Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Michelle, who’s here to share her clever way of customizing the Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress. She demonstrates how a few adjustments can transform the dress into a fully lined masterpiece. This approach not only keeps the dress’s charm intact but also eliminates the bulkiness under the arms where the yoke meets the gathered skirt.
I’ve always adored this dress, but I couldn’t help imagining what it would look like fully lined. The tricky part was managing the extra thickness near the armpits. With some straightforward tweaks, I was able to maintain the single-piece yoke design, reduce the bulk, and achieve a completely lined dress!
Let’s get started. First, trace the size you need for the yoke—let’s say a size 6.
Align the traced yoke piece with the curved section of the gathered skirt pattern and extend the curve by a few inches beyond it. Repeat this process on all four sides, ensuring you extend the same amount on each side.
Next, cut two pieces from your fabric—one for the outer layer and one for the lining.
Once you've got your pieces ready, decide on the type of closure you'd like for the back. For my version, I opted for two buttons paired with elastic loops. Secure the elastic loops in place with clips.
Now comes the sewing part. Begin by stitching around the inner circle and along the back seam, stopping about four inches from the bottom on both sides. Don’t forget to sew along the flat outer edges (the sleeves).
At this stage, leave the outer curves of the bodice unsewn.
Flip the entire yoke right-side out and press it flat.
Match the front outer piece to the back outer piece, and do the same for the lining. Sew these pieces together on both sides to complete the bodice.
Turn everything over to the back side.
Remember where we left off earlier—four inches from the bottom? Now’s the time to finish closing those seams. Start with the outer pieces, placing them right-sides-together and stitching them shut. Then do the same for the lining.
With the bodice ready, it’s time to focus on the skirt. Unlike the original pattern, I cut two rectangular pieces—one for the outer fabric and another slightly longer for the lining. To give the dress more volume, I used the full width of the fabric. Feel free to adjust the fullness according to your preference. You can even opt to make the lining shorter than the outer fabric if you prefer.
Join the sides to create the skirt tube and gather the top. Attach the outer skirt to the outer bodice by aligning their right sides.
Repeat the process for the lining, but this time connect the wrong side of the bodice lining to the right side of the skirt lining to hide the seams.
Hem both the outer and lining skirts. Finally, attach your buttons opposite the elastic loops.
Voila! Here’s the newly customized Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress.
Thank you so much for letting me share this project with you today. It was such a joy to work on!
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P.S. If you're looking to experiment further, consider adding lace trim or pockets for an extra touch of personalization. Let me know how your project turns out—I’d love to hear about it!
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