Sunday, 18 March 2018

Happy Birthday Oliver + S

Oliver + S are celebrating 10 years and the release of their 50th sewing pattern!

I own every paper pattern (except the latest release which is yet to make it's way into my collection) and I did a round up of every pattern and found one picture to represent each unique view. Of course there have been many multiples sewn of quite a number of these patterns and lots of mashing and variations which aren't included here. Get your scrolling finger ready...

2+2 Blouse and Skirt
After School Shirt
After School Pants
Apple Picking Dress
Art Museum Trousers
Art Museum Vest
Badminton Skort
Bedtime Story Pajamas
Birthday Party Dress
Book Report Dress
Bubble Dress
Butterfly Blouse
Butterfly Skirt
Buttoned-Up Button-Down Shirt
Class Picnic Blouse and Shorts
Croquet Dress
Fairy Tale Dress
Family Reunion Dress
Field Trip Cargopants
Field Trip Raglan Tee
Garden Party Dress
Hide and Seek Dress
Hopscotch Skirt
Hopscotch Top and Dress
Ice Cream Dress
Jump Rope Dress - View B
Jump Rope Dress - View A
Library Dress
Lullaby Layette Set
Lunch Box Tee and Culottes
Music Box Jumper - View A
Music Box Jumper - View B
Music Class Blouse - View B
Music Class Blouse - View A
Music Class Skirt (with Family Reunion Tunic)
Nature Walk Knit Pants
Nature Walk Pullover
Parachute Polo
Parachute Sweatpants
Pinwheel Tunic and Slip Dress
Play Date Dress
Playtime Dress and Tunic
Playtime leggings
Puppet Show Shorts
Puppet Show Tunic
Roller Skate Dress
Sailboat Pants
Sailboat Skirt
Sailboat Top
Sandbox Pants
School Days Coat and Jacket
School Photo Dress
Seashore Sundress
Secret Agent Trench Coat
Sketchbook Shirt
Sketchbook Shorts
Sleepover Pajamas
Sunday Brunch Jacket and Skirt
Swingset Tunic and Skirt
Teaparty Playsuit
Teaparty Sundress
Teaparty Bloomers
 Did you spot the missing patterns/views?

The only ones I haven't made are the Carousel Dress and the Top/Dress view of the Badminton pattern as well as the new Girl on the Go Dress




Then there are the digital only patterns (not counting the singles which were originally released as paper pattern)
Forest Path Cape
Hula Hoop Skirt
School Bus T-Shirt
And the one that I'm yet to sew out of that little group is the Firefly Jacket
There are also a great collection of free patterns available as downloads. Like these:


Sunny Day Shorts
Lazy Days Skirt
On Stage Tutu
Reversible Bucket Hat
Felt Bow and Bias Covered Headband
I still haven't made either the Ruffled Halter or the Popover Sundress from that collection of freebies.

Finally, there are two Oliver + S books. The book Little Things To Sew has 20 projects for toys and accessories, and in October of 2013 I set up the challenge to sew every project in the book : Cover to Cover Challenge

By August of 2014 I made it and was interviewed by a Bear bath mitt on the finish line.

The newer Oliver + S book is the Building Block Dress Book which is an absolute gem of a resource for altering patterns to create whatever you want.

Here are two of the dresses I've made using the book so far...



Over at Oliver + S, Todd crunched the numbers and worked out there are 60,481 different permutations on the basic building block dress. So, no, I won't be going all the way on that one.

But maybe this year I should finally make the Firefly Jacket, Carousel Dress and Badminton Dress and break out those as yet untouched patterns. But then I look at some of those old photos and just want to revisit the old favourites as well. Sigh.

Do you have an Oliver + S pattern you own but haven't yet made?



23 comments:

  1. You don't know how many of these I have oohed and ahhed over in the photo pool. That Bubble Dress right there is the one that convinced me to buy the pattern.

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    1. Oh that's lovely to hear, thanks! I was torn as to which Bubble dress to use a photo of. My favourite is the latest one but I didn't get great pictures of it. Now a pattern that is sadly outgrown (sniff)

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  2. Wow! This is an impressive round-up of pictures (and so sweet to see your kids at various ages too!). I have the 2+2 Blouse and Skirt and Hide-And-Seek Tunic/Dress that I still haven't sewn. My daughter's request for twirly skirts has pushed those projects down the queue. But I highly recommend the Badminton Dress (it was a sad day in our house when the first one I made had to be passed down to a cousin after it got much too short to wear). Wish I had the paper patterns so I could gaze adoringly at my collection. I'll have to satisfy myself with staring at my long list of PDF patterns instead!

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    1. You'll be pleased to hear I've just cut out a Badminton Top , so I'm squeezing one in for our end of summer holiday. The 2+2 skirt really is kind of twirly, try it, bet she likes it!

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  3. Daunting to have them all laid out like that! The badminton top is so cute with its little ruffle sleeve, and a fun sew before the weather starts to change for you!

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    1. I'm onto it! We're off North in a week for a holiday so I'll get a Badminton Top made for that holiday, and then hope it still fits next summer! It was a hard task to choose only one example of each pattern!

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  4. Wow! That is the best advertisement for Oliver + S patterns ever! Well done, Shelley. I think my favorite of that list is the scalloped building block dress. (And the secret agent trench coat - so cute!)

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    1. Thanks Ann. I really want to make another Secret Agent Trench - this time I think with the gathered skirt portion for my daughter...

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  5. You are the best advertisement for Oliver + S patterns! Loved seeing all of the pieces you have made over the years.

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    1. Oh thanks Sharon. I'm not kidding when i say these patterns are the reason I stuck with sewing. I was tearing my hair out with a Burda shirt pattern one day and then tried an Oliver + S pattern and it all started to make sense. They are such a joy to make, each and every one!

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  6. I've not made any. The patterns came out just as my children grew too big. The clothes are adorable, and beautifully modeled by your two.

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    1. Well I'm keeping all of mine in case I ever have grandkids, if you beat me to that point then you can borrow them! ;)

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  7. Wow! Love seeing all the different patterns you've used. I have two patterns that I bought a little while ago that I haven't sewn yet: the Hide And Seek dress and the Lunch Box Tee and Culottes. I have a plan to make the Lunch Box Tee for my six-year-old, but I'm not sure about the others! Oh, also the Butterfly Skirt and the Music Class skirts. I've made those tops but never the skirts! One of these days!

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    1. Well I can heartily recommend all of those ones! The Music Class and Butterfly skirts are such surprisingly quick sews and both delightful. The Hide and Seek is such a lovely dress. My daughter never got into her culottes much and my son's ones were just made for a giggle (turns out he wasn't entirely serious about looking like Jena Paul Gaultier every day of the week)- I do want to make the Lunch Box tee again as I wear my Bento Tees all the time and it's a great shape

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  8. Great impressive round up! So interesting to see how the patterns continue to work as your kids get older. They really are very classic patterns and you've done a fab job with them.

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    1. Thank you! It's been fun watching them grow through the patterns. I will always feel like I'm barely keeping up with their growing, then I look back and can't remember ever having bought them clothes!

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  9. Oh my goodness, I really loved all of these photos of your children from smaller to larger! They've grown so much, but they are both still adorable! You have always been such a huge inspiration to me sewing-wise, and you've been a huge enabler for me buying Oliver + S patterns as well! I have only sewn up approximately 30 unique Oliver + S styles. On my list for this year are two I haven't sewn, the Puppet Show and the Swingset combo, since Maggie will likely size out of them sooner. But there are so many more I'd love to sew, and of course I'd love to keep making the ones I have already made and loved as well!

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    1. Oh Inder, thank you, what a lovely thing to say! I was really tempted to get one last sew of the puppet show tunic when A was sizing out of the size 5 patterns but it just wasn't her style and I suspected it would never get worn. Maggie will be adorable in it! It's tough having between new and shiny or older and proven. Why, oh why, do we have to work, sleep, do chores... :)

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  10. Such a great way to say thank you!

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    1. Thanks Asmita, I can't imagine how it all would have panned out without these patterns so it seems impossible to thank Liesl loudly enough! I love watching everyone else's babies grow up in these patterns too.

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  11. So impressive. The music box dress is melting my heart.

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  12. I am lucky enough to have quite a few of those lovely pieces.
    xx N

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  13. I think I own all of the patterns. There are a couple I don’t have both sizes though. I even have quite a few printed patterns although I also have the digital patterns as well. I love Oliver & S patterns.

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