When the Oliver + S Book Report pattern was launched I instantly loved it. I bought the pattern but then didn't sew it straight away as I was probably sidetracked by some silly project sewing.
Then a really curious, and quite unprecedented thing happened.... I saw versions of the dress popping up in the Oliver + S Flickr group and I actually became less enthusiastic about the dress.
Then I saw some solid colour versions like this one and then a brilliant colour blocked knit version and loved them
So, like a primary school love affair, the Book report and I were back on again.
So in my effort to sew all my patterns at least once it was Book Report overdue time.
Now, before you spot the glaring fault with this dress I'm going to point it out and have it out in the open so we can get on with loving the pattern.....
That front bodice panel is cut wonky. This is the second time I've used this great, self striped, heavy knit fabric and the second time I've failed at cutting it straight. I made this dress for myself and managed to cut one sleeve wonky. That's only noticeable at the cuff whereas this dress has a distinct lean to the right (if only it had leant to the left. I could have lived with a socialist dress much more comfortably than a conservative one!)
I'd already sewn all the neckline which is the only really fiddly part of the whole dress before I noticed so I just couldn't be bothered recutting the bodice and starting over. There's enough of the fabric left for another garment (or maybe two) and I will get it right one day. I guess my stripe/pattern matching luck had to run out sometime, and here is proof of my occasional ordinariness in this regard :)
As I sewed the pattern I grew more and more fond of it. The details of the neck closure and the pleats are lovely and no buttonholes is always a recipe for quick, fun sewing. The sleeve cuffs are nice and simple with no plackets, yet the sleeve folds nicely to come together with the button and fabric loop.
And those pockets , love 'em. (Do you think I remembered that she'd put that little fluffy, prickly, fall apart in the wash, plant thing in there?)
I sewed a straight size 2 with the only alteration being cutting the hem straight instead of the curved shirt tail hem.
I'm happy to say that this dress was very well received and A really seemed very happy, snug and comfy in it. Whether for book reports or seed pod studies it gets an A+ from us, with just a little bit taken off the final grade for my crappy stripe matching.
