wear is the Roller Skate Dress<\/a>. It\u2019s so pretty and practical, and easy to dress up or down, so it\u2019s seen a lot of use over the past few years. I could definitely see myself making some more of these!<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n

Like so many people, I have a real soft spot for the Ice Cream Dress<\/a>, having made a little version<\/a> when my youngest daughter was small. My eldest begged for one too (\u201cjust the same, Mummy!\u201d), so eventually, I acceded and made an almost identical larger version. We\u2019ve tended to keep this one for special occasions, mainly because the fabric is light coloured and easily stained. It\u2019s such a versatile pattern though, and I think it would stand up well as a play dress if I made it out of something a bit more the shade of dust and dirt! My youngest daughter then inherited the larger version of her original, but she\u2019s a pickle and for some reason, would only wear it under duress! Until now, that is\u2026 Just as she\u2019s grown out of it *sigh*!<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n

But both girls are really growing out of the girly twirly dress stage now, and by preference will pull on a pair of leggings and t-shirt after school and at weekends instead. Thankfully there\u2019s an Oliver + S pattern for that too! Enter the School Bus T-shirt<\/a> and Playtime Leggings<\/a> patterns! They\u2019re a really great introduction to sewing with stretch fabric, so if you\u2019re thinking of giving knits a try, I\u2019d totally recommend starting here. I made a lovely pair of jersey pyjamas using a combo of the two, and they turned out really nicely \u2013 fitted, soft and stretchy \u2013 so satisfying! The fabric I chose was a bit thin and the knees wore through after a while, so I recently \u2018upcycled\u2019 them into summer PJs. Jersey fabric is so lovely and forgiving and doesn\u2019t fray, so it was just a case of snipping off the arms and legs at the right point. Note to self: I must use these patterns more!<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n

Next up? I think I might sew some Lazy Days Skirts<\/a> with my daughters, or perhaps try the lovely new Girl On The Go Dress<\/a> for my rather tall eight year old. At the rate she\u2019s growing, I\u2019m so glad to see Oliver + S introducing some tween and teen patterns! Now I wonder, will they have wedding dress patterns available in about 20 years\u2019 time?!<\/p>\n

Thanks so much for having me!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Esme is stopping by to share her Oliver + S makes that she\u2019s made over the years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7455,"featured_media":65804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20687],"tags":[20664,20703,110,56,112,137,80,157,166],"class_list":["post-65768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-butterfly-blouse-skirt","tag-ice-cream","tag-library-dress","tag-little-things-to-sew","tag-playtime","tag-reversible-bucket-hat","tag-roller-skate","tag-school-bus-t-shirt","tag-sunny-day"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/esmeF.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5jZS5-h6M","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":56537,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2016\/07\/my-favorite-oliver-s-pattern-rebekah-from-wisconstitches.html","url_meta":{"origin":65768,"position":0},"title":"my favorite oliver + s pattern: rebekah from wisconstitches","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"July 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"One way in which we see your fantastic Oliver + S creations is through our \u201cMy Favorite Oliver + S Pattern\u201d series. Today we have Rebekah from Wisconstitches who is stopping by to talk about her favorite pattern, the Ice Cream Dress, and to share the many wonderful versions she\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/favoritepatternF.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":72840,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2019\/10\/oliver-s-patterns-sewn-by-frances-suzanne.html","url_meta":{"origin":65768,"position":1},"title":"oliver + s patterns sewn by frances suzanne","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"October 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Ashley and Emily from Frances Suzanne are stopping by to share their Oliver + S makes that they've made over the past year or so.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/francesF.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":60112,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2017\/03\/roller-skate-dresses-sewn-by-marte.html","url_meta":{"origin":65768,"position":2},"title":"roller skate dresses sewn by marte","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"March 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Marte is stopping by to share her Oliver + S Roller Skate dresses that she\u2019s made over the years.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/rollerskatedressF.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":67049,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2018\/10\/my-favorite-oliver-s-pattern-sketchbook-shirt.html","url_meta":{"origin":65768,"position":3},"title":"my favorite oliver + s pattern: sketchbook shirt","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"October 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"We are happy to have Rita with us today. She\u2019s sharing some makes from her favorite Oliver + S pattern, the Sketchbook Shirt.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sketchbookshirtF.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":64249,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2018\/02\/happy-birthday-to-s-and-to-oliver-s.html","url_meta":{"origin":65768,"position":4},"title":"happy birthday to s and to oliver + s","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"February 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"It's birthday celebration time--for both S and for Oliver + S. Find out how we'll be celebrating and how you can participate in the fun.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/birthday-feature.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":65462,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2018\/04\/my-favorite-oliver-s-pattern-building-block-dress-2.html","url_meta":{"origin":65768,"position":5},"title":"my favorite oliver + s pattern: building block dress","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"April 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"We\u2019re happy to have Darcy with us today. She\u2019s sharing some makes from her favorite Oliver + S pattern, the Building Block Dress.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bbdF.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7455"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65768"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77668,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65768\/revisions\/77668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}