This Sunday Brunch jacket, made by June Beetle and found on our Flickr group, demonstrates the “see the child first” principle nicely. The colors and print are flattering without being overpowering. And that muted yellow looks terrific on her!

You undoubtedly know by now that Oliver + S designs feature classic, simple styling with clean lines and not a lot of unnecessary ornamentation. By designing this way, I’m trying to create beautiful clothing that doesn’t call attention to itself but that highlights the charms of the child who is wearing it. When I select fabric, I go for the same effect.

There’s been a trend in the quilt industry over the last several years toward very bold, busy, colorful prints. Many prints today are actually printed in 10 or more vibrant colors. While I like some of these prints, I tend to shy away from the loudest, boldest, most colorful ones when I make Oliver + S garments. A lot of these prints, when turned into dresses or tops, scream “Look at me! I’m a print by Designer X!” I don’t necessarily want to dress my child—or anyone’s child—as a walking billboard for a fabric collection or designer of the moment. When you dress a child in a garment made from a very busy fabric, you run the risk that the child will get lost behind the print. (And if you combine two or more of these prints in a single outfit…well, it’s all exponential, isn’t it?)

I’d be willing to bet that you noticed these two adorable sisters before you saw their sweet matching Birthday Party dresses, yes? Dresses by A.J.Jacks, one of our Boutique Sewer Program participants.

I also worry that many of these bright, bold prints won’t age very well. We all have some cringe-worthy photos of ourselves as children, don’t we? Take a closer look at one of those photos. Chances are the clothing hasn’t aged well because the styling of the garment or the print of the fabric is overly complicated or very “of the moment.” In designing Oliver + S garments, I’m consciously trying to achieve a timeless style. When viewed two decades from now, a 2009 photo of a child wearing an Oliver + S design shouldn’t cause anyone to say, “What is that you were wearing?” or “What was your mother thinking, dressing you like that?” (I can say this from experience because I have plenty of photos of myself from the 1970s that elicit just those sorts of comments. What was it with those purple bell-bottom jeans with the silver rivets down the legs?) Rather, someone should say, “Hey, you were a really cute kid.”

The beige ground and clear-but-muted plum, mustard, and other colors in this 2 + 2 Blouse look wonderful on a toddler. Sewn by Angela Maureen.

So when I’m selecting fabrics for making my own Oliver + S garments, I tend toward the more subtle and sophisticated prints. Although it goes against the grain of a lot of what’s being done today in the home sewing industry, I think subtle and sophisticated work exceptionally well for children’s clothing. The fabrics don’t have to be loud and bright to capture people’s attention. I would rather let people notice the clothing after they see the child wearing the garments.

I think you’ll also notice that high-end designers are using more subtle and sophisticated prints these days. And this isn’t to say that we need to be afraid of color. I love color, and I’ll talk more about it when I discuss some of my other fabric selection principles in future posts.

I’m excited to have been asked to join Heather Ross as a special guest for one of her upcoming weekend sewing getaways.

Heather, as you know, in addition to being a talented fabric designer is also the author of the wildly popular Weekend Sewing. What you might not know is that occasionally Heather plays party planner too and puts together actual weekends away where women do nothing but sew. (Well, from what I’ve heard, there is plenty of eating and a few other fun outdoor-type activities thrown in just as well, just for good measure.)

So please consider joining us at Blueberry Hill Inn in Goshen, VT for a weekend of serious social sewing, gourmet eating, and a little hiking and swimming at one of the most lovely little secret forest lakes in Vermont.

All the details, and information on registering, are available on Heather’s blog.

Did you know that 95% of fabric shoppers make their purchases at chain stores while only 5% purchase from independent quilt and fabric shops? Why shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Oliver + S is sponsoring Project 95–an industry-wide initiative that highlights the value of independent retailers. When you shop at independent quilt and fabric stores, you support small businesses (often in your community) that cater specifically to your needs.

Oliver + S only sells its patterns through independent shops and websites, and we believe that these independents are worth supporting. In addition to providing you with access to the best products available (many of which are not carried in chain stores), your independent retailer provides classes, community, and other support for sewing enthusiasts like you. Purchasing from these shops helps ensure that high-quality products will remain available to you and that the community these shops build will remain intact.

So please join us in this worthy cause. Shop independent. And voice your support for the movement by following the activities of Project 95 on its website, by becoming a fan on Facebook, and by keeping up with Project 95 on Twitter.

The newest Oliver + S trunk show has been booked for the remainder of the summer. If you’re in the area, stop by one of our retailers to participate in the activities they will be hosting in conjunction with the show.

You can see the trunk show at the following locations:

• Waechter’s Silk Shop Asheville NC, June 2-June 15
• Seams Like Home Quilt Shoppe, Anchorage AK, June 19-July 3
• Colonial Quilts, Savannah GA, July 10-July 24
• Bay Window Quilt Shop, Perham MN, July 30-August 13
• The Stitchin’ Post, Sisters OR, August 18-September 7

Every season at Quilt Market, the show’s organizers sponsor a series of Schoolhouse presentations for shop owners who are interested in learning more on topics of interest to them. This season, Oliver + S led two Schoolhouse sessions.

One of our talks focused on how savvy retailers can increase sales in their shops by making samples of Oliver + S garments. It’s no secret in the industry that if a retailer makes a sample of a quilt or a garment the pattern and the fabrics used for the sample will fly out the door.

As you know, Oliver + S patterns are designed with a sophisticated aesthetic in mind, and we wanted to share with our retailers how we go about selecting fabrics that highlight that fact. After all, the right design made up in the wrong fabric doesn’t, in the end, turn into a successful garment.

We received a good deal of positive feedback on what we presented, and we thought that you might be interested in what we’re calling the Oliver + S principles of fabric selection as well. So, without further ado, here they are:

• See the child before the outfit
• Think sophisticated and understated
• Look at the supporting fabrics in a collection, not necessarily the central prints
• Solid colors and neutrals can ground a bright, busy print
• Be eclectic; don’t be afraid to mix collections
• Look for updated versions of traditional prints
• Tonal and two-color prints look very fresh
• Approach juvenile prints with caution

Over the next several weeks we’ll be publishing a series of posts that explain and illustrate (with your photos from the Flickr group) each of these principles. Many of you understand these concepts intuitively and have selected great fabrics that demonstrate these principles. We can’t wait to highlight some of your work and to talk more in depth about why we believe each of these ideas is important.

(Note: we’ll be tagging each post in this series with the label, “principles of fabric selection.” You can click on that link to see all of the posts brought together into one page.)

I love to teach, but I haven’t had much time in my schedule for teaching during the last year. It’s time we fixed that, right? I’m going to be coming out of semi-retirement to teach a special one-day-only class at Purl Patchwork in New York next Saturday, May 30 from 9:00AM-noon.

Purl just told me that there are still a few slots left in the class, so if your home base is New York and you’ve always wanted to make a sailboat top or learn to sew from a pattern, please join us.

Here’s the course description from Purl:

Join Liesl at Purl Patchwork in New York for a special one-day only workshop session.

If you’ve never sewn from a pattern before or if want to pick up a few tips to improve your sewing, this workshop is appropriate for you.

The session will focus on teaching you the steps involved in making the Oliver + S Sailboat Top. Liesl will demonstrate how to prepare and cut out the pattern, and then she’ll assemble the top while providing tips to help you improve your sewing. She’ll cover shortening and lengthening a pattern, sewing buttons and buttonholes, setting in a sleeve, and proper pressing techniques.

By the end of the demonstration, you’ll be all ready to make a Sailboat Top or many of the other Oliver + S patterns on your own and will feel more confident in your knowledge of sewing. Basic machine sewing experience is required.

You can contact Purl Patchwork at 212-420-8798 to register.

Wow. What a week it’s been. We’re glad to be back in the studio now, catching up after this season’s Quilt Market in Pittsburgh.

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth. We really enjoyed speaking with staffers from so many of the shops that carry our patterns and meeting many new friends as well. But some usual attendees were missed. Anna Maria‘s baby just arrived (congratulations, Anna Maria and family!), so she didn’t travel this season. And Brooke, who has given Oliver + S its unique look (including our minimalist trade show booth), wasn’t able to attend either.

We’re sorry that many regulars didn’t get to attend Market this season because we think they really would have liked the Pittsburgh convention center. It is a great venue.

The natural light and high ceilings made everyone’s offerings look especially appealing (our booth was well-lit even before we turned on the lights!). I hope we can return again soon.

In addition to our usual booth, this time we did a special little event with fabric designer Heather Ross, who showed up with two Oliver + s samples made in her new collection from Kokka. The double gauze works beautifully with the Swingset and the Bubble Dress. Aren’t they sweet?

As usual, there were a few real stand-outs from the show.

On the fabric front, new Windham designer Bari J debuted a unique collection with a fresh look. So nice to see a new perspective in printed fabrics.

Valori Wells also showed a lovely new collection for Free Spirit, called Del Hi. I’m especially enamored with the High Desert colorways–the rich, neutral-based colors are refreshing and sophisticated. My personal favorite in the group is the Paisley print in Earth color, shown above. It’s a oversized print that would look great with a bright solid as an accent. Maybe orange, yellow, or turquoise?

Amy Butler introduced her new collection of projects in conjunction with The Electric Quilt Company, which looks like lots of fun. She’s got a number of other great products coming out, too, including a nice-looking line of bags for crafters. (Love all those zippers on the Hampton!)

Windham Fabrics is releasing a collection of quilt kits based on the quilts from Gee’s Bend. The lines have been straightened out a bit, so you aren’t getting the same curved, organic feel that make the original quilts so appealing. But the colors and composition are still very appealing and attractive.

I’m sure there was more great material debuted at Market, but I spent most of the time in our booth talking with our customers about Oliver + S. One of the topics we spent a lot of time discussing was appropriate fabric selection to highlight the design features of our garments. Stay tuned for more information on that topic.

Wednesday morning we leave for Pittsburgh, where spring International Quilt Market convenes this season.

I’d like to tell you this part of the business eventually becomes routine, but preparing for Market is always exciting. I’m especially thrilled about the two Schoolhouse presentations we’ll be giving on Thursday afternoon–before Friday’s opening of the exhibition hall. We’ll be sharing a lot of exciting and controversial material that is guaranteed to get people talking–which is great, because it means we’ll have lots of interesting conversations at our booth during the rest of the show. I encourage you to attend the presentations if you’ll be at Market. Here are the official descriptions:

Oliver + S is giving back-to-back presentations as part of the Brewer Schoolhouse series. Join us in room 334 of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Thursday starting at 4:45 PM.

In our first presentation, “Capturing New Customers with Oliver + S,” we will show you how you can use Oliver + S patterns to win the loyalty of a new generation of customers—and keep them for a lifetime.

We will discuss the demographic profile of today’s “Dedicated Quilter” and will talk about the emerging generation of customers—customers who may not be shopping at your store today. Come to hear us offer advice on capturing and retaining these new customers and to learn what your shop should be doing to protect itself from the growing number of gray market sellers courting these customers on the Internet.

We’ll follow immediately at 5:20 PM with our second presentation, “Little Oliver + S Projects Lead to Big Sales.”

Designer Liesl Gibson will walk you through several current fabric collections, discussing how you can select and merchandise the fabrics you’re probably already carrying to sell Oliver + S patterns (and vice versa). She will also share some success stories from current Oliver + S customers who have seen their fabric sales spike as a result of carrying our patterns.

And then don’t miss out on Saturday’s big event. No monster trucks or booming announcer voices to accompany them, but come hang out with Heather Ross and Oliver + S from 2:00 until 4:00 at booth #2442. We’ll be displaying outfits made using Heather’s new fabric collection and Oliver + S patterns, and I can almost guarantee some laughs and good times in the process. There may be a few treats as well.

Who knows, maybe we’ll even get silly enough to make our own announcer voices?

Today we’re introducing a new blog feature. We will regularly be highlighting one of the participants in our Boutique Sewer Program. These talented individuals are creating unique, handcrafted garments from Oliver + S patterns and are selling them through a variety of channels. We’re always interested in talking with our program participants and seeing the interesting things they are making. We thought our blog readers would be interested in meeting some of them too.

We’re kicking the series off by sharing a recent email exchange we had with one of our boutique sewers—Rachel Baker from Brisbane, Australia.

Rachel, can you tell us a little about yourself and your background? How did you learn to sew?
I had always been fairly convinced that I had not a single ounce of creativity in me. Seriously. I used to tell my mum how awful it was that my sisters were the creative ones and I was all logical and cerebral.

But then, after having my second child (a daughter), something clicked. I became obsessed with the idea of learning to make skirts. I couldn’t afford a new sewing machine at the time so my Grandmother, who was a dressmaker and now makes the most elaborate quilts ever, bought me my very first sewing machine. I started sewing the day after it arrived, and I have barely taken a day off in the last two years.

How did you first discover Oliver + S patterns and the Boutique Sewer Program?
I had joined a group of sewers online who have now disbanded, and they were talking about these beautiful Oliver + S patterns. Once I saw them I totally fell in love, and after receiving so many compliments for garments I made from them I decided to look into selling my work. That’s when I found out about the program.

Your garments always have a consistent delicate and sweet feel to them. Do you have a specific style or aesthetic you’re trying to realize?
I’m coming to realize that I’m girlier than I thought I was. I love classic styling (which is one of the reasons the Oliver + S patterns appeal to me) with a slight twist of funky awesomeness. Even if it’s just the coolest little trim or an unexpected flash of color in the hem facing. I think Oliver + S gives you a chance to do that with their patterns.

How do you determine which fabrics to match with a pattern?
That’s a good question. I generally start with what I have in the house, and then move onto how I think the fabric pattern will look done up in either pleats or gathers. I don’t like my fabric to overwhelm the garment style. I want people to notice the shape of the garment before the fabric. I also love mixing up colors so they are the tiniest bit offbeat but not enough to make them obviously so. Sometimes it takes ages to work out exactly what fabrics to use.

You’ve sewn from many different Oliver + S patterns. Do you have any favorites?
I completely adore the Bubble Dress first and foremost. It’s extremely simple to sew and the style is so flattering on little girls’ bodies. It washes brilliantly and is very easy to iron.

Where do you sell your garments?
I have an Etsy store where I sell many of my garments. I sell all my dresses as one-of-a-kinds. Or, as has happened in the past, a purchaser can message me and I will make a dress to the buyer’s specifications. I really love making special orders. It’s extremely satisfying when they are received and loved.

How do you determine how to price each garment you sew?
To be honest, I don’t make a huge profit. I add up all materials used for each garment and then add an hourly rate for my time.

What have you done to market your business that has been successful for you?
A couple of things. Blogging and slowly finding my place in the market has been a huge lesson for me. I’ve learned so much by watching others at their various stages of business owning. Twitter gives me a fair amount of business. And you should never discount word of mouth.

Sew something amazing, package it beautifully, and the buyer will tell others of their wonderful shopping experiences with PinkLizzy Sews and Oliver + S patterns. I think also being true to myself and the styles and fabrics I like has helped me.

I also think that the support I’ve had from Oliver + S has been wonderful. I get lots of views to my shop and blog coming from the Garments page of the Oliver + S website. Some of those lead to sales, and that has been very excellent.

Do you have any plans for the future?
So many plans! Over the next few months I’m adding women’s sized Arty Skirts to my range to satisfy the hundreds of women who’ve requested them. I also am about to embark on some serious physiotherapy to help alleviate some of my intense sciatic pain. I hope to start university in the next few years to study sociology. I will be adding my daughter to my homeschooling day next year! We’ve got a million family holidays planned to New Zealand, Paris, Sydney and our old home, Ballarat in Victoria Australia. We might have another baby if cluckiness completely overwhelms us (it’s looking likely actually). All while I sew, and sew, and then sew some more for good measure. It’s going to be fantastic and I can’t wait!