Twice the Fun! Oliver and S Roller Skate Dress

One thing I gotta say about this pattern - insanely easy and quick - and only TWO pattern pieces, if you really want to save time.  (Well, okay, that's more thank one thing.)

Last time I made this, I went semi-fancy (just go with it) and used my Heather Ross Dream Bikes (find it on eBay) fabric and added the neck trim.

Late Spring/Early Summer 2013

This time, I knew I just wanted to sort of get 'er done, so to speak.  I wanted some new duds for Camden, I wanted to use stash fabric - and I just wanted to be quick about it, honestly.  As for the neck trim pieces, I couldn't decide on anything that looked great with the main fabrics, so, that was that.

She needed brown bunny, pink bunny and leperly....ummm....

So, hey - cute AND simple.  Not a deal-breaker, right?  And funnily enough, Camden wanted to wear each one all day when she found them hanging on her doorknob :)  Works for me.

I was super happy to use the pink deer fabric I'd bought a LONG time ago, it seems...I'd had only a yard and had never know what to do with it.  But SCORE upon remembering/realizing I could make an Oliver and S Roller Skate Dress with ONE yard of fabric!  I did have to buy some shot cotton to line it - which was nice, as it was on sale at Bolt in Portland when I visited recently.  I am also not really into the bow detail that can be added, so, it's a pretty plain Jane result, other than the fun fabric and the cute kid, aha!  (And P.S.  It was NOT warm out during any of these pictures.)

Camden then informed me she needed the tunic version of this pattern, so, we went through my stash - and found enough yardage of this print I'd used before:

Well, ALMOST enough.  I thought I had enough for a full dress, but sad times when I cut the front pattern piece and then realized that when I folded for the second pattern piece, I did NOT have enough to cut it - not enough by a mere half-inch of so.  I guess I could have brought in the sides of the dress, but whatever.  I'm glad I cut the main fabric first, as opposed to the lining.  And I like the result as a top...which works out, as she wanted a top, anyway ;)  Anyway, I had on hand some green shot cotton - one of my favorite fabrics to use as a lining.

Anyway, I totally recommend the pattern - satisfyingly quick, and one day, I shall do something a bit more interesting with it, as it's a nice canvas for hand embroidery, etc.  I do have another one lined up, as Camden wants a reversible version, so, be ready for that blog post in a week or three.

For now, I leave you with some Halloween shots from 2012 up through this year....all in the same costume.  I wish I had glorious photos from this year, but whatevs.  I forgot my camera.  We had a good time at a friend's house - Lisa from Irons in the Fire hosted a wee get-together, and Camden and her friend, Elora, ran around like crazy, while I sampled strawberry after banana after strawberry, dipped in chocolate :)

2012, when I first made the costume

2013.....LOL....rough life

2014, getting ready

2014....pirate with glow sticks and velcro shoes

Tea Party Sundress....Minus the Tea, Add the Sunshine!

Ahhhh...'tis a gorgeous day outside!  Yesterday was gorgeous, too, and I guess we're headed into a lovely week of sunny skies, which is awesome - yet I find I don't get to enjoy those skies AS much with a wee one.  We attempted outdoor time twice yesterday, after my daughter's birthday party, but this wee boy wasn't having it....and in the photo below, he wasn't having the SUPERFAST photo shoot from today (his poor big sister needed a little attention, eh???).

Saddddd baby

So, as with a few Oliver and S patterns, this wasn't my first go-round with the Tea Party Sundress.  Camden happens to super love this pattern, and I believe this is my third version.  If there is another, I can't at all recall it!

I did try to jazz this one up with applique, which I haven't done in MANY moons - and which I've only done once or twice, anyway.  (This is to say you shouldn't look toooo closely, aha!)

I love me some shot cotton, as many people know, as it has a depth, albeit a thinness (stick that size 70 needle in yo' machines!), that quilting cotton does NOT have.  I used it for the bodice and for the flat piping, which may be a smidge wide, but eh - who cares???  And as with the last pattern I blogged about, this one was sewn in the same few days before Tiberius was born....I haven't been able to sew since; he's a hostile baby and only likes his mom :O  Tough times, people, tough times.  But I digress....

This pattern is honestly a pretty quick sew!  I like to quickly get the flat piping attached with a long stitch, sew together all those skirt pieces, then do up the bodice.  It does mention in the pattern that attaching the bodice to the skirt portion may be tricky, because of the curve, but I didn't find it an issue this time...and if it was an issue the first and/or second time, it could be because I used flat piping there, also.  I opted not to this time.

I will say that even though I believe I lengthened this one, I wish I had lengthened it more - both in bodice and in skirt, but whatevs.  It'll work for now, and it's super fun and summery!  I hear Summer doesn't start in Bend until July, but hey - again....NICE outside today!

Camden wanted to include tomatoes in this photo shoot - and hey, if she chooses to eat anything healthy, I'm allll for it!

She was very into these photos today....THANKS, Camden!  (It made my life easier!)

And....a couple more....including the wee guy and his dad - similar grumpy faces, eh???

A rare moment when he RESTED QUIETLY with his dad...LOL

Modkid Naomi - In Which We Again Pretend It's Summer!

THIS, my friends, is a quick sew, if you're feeling rebellious and want to leave out the pockets AND the bottom ruffle....which is what I did ;)

I did a version of Modkid Naomi two years ago, and while it was cute, I almost thought it was too busy.  I wish I hadn't added the pocket, as I think it's toooo large for the dress in a size 2T (3T, perhaps???), and the ruffle is okay at the bottom, but I wanted an overall simpler look - which shoot!!!  I LOVED that fabric, so, I feel I didn't do it justice, and that always stinks.  And even if I hadn't done that pocket in a garish yellow, it would still seem off to me, aha!  Anyway, my bad.

So, this time, I envisioned something quite simple in comparison.  The pattern itself is super easy to put together, though I did change up a few things.  When constructing the bodice front and back, I did NOT sew the skirt back and front separately to the bodice back and front.  Instead, I sewed the skirt in one loop (which means my one seam is at the back of the dress) and the bodice in one loop, as I have a great disdain for exposed seams at the underarms in this sort of design/sleeveless item.  This meant I had to add the elastic in a bit differently to the bodice back, which was fine, just slightly annoying, aha!

(Brief interlude....I totally ironed my interfacing to the RIGHT side of the bodice, which made me want to punch a table, but I was finally able to peel it off, and I made THAT side the inside of the bodice, LOL.)

I also clearly left off the pocket this time around - and I did a folded straight hem at the bottom, keeping it classy, aha!  My contrast fabrics didn't *quite* match the main fabric - oh, believe me, I know - but I went with it, anyway.  Also, I used shot cottons, which are a fave of mine - and which are a better match for this fabric, in my most humble of opinions - over quilting cotton.

Lastly, I did not shirr the back of the dress, liking the look without it.  (You can see the shirring above, on the version I made when Camden was 2.)

Something to keep in mind with this pattern is that the bodice stops at an odd point on a child with a belly, and it seems quite snug around the chest - this time around, I went wayyyyy up to a size 5, though Camden isn't exactly huge and isn't even 4 years old.  And I find it fits perfectly well, LOL.

Wait'll these ceramic buttons are in a million pieces....

This was her "real" smile, apparently

Camden super loves this dress, though she clearly will appreciate it more when the air is a bit warmer.

Lastly, in case you weren't sure of her name.....

Figgy's...Once Again! (But Kicking it Old School)

So, gosh....these are my baby girl's (I know, I know...a BIG GIRL!) third and fourth Jane dresses (though one is clearly a Jane top).  This pattern is from back in the ye olde days from Figgy's Patterns.  So, I hate to say it, but it's no longer available, unless you can find that crazy, sneaky copy still left in your local fabric store - not sure if Bolt in Portland would have it, but it's always worth checking!

I had done the size 2/3 many moons ago, when Camden was just over 1, and you can see how big it was on her then - and she can STILL squeeze into it!  Silly me, though:  Last year (maybe summer 2012), I decided that since the other one WAS getting a big shorter, I'd upsize...to the 4/5, and it didn't fit THEN and doesn't fit NOW.  It is so excessively long, though I can't wait for her to wear it, because I did the cutest machine embroidery on it, LOL.  My computer ate the pictures of the green dress, but here is a progression of her getting older in the linen one with Liberty contrast:

This time around, I decided to do the size 2/3 and lengthen the dress - and naturally, I thought I'd lengthen the shirt, though I wonder if next time, I would only lengthen half the amount between a 2/3 and a 4/5...and also shorten the waistband, as I find it a bit long on the vertical (and while we're at it, I should have lengthened the sleeves, but ah, well...)  I still love it!  I'd been holding onto this fabric for a year or so, and it was perfect for this blouse!  You will find in the pictures that I used shot cotton for the green dress version - and for the waistband, etc. on the blouse, which is one of my FAVORITE lining fabrics for children's wear.   The color has a nice depth, and the fabric is pretty lightweight (definitely pull out the size 70 needle for this stuff - and be ready to use your straight stitch plate, if your machine has one, as my wide stitch plate loves to suck this stuff down into its gullet).  It does clearly wrinkle a bit, but no mind!  I can handle that.

What is going on here???

Reading 100 Angelina Ballerina books, LOL

Anywho - the blouse is constructed with French seams, which are so super easy.  I'm a bit nutty about making them look good, so, after I do my first 1/4 inch stitching of wrong sides together, I press the seams open THEN together.  I then trim that seam allowance down and flip the fabric out so it's right sides together, and I press it again before doing the next 1/4 inch stitching.  For French seams, it's usually best to have a lighter weight fabric, as it can get HIGHLY annoying to stitch them if the fabric is heavier.  The directions for this pattern are great (again, I apologize that I'm doing an old pattern, but it's worth it if you can find it!) - and the dress is a quick sew, which is nice!  Also, the dress has pockets, which Camden always finds fun!

Clearly, these are octopus hats!

You'll also note in the photo above that she's been getting some wear out of those leg warmers, aha!

Lastly, a couple randoms - at the park on Sunday afternoon....it was such a NICENICE day!  She is wearing a mish-mash of things, LOL.  Her Celestial top by Figgy's, her Color Me Pretty sweater by Elena Nodel and her Nozky leg warmers.  The second picture is from today - we like to LAYER whenever we head out on the bike now, so, her Pepper sweater is peaking out from under her Molly jacket, along with a random scarf - my second I ever knit.