Blogging by request

How very flattering!

I snuck a little photo in the Oliver + S pool and it seems it is perhaps worthy of a blog post after all as I got quite a few lovely compliments. So for those who can feel a copy coming on, here's another of my tutorials DIY - LIDs (Like I Did).

The pattern is another Oliver + S (of course) in the Nature Walk pullover and pants. This is, I think, the unsung hero of the Oliver + S stable. It's a pretty unassuming pattern but it's been used to knock out quick dance pants, multiple shorts for kindy, nice sweaters for boys and girls and has been the basis for a LOT of costumes. Here's the Flickr pool for inspiration (I LOVE the octonaut costume)

I'd made the Pullover and pants for P and wanted to give it a bit of a girly twist for A. She has many gorgeous knitted jumpers thanks to my amazing mother in law, but needed some throw in the wash type jumpers for everyday. Coincidentally, it was my mother in law who gave me the velour skirt that I cut this sweater from.

 

The pattern has a collar and I decided I wanted a hood instead. I used the hood pattern piece from Happy Homemade Vol 2 seen here:



 

It wasn't a perfect fit as this hood has quite a deep attachment at the front, so after making the hood I started pinning it at the centre back neck and then when I got to the front I just chopped off the most pointy part that didn't want to fit.





 

 

Then I folded over the hood lining as if it were the undercollar and sewed it down. Not as neatly as I should have done mind you, but I couldn't be bothered handstitching it first. There may or may not be spots where the raw edge will poke out after a bit of wearing...

The other changes I made were to cut the sleeves and the body sections from a single piece of fabric each rather than having seams where contrasting fabrics would normally be used. I also did this cause I had a very tight squeeze to cut this from the thrifted skirt and saving half an inch on each pattern piece was vital.

The lining was likewise cut from single pieces of fabric. I put the front lining on the front panel when I sewed the placket down. I'm sure if I'd thought more about it, a placket wouldn't have been necessary at all. Or even better, I'd like to have inserted a short zipper there as it does gape open a bit.

And then some ruffles at the pocket openings:

 

The pocket opening measured about 5 inches at the inner curvature, so I cut a 10 inch long strip that was 2 inches wide. Fold in half lengthwise then gather to fit the inner curvature. Because the ruffle's ends get sewn into the side seam there's no need to taper or finish the ends of the ruffles.

 

Looking at the photo above, I did learn that velour likes to be sewn in the right direction. The bottom hem and one sleeve went a bit wonky whereas the other sleeve is lovely.

 



 So there's my Nature Walk hoodie. It's already been worn as evidenced by the spaghetti sauce stain, but I pulled it out of the wash basket to share it with you. Thanks for asking!