Monday 21 March 2016

Froy & Dind Hopscotch Dress

Like a breath of fresh air, or a relaxation massage, or just a nice cup of tea, my next pattern for the Maai Design Blog Tour was a tried and true pattern. Well written and a joy to sew.


This is the Hopscotch Dress by Oliver + S. I've sewn it many times before, both as a t-shirt and a dress. In fact this pattern was the first sewing with knit fabrics I ever did. I'm reminded that I really need to revisit the cute little skirt that's part of the pattern too.

The first few times I made the top/dress I thought I needed to size up, probably because the knits I chose didn't have a lot of stretch, maybe 'cause I wasn't much good at maintaining a 1/4" seam allowance. Also baby arms are pretty podgy compared to small kids. But the last time I'd made the dress was this one back in April of 2014, and my notes suggested that was a straight size 3 on a recently turned three year old...


So I decided I'd make a muslin of this dress too, just to be sure. I had some cheap 1m cuts of knits from Spotlight in the stash and so I made a size 6 for my recently turned 5 year old.


It was comfortably roomy. I would probably have been fine with the size 5 after all, but I couldn't be bothered tracing off another size, so I stuck with the 6. She'll grow.


This is such an easy dress to wear and very much like an elongated, but slightly fancy t-shirt. I often think it would make a fabulous nightie pattern for sleepwear, but then I know I would never look at the pattern as a "day dress" again.

Perhaps when this one is too short I'll lop the sleeves and bottom off and sew some white, knit shorts and it can be part of a pyjama set!

In a nutshell, if you want the sewing equivalent of that feeling when you stop hitting yourself on the head with a hammer, sew an Oliver + S pattern.


In some really good quality fabric, of course!

Here's my original Maai Design Blog Tour post with all the fabric links, and there's still 2 days for my Aussie blog readers to enter the Gleam widget competition and win some nice Froy & Dind knit for yourself. Good luck!

14 comments:

  1. This is where Liesl shines, a beautifully well cut pattern that sews up so well.
    Great job Shelley.

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    1. True, hey. And that's why I want an Oliver + S Swimsuit, boy's blazer, dressing gown etc etc... :)

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  2. I love all of 'em! And the pink on from that wonderful lovely quality fabric you are promoting is my favourite! Isn't it the best thing to have non hammer hitting the head moments whilst sewing. Ya did great!

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    1. Thanks Tamara. It is lovely, quality fabric to sew with.

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  3. A very sweet dress on a very cute girl. I can see what you mean about a nightie pattern, though! It would be so comforable and cosy with those long sleeves.

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    1. It would, wouldn't it. But there's no going back from there - although if I made one in all white sweater knit for winter.... hmmm.

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  4. A cute dress and so glad it was an easy sew.

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    1. Thanks Sharon. It's for this reason that I'll always consider myself a kid's clothes sewist first and foremost!

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  5. Shelley,
    I think this is my favorite pattern I think. I am lazy and it is easy. Although I spend extra time on lettuce-ing the sleeves and hem. When my daughter wears hers, she's always asking if she can sleep in it because it is so comfy like a nightie.

    I too have resisted making it as a nightie, because once I go there, I might not be able to go back.

    I do love your beautiful fabric and your white contrast hem.

    Do you or anyone else find that after a few washes, the neck back flips out and you have to press the heck out of it to get it to lay properly.

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    1. once you prompted me to look, I paid attention to the back neck after a wash. It sits straight up, rather than curving in as a t-shirt neckline might, but certainly doesn't roll out such that I'd need to press it back down.
      I sew the neckband on directly using the overlocker and I find that doesn't stretch fabrics out like a sewing machine might. Perhaps you could shorten the neckband by a 1/4" or so by cutting it on the fold, but having the pattern piece just over (1/8") the folded edge. That way the notches could stay where they are and only the center back neckline would be shortened.
      It's nice to have an easy, lazy pattern that still makes a great looking dress, isn't it.

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  6. Ah, love her expression in the last photo! And this is my favourite pattern in knit too. You have just given me an idea of nightie, and I made N throw away her old nightie away.... so I might use this pattern to make one.

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    1. yay, go for it Asmita. Doing the lettuce hem technique makes it into a frilly nightie too!

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