ice cream dress
I’ve mentioned before that I often have “cutting out frenzies” where I get a whole lot of patterns cut out ready to sew. The upside of this is that when the urge strikes and the opportunity arises, I usually have something cut out that I am really eager to sew together and I can get straight into it. The downside is that I don’t always get all the items sewn up in the appropriate season. On Friday I completed an Ice Cream Dress for Clare.
I know, a summer dress just when the weather is cooling down for winter. Luckily Autumn is doing what it does best, and the weather is veering wildly from winterish one day to summerish the next. Clare will probably be able to get a day or two of wear out of this before things really get cold, and it has plenty of room in it for next summer anyway. I used size 8.
This is such a sweet design! The fabrics have been in my stash for a few years – they were originally bought to make up a New Look top and pants combination for Clare in about a size 4, which never happened. Then I thought I’d make it for Stella. That didn’t happen either. So I’ve used them with this Oliver + S pattern for Clare. They’re quilting cottons, and I didn’t have quite enough for the hem facing and yoke facing, so used another fabric from the same range for those pieces. The pockets are extra cute. I used a vintage button for the back closure.
The back yoke was the only thing that I wasn’t completely happy with. I think that the way that the back yoke is attached to the body of the dress leaves a really weak spot in the centre where you have to clip the seam allowances so the body fabric can be tucked up into the yoke. It’s not obvious in the photos, however. The little notches on the pocket trim are echoed in the front neckline.
As always, copious instructions and special details from Oliver + S. They’re not the fastest patterns to sew up, because of those lovely touches, but they really give a delightful result. And the instructions are detailed enough that you don’t really have to be an experienced dressmaker to sew them. Actually, the three new Oliver + S patterns are winging their way to me as I type….
Gorgeous! The green looks fantastic on her. These are great as tops, too, Sib loves them. She may be able to wear leggings and a long sleeve top under it during autumn? But def ready for next summer!
Very sweet and the colour looks great on Clare. I must make a dress version of this too. Can you please bring the badmitton pattern to sewjourn? It always takes me a little while for the patterns to grow on me but then I love them.
That is the cutest material!
That’s the cutest material!
The first photo is priceless. So cute. I tend to have cutting frenzies as well. I think this is because I can cut in the same space as the kids and still feel like we’re all hanging out together. When I sew however, I’m off hiding in another room.
Gosh you move quickly with new patterns. Next thing you’ll be saying you have the three new Colette ones coming too! Lovely dress BTW. Love the jumping pic.
That first photo is marvellous. Made me smile from ear to ear straight away. Brilliant Clare!!!
The dress is pretty good too. Love the fabrics. Very pretty indeed.
Nom, nom, pistachio!
Beautiful 🙂
Love the colours Lara very nice and I am so glad to hear you say that about the back yoke, I felt this was less than perfect in finish which is unusual for O+S patterns – glad it wasn’t just me!!
I was planning on the two dresses in the new ones, they are all lovely!
It is just the cutest dress! I love it on Clare. Definitely her colours.