I'm always a little hesitant to make clothes for my kids. I love doing it. I love trying to make something tangible out of what I have envisioned, but I hate patterns. I hate spending time, tears and sweat and then not having whatever I've made fit. Last summer I made a bunch of size 3-6 months size clothes for Miss A. I carefully measured her and chose patterns sizes accordingly. I was so mad when they didn't fit. Most of them were too big, and a few were too small. It was maddening. At least with ready to wear clothes you can return them when they don't fit. With sewing, you're stuck paying for something that will never be used. I even threw away a bunch of patterns with fabric that had been cut out and vowed to never use that brand of pattern again. Thankfully a few of the outfits could be salvaged and she can wear them this summer. I've been on the hunt for good fitting patterns but have approached the task with some skepticism.
Oliver and S patterns have been awesome. The fit is wonderful, according to the size measurements. I made this Puppet Show Tunic and Shorts and they fit perfectly. The instructions are very clear, and I loved looking at the photos on the blog to make sure I assembled the tunic correctly. The pattern was given a 3 out of 4 difficulty level. It wasn't particularly hard, just a little time consuming. The set in sleeves were the most difficult part, but only because a size 18 month arm hole is so small. Definitely not a problem with the pattern. The shorts however are my favorite. They are gathered slightly around the bottom and give a cute fit without being too baggy. They were very easy, but look like a lot of time was spent on them. Be sure to check out the "errata" tab under the patterns section of the website, you may need to adjust your pattern piece for the binding on the shorts (pattern piece was misprinted). I plan to make another pair soon. The patterns also have the cutest paper dolls that come with them.
My only regret is my choice of fabric for the tunic. Originally I bought the fabric to make a bag for me. I could see that my interest in bag sewing had waned and wanted to use the fabric for something else rather than continue to hoard fabric. The prints are a little "busy" for the tunic. The scale is too large. But overall, it's OK. Brent will be proud of my ability to make do with what I've got, until the next trip to the fabric store. Ha!
Pattern: Oliver and S Puppet Show Tunic and Shorts
Fabric: Benartex "City Girl" for the tunic and espresso brown Kona cotton (Robert Kaufman)
