November 13, 2014 by kasisullivan

Garden Party Dress: Oliver + S

The Garden Party Dress from Oliver + S is something I have been meaning to blog about for some time now. It was the dress that got me sewing again after a 5 year break during which I finished a Master’s Degree.

I came across Oliver + S by accident, searching for a dress to buy no less! I saw the adorable patterns and images, such as the one featured (and the Pinwheel Tunic, my next spring project), and decided to pull out the old Janome and make a dress.

Fall Garden Party Dress

My first attempt was from an unknown cotton fabric I had in my closet for some odd years. The dress ended up being the perfect nightgown as it was slightly see through and extremely soft.

My second attempt ended up being simply wonderful! I was so proud after all these years that I could still make a pretty dress on the second try! It was all thanks to the amazing tutorial included in the pattern and the easy to follow instructions provided by Oliver + S.

I used a Fall Floral Corduroy print from Hobby Lobby. It is currently out of stock, however, there is a dark blue version here. I used a Grey Corduroy for the contrasting waist band.

Now that it is colder, the dress still looks fantastic paired with leggings or tights and a long sleeved shirt. Such a versatile dress!

Fancy Garden Party Dress

Coming back to the Garden Party Dress last week in anticipation for the holidays, I attempted a more dressed up version. I chose a wired tulle from Joann’s from All That Glitters Fabric in coral with a simple nude stretch knit from Sew Classic Knits as a lining. I simply cut out each fabric in all pattern pieces expect for the facing and sleeve lining in which I only used the knit. Once cut out, I laid the tulle on top of the knit and sewed as directed.

There was slight puckering on the waist band, which I am confident would have not been there had I been in less of a hurry, but despite everything, the dress is still gorgeous!

Garden Party Dress featured with the School Days Jacket

School Days Jacket

School Days Jacket: Oliver + S

The pictures are finally here! The School Days Jacket I have been waiting all summer long to sew (from Oliver + S) is now complete. While it is already November, it is still too warm to wear this lovely jacket in Texas. Not to worry though! We will patiently await the chilly January and February days to come.

I decided to go ahead and start the jacket during the Oliver + S School Days Jacket Sew Along that started November 3. It was a perfect sew along that outlined the complete process. While 16 pieces seems daunting, I was able to finish the coat in 4 days! Getting the perfect picture almost took as much time! I decided to go with the size 8, even though I was warned that it was large, and I am glad I did! It is such a beautiful jacket, that the overall size ensures that she will be able to wear it for another year at least.

For the School Days Jacket, I used a semi-thick wool in a beautiful aqua shade from a local fabric shop in Dallas. The lining is Summer Grove in Day from Leah Duncan‘s Meadow Collection. The dress Cadence is wearing is the Garden Party Dress from Oliver + S (see more here) and the bow is Ava from Violette Fields Threads.

The buttons were extra special to me. Not because they were heirlooms or anything like that, but because I am not too big on the idea of toggles. So, a last minute attempt at locating an interesting button at Joann’s (where I almost never find what I need), I saw these! They are 30mm /1 3/16 inch coconut Belle Buttons by Dritz that resemble these. They are not located on the Joann’s website, however, I wanted to share as I couldn’t be more happy about my find!

Just a few more pictures to showcase this beautiful coat and all the love that was put into it:

in Fall 2014 / Oliver + S / Sewing 8 comments

October 24, 2014 by kasisullivan

My Father’s Dragon: KCW Day 5

My Father’s Dragon

The Kid’s Clothes Week Fall 2014 theme is: storybook. There are so many ways to go with this theme! There is the more obvious costume feel (like my Princess Anna here) or a more inspired look (like these comfy reading PJ’s here). Some opted to screen print quotes or images onto tees or skirts. There are just so many wonderful ways to interpret this seasons theme.

I chose my storybook theme to center around one of my childhood favorites that I am now sharing with my children: My Father’s Dragon.

Dragon:

For the dragon dress, I chose the Adele Dress by Violette Fields Threads with Robert Kaufman Laguna Stretch Jersey Knit in Royal (here) with red tulle accents. I coupled the dress with DIY Leggings in Riley Blake Jersey Knit 1″ Stripes in Yellow (here). With the boots we got from Hanna Andersson, the dress could not be a more perfect dragon!

Elmer:

For Elmer, I chose the Rowan Tee by Titchy Threads with Riley Blake Jersey Knit 1″ Stripes in Red (here). I added a light blue knit color band and accent pocket with scrap knit I had.

My Father’s Dragon Photoshoot

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KCW Fall 2014

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in Costume / Fall 2014 / KCW / Kids Clothes Week / Photoshoot / Sewing 11 comments

October 22, 2014 by kasisullivan

DIY Leggings Tutorial: KCW Day 3

Kids Clothes Week: Day 3

What is the best part of Fall? Leggings! The most comfy thing a girl (or boy) can wear!

As part of Kids Clothes Week, I am making a pair of leggings. The great thing about leggings is that they are incredibly easy to make.

This tutorial will walk you through how to make a pair of leggings by using a pair you already have as a guide. However, you can check out this other fantastic tutorial here, if you need to make them from scratch using your own measurements.

Let the DIY Leggings Tutorial begin!

DIY Leggings Tutorial

Need:

1/2 yard knit fabric (for tiny ones!)
1 inch elastic band for waist (about 1/2 yard)
1/4 inch elastic band for rushing (about 1/8 yard)
poof of tulle for accent (optional)
matching polyester thread
printer paper
tape
marker or pen
walking foot
ballpoint or stretch needle
double needle (optional)

Step 1

Fold your pair of leggings in half length-wise to use as a guide. Trace around the leggings onto a sheet of paper (or many sheets taped together) with a pencil or marker. Once the outline is created, we are going to adjust. Because the elastic band has made the waist slightly smaller, we are going to draw lines straight up to meet the top as shown in the picture below.

Step 2

Add 1/4 inch seam allowance to the side that is not straight up and down. The side that is straight up and down will be placed on the fold.

Step 3

Add a one inch seam line to the bottom of the leggings as shown below.

Step 4

Add 1 1/4 inch seam allowance to the top to allow for a 1 inch elastic waist band. If you prefer a smaller waist band, use that size plus 1/4 inch.

Step 5

Cut out fabric carefully. Knits are prone to stretching, so they should be laid out on a flat surface. Try not to stretch the fabric as you cut.

Since 2 legs are needed, you will need to cut out two pieces on the fold. If the fabric has stripes, make sure the stripes are lined up by using one piece of cut out fabric as the pattern for the second as shown below.

Step 6

Using your walking foot, double or twin needles if you have them, and polyester thread (for maximum stretch): Hem the bottom of both legs by folding the fabric in 1 inch. #5 on my machine provides a good amount of stretch, however, a straight stitch can work if you slightly stretch the fabric while sewing.

Note: If you want to do the ruched sides, now is the time! Iron the fold seam, open fabric, and sew the elastic to the wrong side of the material at the bottom of the pant leg.

One the bottom hems are complete (and side ruched detail), with a single ballpoint needle, and the zigzag stitch of your choice: sew the leg seam together until you reach the curved point (crotch). I like the zigzag with the straight line best: #10 on my machine. However, anything that give stretch to the fabric will work.

Once both legs are complete, sew the seams up the front and back (all in one go) making a U shape.

Step 7

Add the elastic band to the top by encasing it in the excess 1 1/4 inch fabric. Now the product is done and any decorations (such as the tulle poof can be added)!

in DIY / Fall 2014 / KCW / Kids Clothes Week / Sewing / Tutorial 5 comments

October 20, 2014 by kasisullivan

Frozen Princess Anna Costume

Kids Clothes Week: Day 1

Today marks the first day of KCW Fall 2014. While I have been working on this project for some time, today it is finally finished and that is worth celebrating!

This year has been all about Frozen. At first it was the music. “Let it Go” played everywhere, and all the time, followed by “Do You Want to Build a Snowman”. The latter was sung on repeat in our house for 2 weeks straight to prepare for the upcoming “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” musical audition.

All summer long we dreamed about Frozen.

As we approached Halloween, it was obvious that an Anna or Elsa costume would be in the works. After Cadence got the part as the “Little Red-Haired Girl” in the Charlie Brown play, we decided that Anna would be the perfect choice as we already had a red-haired wig.

Frozen Princess Anna Costume Review

The pattern for Princess Anna is from Joy2Sew and I couldn’t be more pleased with the result! While I made a few minor adjustments (as we all do!), this pattern was very well laid out and provided just enough instruction to make the sewing process comfortable.

Instead of painting on the design with the provided templates, I decided to use felt sheets and Heat n’ Bond. The skirt and cape I simply ironed on the designs, while the vest I opted to sew on for durability. I also added a scalloped skirt hem line in a contrasting blue and shortened the skirt by about 6 inches to show off the boots.

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KCW Fall 2014

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in Costume / Disney / Fall 2014 / KCW / Kids Clothes Week / Photoshoot / Sewing 3 comments

October 14, 2014 by kasisullivan

Color + Design

A new color palette for the lark + wren blog!

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September 17, 2014 by kasisullivan

Figgy’s Scirocco Dress

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Figgy’s Scirocco

Figgy’s Scirocco dress pattern has been one of my all-time fav0rite patterns to sew. This dress is a playtime, summer favorite that is easy to make with a designer quality look. I fell in love with the pattern as soon as I saw it. I loved the design, the grey and white Polka Dot Dress Fabric by Moda, and the red boots to match featured on Figgy’s website here. As it had been awhile since I had sewn a dress, I did some research and found that I was not the only one who loves Figgy’s Scirocco Dress! So many pictures and blogs dedicated to the Scirocco Dress!

In my version, I opted for a Kona Cotton in Mustard by Robert Kaufman and Large Orbs in Lighter Grey by Tomotake Muddy Works. However, I cannot take credit for this lovely combination I first saw it on Probably Actually: here modeled on an adorable Oliver + S pattern. I paired the girly dress with ‘Troopa’ Boots by Steve Madden.

During my research for Figgy’s Scirocco, I found an incredible tutorial here. If it were not for this tutorial, I may never have made the twisted back on the first try! I also found a trend: the gaping side back! I had to study many pictures to determine why so many of the finished dresses had gaping sides. At first glance, I assumed the dresses were too large for the subject, however, after second thought, I determined that there was too much fabric on the sides of the dress back for the size of the waist.

In order to overcome this minor detail, I decided to adjust the pattern to fit each measurment of my little girl. In addition, I tapered the bottom side diagonal line to 1 inch so that with a 1/2 inch seam, the finished side back would measure 1/2 inch before the side seam at the bottom.

In the end, I think Figgy’s Scirocco dress turned out wonderfully. After all, it was the dress that got me sewing again. The dress that would eventually enspired me to blog about my sewing and DIY projects, and create Lark + Wren. You can see more images of this dress here.

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