Sunday brunch anyone?

Sunday brunch anyone?

Miss B, my baby, starts kinder tomorrow.  So, as part of all the kinder preparations, I’ve recently made two drawstring bags – one for library and one for her rest-time belongings.  But this post isn’t about my baby growing up, or kinder, or drawstring bags, it’s about what I made with the leftover fabric from the rest-time bag.

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Pattern: Oliver + S’s  Sunday Brunch Skirt (the pattern also includes a really cute jacket) which I purchased last week from The Haby Goddess at %50 off
Fabric:  Medium weight cotton/linen blend from Heather Ross’ Faraway Collection II (I have some in the the orange colourway too!) brought in 2012 from Kelani Fabric Obsession as a remnant
Notions:  11 inches of elastic
Size: 4

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Miss B currently has a preference for wearing skirts and t-shirts rather dresses.  She also has a great love of pockets.  I brought this pattern with her in mind.

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This was my first printed Oliver + S pattern (I recently tried the free downloadable Popover Sundress).  I’ve heard so many good things about this pattern line, so I went into this make with high expectations.

The pattern was well drafted, and it came together easily, but it wasn’t without frustrations:

  1. This is minor, and I feel petty mentioning it, but you aren’t given instructions about seam finishes – when and if they’ll be required.  I think I’ve recently being spoilt by patterns that spoon feed.  At this point in my sewing career, I’m all for spoon feeding!
  2. The second frustration related to the instructions for inserting the elastic to the back half of the waistband.  In essence, you are told to attached the waistband and edgestitch the waistband down on the right side leaving a 2 inch gap at the back seam.  You are then supposed to thread the elastic using a safety pin or bodkin through the gap into the waistband and stitch each end at the side seams.  That all sounds perfect, but how the heck are you supposed to get the safely pin or bodkin out?  If you follow the instructions…  you can’t.  Oh the frustration!  I unpicked the majority of the edgestitching on the back waistband, coxed the elastic in, secured it at each end (as per the original instructions) and then edgestitched the back waistband opening to enclose the elastic.  Fast forward four months and I’ve made this skirt again.  Ah… the problem crossed out above is actually with me mis-reading the instructions (how embarassing!).  When interpreted properly, you are instructed to leave two 2 inches gaps at each of the side seams.  Now I’m just going to go and hide behind a rock until my tomato red (embarrassed) face returns to a normal shade of skin tone.

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Okay, now I’ve got that off my chest, I have to say I love this skirt, and so does Miss B.  The pockets and the back kick pleat give this simple a-line skirt interest and also make it practical for little ones to wear and play in.

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If this passes the full day wearing test (fingers crossed), I can see myself making lots more of these skirts for both my girls.  In fact, Miss A already has an order in, but I feel the need for some selfish sewing first.

And to finish, an out-take from the photo session with a less than cooperative 3.5 year old…

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