Back in design school, one of our best professors frequently gave our class the assignment to go home and each sketch 50 dress concepts before class the next day. To come up with that many unique ideas in one evening, on top of our full course-load of homework, felt unimaginably difficult. But it took that many sketches to really push out new and imaginative designs, and somehow we always managed to complete the task on time.

I recently gave myself the same type of homework and spent the past three full days filling a sketchbook with page upon page of ideas for future sewing patterns. Hopefully when I look back at the designs I’ll find some useful ideas, now that the fall patterns are at the printer and it’s time to start work on the spring collection.

While I was in the studio, looking for some inspiration, I also came across some other sketches and thought you might enjoy seeing them. These are the spring sewing patterns, not in their first incarnation as preliminary ideas but as part of the package I send to Dan, our illustrator, each season, so he can paint the paper doll clothing. Among the many ways that I communicate with Dan are sketches I make showing him what the clothes should look like on the dolls. I also send photographs, fabric and color swatches, and lengthy notes about each garment. But the sketches are the most useful part of the package, I think. I can show exactly what the silhouette is: how long a skirt should be, how closely (or loosely) a garment should fit, where the pockets are placed and how the collar sits. Here is the Ice Cream Dress (sorry for the smudges; I generally work with pencil on vellum so I can draw directly on top of the a paper doll to get the proportions right.):

I get to pretend that I’m an illustrator when I do this, except that I use a lot of words to show what I mean. Dan doesn’t have that luxury. (On the other hand, he’s a professional illustrator; I merely need to communicate an idea, thank goodness.)

Here are the other spring patterns, just for the fun of it:

So I spell out (literally) a lot of information here, but there is one area in which I let Dan have complete control: I always suggest a few props to coordinate with the name of each pattern, and Dan chooses exactly which prop to draw and how to show it. He’s never disappointed me. My favorite prop is still the bunny slippers. After he finished the painting, I found an exact match for them and bought them as a prop for Quilt Market.

Ok, back to my sketches.

The Ice Cream Social got started over the weekend, and it’s already making excellent progress. How is your sewing coming? Here are some posts to help you follow along:

• Day 1
• Transferring markings to the fabric
• Interfacing, button loop and yoke

As a little inspiration, and to remind you that you can sew the Ice Cream Dress as a simple top too, here’s a photo taken this morning of S wearing her new top made from a recent Anna Maria Horner voile.

Are you participating in the Ice Cream Social? It just so happens that I’ve been sewing Ice Cream Dresses in my free time lately, too. This is the first of two versions I made over the weekend. I blogged about it over at disdressed.

We both like the unicorns on the pockets. And we like the fact that the double gauze is a cool fabric for these insanely hot days.

If you haven’t already, join the Ice Cream Social and share what you make.

Planning to sew an Ice Cream Dress this summer? Why not join the global group of seamstresses who are participating in this month’s Ice Cream Dress sew along.

Hosted by Amy of Badskirt in Australia, the sew along promises to be great fun, and there are some nice giveaways to be had too. Check out the schedule for the month, and sign up to participate in the sew along’s Flickr group.

Our thanks to Amy for organizing and hosting the event.

Here is a little additional inspiration for you now that the spring patterns have been released.

Two days a week, we have the pleasure of working with Giulia, who lends her expertise to our sewing patterns and to some other projects that we’ve been working on. Giulia trained as a costume maker in Rome, London, and Paris, and on the days when she’s not working with us she constructs beautiful things in the costume shop at the Metropolitan Opera. We feel very fortunate to work with her, and she makes many valuable contributions to what we do.

Last week Giulia returned to Italy for her cousin’s wedding. She took along this silk dupioni Ice Cream Dress that she sewed for her niece to wear to the wedding. I love the colors she selected.

When she brought this little dress to the studio the other day, she hadn’t been able to find an appropriate button. We located this vintage orange button in our stash, which is just pinned into place for the photo. I think it finishes the dress beautifully.

And Giulia added a little surprise to her version of the dress. It’s fully lined, with the lining also made of silk using the View A pattern pieces. The dress could almost be fully reversible, although the button might need to be moved.

The lining changes the drape of the fabric and makes it look fuller, which is perfectly appropriate for a formal event like a wedding.

I can’t wait to see the things that all of you do with this pattern. Please share your creations with us in the Oliver + S Flickr group.

We’re pleased to announce that our new Spring 2010 styles are now available for purchase on our website.

View each style’s pattern page to place your order:

• Music Class Blouse and Skirt
• Sketchbook Shirt and Shorts
• Ice Cream Dress

Happy sewing!