This is Us
Wow, it is the final week of Project Run and Play. I never thought I would make it this far. I’m honored to be able to be joining in with two other awesome ladies in the journey. For signature style week I tried to brainstorm things that are really my style or preferences in my projects, plus show a bit of the girls and their personalities. I made a little list of things I wanted to include in my look and then went from there.
Brainstorm List:
Floral Fabric
Stripes
Pockets
Knits
3/4 Sleeves
For the first look l created a pant and top combo. (Even though I created this look first, I selected these fabrics to coordinate with the red floral fabric used in my first look. The green pants are a flat front pant in a stretch sateen fabric. I snatched this green fabric from Let’s Sew, a small business in my town. I love the bold green color and I was really looking for colors and patterns that would pop on screen for you to see. I started with the Lil Luxe Slim Trousers as my base for these pants. I made several adjustments, but the largest was the addition of the back welt pockets. This pattern calls for a faux pocket flap, but pockets were on my list. I’ve found that things with pockets get worn more at my house and I actually really like welt pockets. They are one of those things that everyone is often afraid to try at first, but once you tackle them you discover they aren’t as bad as you expected. I like to be fun and sassy, I added my floral print to these pants for a fun lining in the pockets.
For the striped top, I’ve been thinking of this design for a while. I’m so glad I made it to the final week because that motivates me to tackle ideas that I’ve been putting off. I used a Riley Blake one inch navy and white stripe for this. I like stripes and florals together, but I also wanted to be able to show some craftsmanship with some stripe matching. For this shirt I started with the LLK Perfect 10. I reworked the neckline by bringing it up and widening it. The goal was to be closer to a boat neck without being too high for my girls to be bothered by it. I used a facing to finish the neckline and to provide extra support for the grommets. I under-stitched the facing to keep it nice and flat yet not visible on the right side. I’m so proud I put those grommets into that knit fabric without incident. I was having a panic that I would wack them with the hammer and punch the grommet completely through the fabric. I installed them without issues and they all lined up perfectly. #winning #itsamiracle
One thing that I really love is 3/4 length sleeves. I felt it was necessary to include this as part of my make because I would definitely say it’s a signature feature for myself when creating new pieces. I love how you can stretch ¾ length into multiple seasons. They are so flexible. Together these two pieces make a great look for spring. The style is classy, practical, and has a hint of a nautical vibe.
For the second look I began with the idea that people who follow me know I love florals. It is definitely something that contributes to my designing style. I went on the hunt for a bold floral for this project and found this beauty. All the other pieces for this week were inspired by this print. For the red floral top, I started with the SLPco Molly bodice. I removed the button placket from the back and added a more decorative placket to the front. This allows a nice fitted bodice with the scoop back of the bodice to be a focal point. We topped it off with large blue buttons that coordinate well with some of the blues within the floral print. I think it’s a great contrast with the red.
Next, I stitched the wave pleats into the skirt portion of the top. I think this is such a fun way to add a simple (yet time consuming) feature that adds texture to the look. I paired this top with a simple pair of leggings because in my house comfort wins over style. #thisisus
The last piece to complete this look is the white cardigan. I wanted to add another layer to help keep the girls warm during our photo shoot. Our weather has be more horrible than I can tell you about. I started with the Perfect 10 pattern for this as well. It’s such a good building block pattern. (Don’t you love how the pieces look so different but started from the same base?) Since the red top is a little more sassy, I put together a cardigan that has a little more interest compared to what I’ve done in the past. I changed up the construction of the neckline from the cardigan I created last week and love how it turned out and I’m very happy with the finish. The ruffled hemline dresses the cardigan up a notch without going overboard. I’m also a fan of wide hems in general. I decide to include that in this cardigan as another nod to my personal taste. I almost always adjust my patterns to account for larger hem allowances.
Lastly, I threw in a hair piece to wrap up the look. Simple and sassy is a perfect way to describe the tie and my little model that is sporting it. My favorite part about these looks is that the pieces can all be interchanged. And, because these twin ladies are the same size we can swap pieces easily. It’s like a mini capsule for them. I always want to try to get the most out of the pieces I have, especially when it comes to sewing for my girls. I need tops and bottoms to be able to be mixed and still look like they go together. I feel like these pieces allow that to happen. Yay! for flexible clothing.
Once again, THANK YOU for all the support over the last month. It’s been an exciting journey and I’ve loved sharing a little bit of my world with you all! Don’t forget to head back over to Project Run and Play to make your final vote. This week the prizes go out, so your votes are super important! Good bye for now…
