Oliver + S School Photo Dress

During Winter Break 2011 Annee and I met up at my parents house, where I'm currently living, to oohed and aahed over my 7 month old (then and now 2 1/2) chubby little man, Hank.  While she was here we both traced the pattern pieces to the School Photo Dress onto freezer paper.  I also remember her then talking of wanting one more little baby in her family.  She's totally lucky and got two! Ha!

While Annee was here we also journeyed to Hobby Lobby and I found this hot pink and brown narrow wale corduroy on sale.  I'm a sucker for hot pink and for sales, so I bought 2 1/2 yds for the School Photo Dress even though I didn't have the pattern with me and wasn't quite sure of the exact requirements for the dress.

Then 2 years went by.  What?!  How does that happen?!  I actually know how that happens.  Life happens.  Darn time.  Can we just stop it somehow?!  I never used those pattern pieces that I traced and cut.  A couple of weeks ago, Annee sewed up her own School Photo Dress, and I knew I could do it too.  Sewing is such a mind game where you second guess your skill set and worry about things you haven't even come across in a pattern you haven't even read.  I mean I've only sewn like 100+ dresses why would I not think I could sew this one.  After seeing Annee's version, I quickly found my pattern check the fabric requirements, realized I still had enough fabric to make Grace a dress, and got my freezer paper and started tracing.  No wasting time!

This pattern is rated 3 scissors out of 4.  I've also sewn the Oliver + S Jump Rope dress that is 3 scissors (or is it 4) and I think this one is easier.  There were just lots of steps, but nothing was super tricky.

I made the size 8 dress and was going to lengthen it to size 10 because these patterns tend to be short.  However, I cut every body piece to the size 10 length except for one.  Oops.  In the end it was a good mistake because the dress is plenty long.

I also didn't make a single trip to the fabric store for this dress other than the one I took 2 years ago, so the lining is white.  You can't see it, but if you stand next to Grace you catch a glimpse of it on the neckline.  Oh, well.  It's really not a big deal, but brown lining would have made it more professional which I'm totally trying to be. Wink, wink.  Oh, but my model she is totally professional and kept her poses even when the wind blew her hair in her face. 

The back has an invisible zipper which I really love because some of the Oliver + S patterns call for buttons down the back.  Zippers can be tricky but are less tricky than buttons if you ask me.

It's totally invisible, but if I had had enough fabric and wanted to be more professional, I guess I could have lined up those polka dots.

All in all, I'm so happy with this dress.  Even before I was finished with it I'd purchased another Oliver + S  pattern because I was reminded while sewing this pattern just how well written and thorough Liesl's patterns are.  I've joked with Annee that this is the year of Oliver + S, and I'm really hoping that's not just a joke.  I don't have many more years of sewing dresses for Grace, so I really should take advantage of the time while I have it.  Not to mention I have actually purchased 3 new Oliver + S patterns since I made this little number.  Fingers crossed I actually use them and soon!