I can't believe I made it to the final week of Project Run and Play! I have had so much fun during this competition and have made so many things I never knew I could make! I was a little nervous when I found out this week is Signature Style because I feel like I don't actually have a "signature style". I tend to make simple, everyday, knit pieces--like t-shirts and leggings--with my "free time". As a business owner and a mom, my daily life doesn't involve much sewing, unfortunately its mostly computer work. When I do get a chance to sew I usually make something practical that my kids can wear to school or I can wear while out running errands like grocery shopping, and it HAS to be a fast sew because I don't have much time to spare. This doesn't leave much in the way of creativity and this competition is ALL about creativity. I felt like I was in a conundrum. One of my favorite styles to look at and be inspired by is bohemian, aka boho. Boho style is so carefree with gorgeous fabrics that have movement and color, not to mention the gorgeous trims with lace and fringe....its dreamy! I decided to lean this way with my "Signature Style" but to focus on translating these carefree styles to more age-appropriate styles that can be worn everyday.
The first thing I did was to go through my fabrics and see what I had to choose from. I'm pretty broke from this competition at this point; I've over-extended my monthly fabric budget tenfold! lol. Thankfully as I went through my stash I had enough fabrics to achieve the look I was going for and a good mix of textures to keep it interesting! In fact, every single fabric and trim came directly from my stash so I didn't have to spend a penny this week...thank goodness because I didn't have any money left to spend.
As of Friday mornings results, I only had two pieces completed: my daughter's outfit in the teal high-low dress and kimono with a potential photoshoot (if I made the final week) planned for Saturday. Luckily, I do okay sewing under pressure because the pressure was definitely on for this week! My daughter's outfit is a self-drafted high low with a fun, open back. I put on some inspirational words using my silhouette cameo and heat transfer vinyl because boho is also about being comfortable in your own skin and loving yourself! I paired it with a self-drafted high-low kimono and added a fringe trim for interest and texture. I topped the look off with a handmade braided suede choker.
Despite being everyday wear, I wanted to add a little fancier piece to the collection, because most runway collections have a fancy piece at the end! I settled on a gorgeous lace maxi: CKC Lynx's. The dress is lined with knit navy fabric that is knee length which helps make the dress a little more casual. Unfortunately the little boho belt I made was lost in the shuffle and got left at home for the photoshoot, but you can see it in the flat lay and it helped make the dress a little more casual as well.
You cannot have a boho collection without bell bottoms. I made this pair, CKC Marsha's, out of double brushed poly and added a yoga waistband. For the shirt, I used a ruffled off the shoulder top, CKC Marina's, that I tied at the waist. I also made a cute little hippie headband and handmade choker to add that final touch!
Next I made a self-drafted maxi romper! These seemed to be super popular this summer and I never got the chance to make one so I jumped at the chance to include one in this collection. I couldn't be happier with the way this one turned out and most importantly, the little model LOVED it. When she went to get dressed for the photoshoot, the shorts were sewn on sideways! lol. I had to chop them off and quickly resew them back on before we could leave for the photoshoot. That was super stressful! The romper is made with double brushed poly and crepe woven fabric for the skirt. I love the added touch of peekaboo lace on the sleeves and the handmade choker to go with it.
The final look I made with the self-drafted, tiered cold shoulder peasant dress. When the model tried it on it was kind of plain when compared to everyone else's outfit and a tad short so I whipped up that on-the-spot made up skirt extender in about 7 mins so we could rush off to the photoshoot!
This whole collection and photoshoot was insane and seemed like a comedy of errors at times. My friends and I lugged this wicker couch--that I bought for $10 a year ago on a family vacation despite my husbands objections....and its been sitting in the garage since we brought it home--all over this wooded area to try and get amazing pictures. All the girls were completely crazy--despite what these pictures show--and these were literally the ONLY photos from 400 photos that turned out halfway decent. Despite all of the complications, I love how the collection turned out and most importantly the girls loved them and were SO comfortable in them.
Project Run and Play has been a fun experience thats pushed me well out of my comfort zone at times. I've made 15 different outfits, sewn 27 pieces total, and had 4 big photoshoots in 4 weeks. I was literally racing the clock every week! But I got it all done and I'm super proud of the things I've created!
Project Run and Play has been a fun experience thats pushed me well out of my comfort zone at times. I've made 15 different outfits, sewn 27 pieces total, and had 4 big photoshoots in 4 weeks. I was literally racing the clock every week! But I got it all done and I'm super proud of the things I've created!
