Today we’re thrilled to welcome back Deb, who previously shared her clever transformation of the Secret Agent Trench Coat into a lab coat. Known online as “MyNorth†on Flickr, Deb is affectionately called “Moms†to her three children and “Mamaw†to her two grandchildren. She resides in a cozy cottage by a lake in Ontario, Canada, where she spends her days diving into her ever-growing sewing stash. Deb has crafted at least one version of all 47 Oliver + S patterns, plus the five free ones! She stopped by to talk about her favorite among them.
When asked about my favorite Oliver + S pattern for the “Favorite Pattern†series on the blog, I instinctively said the Bubble Dress tops the list. Truthfully, all Oliver + S patterns are my favorites. I own them all and have sewn each one, including the free downloads. Still, the Bubble Dress remains my go-to pattern when I need something quick, fun, and suitable for any occasion.
I absolutely love the capped sleeves and bodice—it’s versatile enough to suit almost any dress style. The same applies to the bubble skirt portion; it pairs beautifully with just about any bodice style.
As for fabric options, nearly anything works with this pattern. From quilting cottons to wool, designer fabrics, and even home decor materials—big prints or small, they all look great. In the past, I’ve made at least a dozen of these dresses, and to demonstrate its versatility, I churned out another eight.
All the dresses (except for two) are size 5, which is slightly large on our model. However, given her recent healthy appetite, we expect a growth spurt soon.
Spotting a cheerful summer border print cotton caught my eye. Instantly, I envisioned the border section for the bubble skirt, while the less patterned part worked perfectly for the bodice. I added mauve piping to the neckline, sleeves, and waistline, giving my Sweet Petunia the ideal summer party dress.
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For the next creation, I decided to combine the Bubble Dress bodice with a different skirt style. This time, I overlaid the Bubble Dress bodice pattern onto the Fairy Tale dress pattern to trace and adjust the sleeves and length. I added a Peter Pan collar to the design. Constructing the bodice followed the Bubble Dress instructions—stitching the neck and sleeve linings with the outer fabric. Then, I referenced the Fairy Tale instructions. Inserting the zipper required a bit of finesse, but it was manageable. The hem is folded twice and stitched about an inch below the fold, creating a tiny tuck. As someone who’s always short on time, I skipped hand-stitching in favor of more machine sewing.
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Next up, inspired by our little one’s love for twirling, I attached a circle skirt to the Bubble Dress bodice, extending the bodice length. The fabric is polyester, reminiscent of my own grade 8 graduation dress (mine was yellow with lace). I added a strip of lace to hers for a touch of nostalgia.
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Continuing with the extended bodice theme, I created a dropped waist dress with a two-tiered skirt. It’s size 6, as I used an existing long-waisted pattern piece and added the Bubble-style sleeve section. Although it’s a bit loose on her now, after a few washes and trips through the dryer, it’ll fit perfectly. A ruffle adorns the front bodice, created by making a fabric tube and pulling a basting thread to gather it. Bright orange buttons run down the front. Using the free Bucket Hat pattern, I made her a matching hat with orange polka-dot lining.
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Last month, our little princess was invited to a “Frozen†themed party, but all she had to wear was a well-loved Cinderella dress. To avoid further wardrobe mishaps, she now has an Elsa-inspired Frozen dress. The bodice is blue satin, and the skirt is two layers—cotton for the lining and lace-like fabric with some sparkle and shiny threads for the outer layer. It’s perfect for a costume.
I also crafted a matching cape using the same lace fabric as the outer skirt. The cape pattern from *Little Things To Sew* was the perfect match.
Our Elsa insisted on posing for photos at my neighbor’s studio gallery, which looks like a castle, to officially welcome everyone to her kingdom.
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For the next dress, I channeled Coco Chanel’s timeless elegance. I used a waist-length bodice pattern with long sleeves and paired it with the bubble skirt. The fabric is a dark navy wool blend, and the sleeve cuffs are white satin, reminiscent of Coco’s signature white bracelets. The bodice lining is cotton, and the bubble skirt lining is Bemberg. Coco often wore pearls, so I bought a meter of plastic pearls, made three strands, and added a jewelry charm letter “C,†which also happens to be her first initial.
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Another challenge was a dress inspired by a gem-studded design from a store called “G ending with ee.†My daughter spotted a similar dress last Christmas and wanted one just like it. I found similar fabric in a drapery section for $6. Later, she saw the original dress on sale for $16 and bought it. Despite the duplication, I made the dress using the fabric I already had. Working with this fabric was tough—it frayed and stretched easily. I serged the edges to prevent fraying and gathered the bubble skirt using a zigzag stitch over thin crochet cotton. The neckline, sleeves, and waistline are piped with leftover satin.
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Finally, I used home dec fabric—a crinkled dupioni-like material with silver accents—to make yet another Bubble Dress. At around the cost of a deli sandwich, it’s surprisingly luxurious. This time, I opted for pleats instead of gathering the skirt to avoid issues with the fabric. The lining is inexpensive cotton, and the piping uses silver bias binding with cotton knitting yarn as filler. Knowing the Bubble Dress only goes up to size 5, I attempted to resize it to size 6. While I have no formal training in pattern drafting, I think my method wasn’t too far off.
The fullness of the fabric and the tucks gave the skirt extra volume—perfect for the holidays next year with sparkly silver stockings and perhaps a matching shrug.
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In conclusion, the Bubble Dress is my ultimate go-to pattern. Whether left as-is or transformed into something unique, it’s endlessly adaptable. I plan to add big side pockets or inset pockets, color-block the bodice and skirt, and turn the bodice into a sundress style. The possibilities are endless—and so is my stash!
Check out my Bubble Dress Pinterest board for examples of dresses I’ve made, as well as inspiration for future creations.
Thank you, Deb, for all the amazing inspiration!
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