Roller Skate Dress FLIP

I knew that I just HAD to participate again in the FLIP this pattern sew along.  It is so fun to use some creativity to change up great patterns into something different.  The pattern to be "flipped" this month is the Oliver + S roller skate dress or tunic sewing pattern.  I was planning on making an Ariel dress as my "flip", but felt like that wasn't really an innovative way to use the pattern.  We also had a vacation coming up and I didn't have time for making dresses - I had to make some sun hats and towel cover ups quickly before we left.  So I gave up thinking about how to flip the pattern and decided I'd have to skip this month.  But then I realized that the roller skate pattern would be perfect for making towel cover ups!  Crazy how things come together sometimes.

This was my first time sewing an Oliver + S pattern and I was a little nervous because I had read that they are not for beginners.  But it was only a few pattern pieces and the instructions were pretty detailed so I gave it a try!  

After a successful trip to Walmart to find some interesting looking towels in the girls' favorite colors, I got to sewing.  I'll post again later on how these towel dresses/jackets came together, but for now I'll just overload you with pictures! (update:  how to posted here)

I made the cover ups using the size 3T View A dress pattern pieces.  I read the pattern instructions thoroughly, but didn't follow many of them.  First, I decided that the towel dresses/jackets had to have hoods!

Since I added hoods and didn't add a button closure to the back (like the pattern instructs), I decided to add some zippers so that the girls would be able to get them on and off easily - especially when wet.  And what kid doesn't love zippers?  So I cut the front piece in half and added zippers that went the entire length.

Another change up is that I didn't add any lining fabric.  I thought that would take away the drying ability of the towel.  Instead, I added bias tape to the arm holes and bottom hem to finish them off.  All the other raw edges were finished with a zig-zag stitch.  

The final difference between these cover ups and the original pattern is that I didn't add the elastic waist.  I think they would've been really cute with an empire elastic waist, but I like the shape of them without it.  So I decided to nix the extra step.

Again, I am so glad that the FLIP this pattern series is going on, or else I wouldn't have thought to make these using a dress pattern.  The cover ups would've probably been a little more boring and a lot less stylish!

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