I just love it when a spur of the moment decision turns out well! 

I was laying in bed the other night reading patterns.  

“What the what, Connie?  Reading patterns??…..” 

“What’s the matter”, I ask  innocently, “Doesn’t everyone lay in bed at night with a stack of patterns perusing their virtues and shortcomings?  And listen to their sweet  husband snoring beside them? 

But I digress…as I so often do! 

Back to the pattern! 

I picked up my very first few Oliver + S patterns at Hyggeligt (actually at their booth at the London Int Quilt Show, but that’s splitting hairs!) and was excited to try one out.  To heck with finding the perfect fabric- ie waiting for them to get in their POPLIN Liberty fabric! – I decided to grab the top fabric on the “to catalogue” pile and have to it. 
Ten minutes later, snoring husband beside me, I was tracing out pattern pieces!  Yes, in bed.  Yes, some time after midnight.  Heck- Ghost Whisperer was on…. 

Oliver + S Bubble Dress  – The Review

If you are not familiar with Oliver + S,then I suggest you head on over to their website and take a look at the patterns that they have for little girls and boys.  They are so precious and so appropriate!  To me they are the exact little people patterns that I would create, could I design worth beans!  But then I am the kind of person who thinks little girls in navy blue school uniforms are the cutest thing ever invented!  The Bubble Dress is an easy to sew dress, with optional side seam detailing.  I opted to leave them out in this version, thinking that the fabric was busy enough. 

Sizing details?  The dress is sized from Birth to 24 months.  The pattern is printed on pretty sturdy paper.  Not so sturdy as Jalie, but better than is usually found in pattern tissue.  Some pattern pieces have all sizes on one piece, while others split the pattern sizes up.  Check carefully!  Looking at the sizing chart, and comparing to the upto date measurments I have of PrincessH- at 7 months she is 18 pound and 27 inches tall- I made the 6-12 month size.  It was the perfect choice, and fit well.  

Any issues with sewing this dress?  Nope.  Everything fit together just like the instructions said.  I love the extended shoulders with the topstitching.  It gives a little more shoulder coverage and adds a nice detail.  The back facing on the bodice is very well designed and the fit is excellent.  

I like that the bubble is formed by the use of elastic.  That way the little legs aren’t hampered in any way.  Of course in the Princess’s case that isn’t an issue since fabric just gets wadded up and stuffed in her mouth anyways, allowing her belly buton to be seen by all! 

Did you change anything?   I thought that this dress would look better a bit shorter, so I lopped off two inches.  I would do this again. 

Are you going to change anything in the next version?  I am not entirely happy with the back placket.  I think I would like it better if the skirt portion lapped instead of butted.  (See why I am such an amazing blogger- the use of technical terms like “butt”  hahaha!) My sister in law thinks that I am the only one who would notice that, but, perfectionist that she is, I know she would change it too.  It’s not that there is anything wrong with it, I just think that if the dress were to gape, skin would show, and to me, skin showing were I didn’t design it to show is incorrect.  

Two hours, not including cutting or tracing.  Can’t beat that with a stick!  Gosh, I wish summer wasn’t almost over.  I would love to make her a couple of more!  

Do you have any photo’s of the young Miss?  Do I have photo’s!! Silly Billy – course I have photo’s!! 

PrincessH showing off how flexible she is.  Oh to be young again! 

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