Dress week continues over here at Olivia Jane Handcrafted! I’m excited to show you another version of the Building Block Dress made with linen and a Japanese Hello Kitty Liberty print which I got from Jones & Vandermeer but can no longer find on the site. They have tons of other Liberty to choose from though!

I love a garment with some great contrast. It’s an easy way to take one pattern and make it look so very different. And since I’m using the same base pattern for the dresses I’m working on, I definitely wanted to achieve a good variety of dresses that wouldn’t feel stale.

This dress is made much the same as the first I showed you this week. The bodice was shortened, and the skirt is also a bit shorter. The cut of Hello Kitty fabric I had was 1 meter x 42-44″. I don’t recall exactly but it’s a poplin with a narrower width like quilting cotton. So the skirt had to be less full and slightly shorter, but that’s alright! It’s still plenty long.

The top was constructed the same way as the floral chambray bodice I told you about yesterday. The only difference in the two is that this one was shortened. Of course this version has pockets too!

Layla doesn’t have many dark dresses, but I think she looks adorable in black[ish]. Also the feel of the linen is just lovely. I love that it’s supple but still has some structure. It works really well for a bodice.

Tomorrow concludes my impromptu not-sponsored-or-associated-with-Oliver & S Dress Week that just so happens to revolve around their wonderful book, Building Block Dress. Guys, they have no clue I’m even blogging about this, so do take this as pure, unadulterated honesty. If you are looking for a way to expand your pattern library quickly for a very low cost and to learn a host of new techniques and skills, this book is invaluable. You couldn’t make a better decision.

I’ll see you back here tomorrow!

-Meredith