Two more patterns

There are a lot of Oliver + S patterns in my stash that I haven't used yet.  Here are two.

First up is Sandbox Pants.
These are just a test run to check for size. 12-18mos. The fabric might be a little itchy but it doesn't matter because they are just a test run.
I really like the pockets both front and back on this pattern.  And like all O+S patterns the instructions were easy to follow with perfect results.

Second is the skirt from the 2+2 pattern.  I've made the top but not the skirt.
This size 3. The fabric is stretchy and was a 100% unknown fibers remnant.  It too is a test run.
I love how this skirt falls from the waist and I know it will meet the twirl-ability factor.

I have a hamper full of traced, cut and ready to assemble patterns.  So I'm taking advantage of the nasty weather outside and will stay inside to sew.
Maybe the leaves that need clearing will blow away on their own thanks to the weather system that is over top of us feeding the hurricane that's heading this way.

The hydro will most likely go out soon .... back to the machine while it still has electricity!

Nature Walk

I've had this pattern for at least 2 years. I have no idea why it's taken me so long to make it because, as it turns out,  it is sooooo simple and quick!  
Gee, I could have churned out a whole bunch by now had I got my act together sooner.

So here's a test run. Size 18-24mos, using some leftover lime green polar fleece and brown knit.

It's not very sunny out thanks to the 'Frankenstorm' that's on it's way. The fleece is much brighter and greener than in this photo.
Not a good shot of the pants either.  Oh well.

Oliver + S Nature Walk. If it fits Adam, I've got some more fun knits to make this top waiting patiently in my stash.

Jump Rope Dress

Last night I made the Oliver + S Jump Rope dress using brown tweed (100% unknown mixed fibers) and a fat quarter of a William Morris print.  The tweed washed and dried nicely so whatever the fabric is made of, it'll work for children's wear.

The object was to make the placket opening bigger because for the past Jump Rope dresses I've made, it was difficult to get Caitlin in the dress. Therefore, I increased the depth of placket pattern pieces by 2 inches. (5cm)

I used the FQ fabric on the pockets ............

and on the cuffs, which isn't in the pattern ..........

on the hem facing, also not in the pattern .....

and on the collar and plackets.

It's size 3, View B.  Drop dead easy to make as every Oliver + S pattern is.

When I use an O+S pattern I am struck by how ingenious Liesl (the designer) is and that her mum must be so proud of her. Liesl has pretty much revolutionized children's sewing patterns in my opinion.

Note to self: be extra accurate with cutting the neck section of the placket. 

Playdate, again

Here is the Playdate dress again.  It's such a sweet little dress and so easy to whip up.
Taking a photo of it is another matter though.  The dress is navy stretch denim and the bib is white cotton. My camera can't capture the range between dark and light and consequently getting a decent photo is not going to happen. At least by me.

Here's a closer detail of the bib section.  I used a pleater board to get the pleats equal. Having all those pleats made the bib rather thick, so I hand basted the piping to the back of the bib and then stitched in place.

Previously for the inside yoke sections of this dress I've tried  1) serging 2)using bias tape,  and this time around made a little facing to finish off that edge neatly.

 

I used the same fabric for the pockets

and for the hem (notice how the colour changed - the navy fabric isn't this light.)

and made two self covered buttons.

On the sleeves I used some of the bias cut fabric used for the piping around the bib section. However the green looks grey next to the granite background.  Oh well. A photographer I'm not.

If it fits, I'll make a bunch more of these dresses.

Size 3T.  (And in this photo, the colour is more accurate.)

Playdate Dress & Swingset Skirt

After a long sewing hiatus it looks like I can finally get back to the many projects that are waiting, already cut out and sitting in two large laundry hampers collecting dust.

First up was Oliver + S Playdate Dress.
As bad luck would have it, construction of this took much longer than anticipated.  First, I agonized over the inside of the yoke front and back trying out several ways to finish off the inside raw edge.
For this version, I used some double fold bias tape.
Then, thanks to some schmutz on my iron that I didn't see, there is now a big brown stain on the very front of the outside yoke that I cannot remove.  Argh.

Size 3T. Teal corduroy from Fabricland with white snowball looking trim.
I added a white cuff with the trim on the sleeve which isn't part of the pattern.  It was a bitch no easy task to stitch the trim and cuff to the sleeve. I tried using a zipper foot and then resorted to a 1/4 inch foot and with a few choice expressions, it seemed to work.

I am going to cut this dress pattern out again later today trying out another method to finish off the inside yoke area.

Since red wine sewing is a great stress reliever for me and because the Playdate Dress got me really stressed, I whipped out this sweet little skirt.  I've made the top from this Oliver + S pattern but never the skirt.

It's called Swingset Skirt. Size 3T. Fabric is from Aneela Hoey from her Walk in the Woods line.
It took less than an hour to construct and bonus, I'm calm now!

Off to cut out another Playdate Dress................