Author: pacountrycrafts

Welcome to Week 3 of Project Run and Play Season 29!

Since we have narrowed it down to six designers, the scoring will return to our original format. For the last two weeks of competition, the scores will be 1/3 public voting, 1/3 weekly celebrity judge scores, and 1/3 past designer panel scores. Let’s go ahead and meet the judges!

Week 3 Celebrity Judge: Cornelius Quiring

When I was 3 years old, I was in a farm accident that has left my body asymmetrical. I learned how to draft patterns and sew clothes to uniquely fit me. A way of embracing who I am. Today, I share my skills with those looking to do the same and empower themselves.

We love learning from Cornelius’ informative Instagram reels! You can visit his website to learn more about his sewing courses :
https://cornelius.ooo

Past Designer Panel

Jenn competed in Season 8 and also owns the pattern shop Jennuine Design. She also contributed to several Project Run and Play pattern collaborations and has patterns available in our shop.

Rachel competed in Season 26 and designs for Wild Seeds Patterns. We currently host her Lavender and Lilac patterns in the PRP shop as well. Oh, and she has an awesome new sewing room that you should probably check out!

Susana competed in Season 20 and owns the Suco by Susana pattern shop. She has also contributed to several Project Run and Play pattern collaborations, hosts patterns in our shop, and is currently continuing her formal sewing education.

Public voting will end Thursday at 8pm EST. This week we are narrowing it down to the three designers who will compete in the final round! Your vote is still very important!

Our six remaining designers have created amazing kids’ looks to share with you today! Everyone put in a ton of effort into creating these fancy seams – sooooo many seams!!! As a reminder, here is this week’s theme.

FANCY SEAMS
Add piping, color block it, finish it with couture techniques, just let the seams shine!

Take a careful look at all six designs and read all about the construction and inspiration behind each look. Then, try to choose one favorite to cast your vote at the end of the post.

Candice – Country Chic

Fancy seams kind of stumped me for a bit, but I couldn’t shake the thought of patchwork and foundation paper piecing. The biggest challenge for me with sewing through different themes is narrowing down ideas. However, discovering what you end up creating at the end is the fun part! I am absolutely smitten with our fancy seams outfit. Inspired by our new home, Arizona, I bring you “Country Chic.”

My overall vision for this outfit was a light, twirly dress paired with a vest featuring paper piecing. For the dress, I used the Danica pattern from Vintage Little Lady as a base. I added insertion lace sleeve caps to complement the pintucks on the lower part of the sleeve. I also removed the full back button placket and made a simple button and loop closure at the base of the neck. I wanted to jazz up the neckline a tad more, so I added a small ruffle to it. This pattern comes with a dress and a top option, but I opted to change the skirt to feature three tiers that make it slightly above tea length. The patchwork hem was an unexpected idea after cleaning up my scrap pile from piecing. Each seam is finished with crochet lace – I’m not the biggest fan of piping but love a delicate lace touch!

For the vest, I used Madison from Little Lizard King as a base, adding on square pockets and adorable labels from Shine Bright Label Co.. I also quilted the top of the front of the vest with vertical 1” lines to add a tad bit more texture. I’ve always wanted to make a sweet vest with paper piecing and was so excited when Miss 8 said yes! The foundation paper piecing on the vest truly ties everything together, giving the outfit a charming country chic vibe.

Nikki Scott – Puppy Love

When I heard the theme for this week was fancy seams, my mind immediately went to paper piecing, contrasting topstitching, moto pants and color blocking! While I was trying to decide what to paper piece, I asked my kiddo what her favorite animal is and she piped up with “Cooper!” So, meet our doodle butt – Coop! Have I ever tried paper piecing before? No. Did I jump in way over my head with this 514 shape doodle pattern? Probably. But to be honest, I actually really loved this project and learned something new in the process. The precision of all the lines made my engineering heart happy. Detail work like this is probably one of my favorite things to do.

For the jacket, I started with the Little Lizard King Maverick. I wanted the look of raglan sleeves, so I color blocked the upper part of the bodice with the denim sleeve fabric. I wanted the bodice to have some texture, so I topstitched with batting. The doodle quilted piece was a little short for the jacket pattern, so I just shortened the jacket about an inch which I think looks perfect for her body proportions. I love the heart details on the pockets and elbow patches, so I pieced some scraps together for those to match the doodle.

For the shirt, I used Sew a Little Seam Brynn like I did the first week. It is definitely our go to for a not-so-basic tee. This time I added ties to the sleeves and binding for the neckline for a little pop of black. The hearts from Blended Thread Fabrics were perfect to match our puppy love theme. The moto pants were hodge podged together from multiple patterns and free handed for the moto portion. The athletic fabric for the pants came from The Styled Magnolia. I’ve really enjoyed this competition and challenging myself by thinking about my sewing differently. I love seeing all the unique looks the designers have come up with. Thank you so much for having me!

Bonnie – Patch & Play

Hi sewing friends!  I was intrigued by the theme this week, “fancy seams.” What stood out to me wasn’t the word “fancy,” but “seams.” I wanted the seams of my design to be the focus and stand out!  I didn’t want a fancy design this week, I wanted my seams to be elaborate and intricate. 

Also for this look, I leaned into something I’ve been doing more of lately, upcycling!  I love the idea of making something old, new again.  We have an old quilt that we received when my husband and I were married 20+ years ago.  I still loved the colors of the quilt, but some of the pieces have faded and were well worn.  The difficulty of the patchwork was already done for me, so I decided to upcycle the quilt into a new vest for my daughter.  Quilted vests are becoming quite popular and the feminine colors of the quilt were exactly what I was looking for.  I used a darker green bias tape around the edges, armholes and pockets, to help those seams pop! 

I used the Lowland Kid’s Ellie Dress and Top for the shirt.  A soft ribbed fabric was the right choice for my pink loving girl and to add a different texture from the soft, quilted vest.  I topped it off with a lettuce hem on the bottom of the shirt and sleeves.  

I knew I wanted wide leg pants.  I decided to strategically cut my pants pattern to make them more “patchwork,” while keeping the fabric the same color.  To add more design and emphasize the seams, I was smart with my topstitching.  I upcycled some ready-to-wear sweatpants for my fabric and drafted little heart back pockets for a sweet surprise.  The pants turned out exactly how I wanted and are definitely modern and fun.

Last is the cute little purse from Boo and Lu’s free Chesnut Purse.  It’s made from a faux patchwork denim. The little pop of blue was the right choice.  A leather handle that I also upcycled was a perfect touch.  Normally in sewing, we want our seams to blend in, but this week it was exciting to make them the star of the show using different techniques. You can read more about my design over on my Instagram.  

Sara Jean – Piped Perfection

I was excited about this week’s theme. I love to create unique touches using different seam techniques on the things I make, and I love to use piping! I drew inspiration for her outfit from vintage 70’s fashion and added a modern touch. I love how the big sleeves are so soft and contrast with the bold piping and contrast stitching of the wide leg jeans. It creates a juxtaposition that is both relaxed and refined, making it perfect for my wild child! 

This week, I created 3 pieces: a billowy peasant top, contrast stitch jeans, and a quilted purse. For the top, I mashed 2 patterns together from Little Lizard King. I used gorgeous sleeves from Aberdeen and the bodice from Mavora. I split the bodice to create the v shapes using piping and enlarged the back keyhole. For the pants, I started with Violette Field Threads Presley Pants and drew them to be straight, wide leg. I added a flat-felled seam to the front and used contrast top stitching and piping to add detail. I created a bow outlined in piping for the rear pockets complete with the perfect little tag from Shine Bright Label Co. The purse was self-drafted using quilting techniques with a cute little boxed bottom to hold all her treasures. 

My fancy seams outfit is perfectly piped for a day at play or those times she needs to be a little more dressed up.

Katie – Drip

I may have taken this week’s theme, Fancy Seams, quite literal – make the seams… Fancy.  I wanted to play and build on week one’s Grayscale theme.  Make it look like we poured a vibrant combination of colours to saturate the neutral grey quilt from the first outfit.  Introducing DRIP… an oversized outfit, with splashes of colour, that won’t stop dripping.  Swagger, confidence + style.

This week’s outfit is another pre-teen approved comfortable, fashionable, unisex outfit.  For the top I started with Lowland Kids Oversized Sweater to create, just as the name implies, an oversized hoodie.  I heavily hacked (literally cut up) this pattern with free form drips and swirls of colours.  Colour dripping down the front, the back, the hood and the arms – with one patch of grayscale quilt left unsaturated, popping out in the middle of the back. Sweater fleece combined with brushed French Terry and ribbing from Shear Perfection, create topstitched layers with exposed edge seams to create dimension – and of course FANCY SEAMS.

Pair the hoodie with a low rise, relaxed fit pair of sweats with pockets.  The sweats started with the Dash pattern from Petite Stitchery.  I pulled through the colours from the hoodie and once again hacked the pattern apart to create grids of colour-blocking.  Then reused the cast-off drips from the sleeves to create a flame-like climb of red on the one leg.  Finish the bottom of the sweats with a hacked elastic hem so the sweats can pool (just like cast off paint once poured on a canvas) above a fun pair of sneakers.  Finish off the look with a beanie using Apple Tree Patterns’ free beanie pattern. Hop over to www.instagram.com/custom_by_kate if you want to learn more.

Amy Gilane – Intricacies of a Floral Frolic

This week I dove deep into hacking and detailing, as our theme is Fancy Seams. I started my vision with a Linden dress from Boo and Lu, and knew I had to make a statement. Instead of the heart-shaped double scallop neckline, I used a literal spool of thread as my tool to make 3 scallops, which turned out so lovely! I then decided I needed the scallops elsewhere, which led me to some more thread-spool scallops- on the top double circle skirt. Yes- its two double circle skirts, making this dress a complete twirling dream come true!

The details of my seams this week also include some tucks, and pleats! The sides of the bodice were pintucked with added piping for a pop of color amidst the fall floral colors I chose. I then added a thin mustard gold shade of finely braided trim to blend back back to the bodice main. I took the pleated sleeves a step further as well, adding that thin mustard-gold trim, and puffing the shoulder seam some more with width added to make gathers more full! I used a long piece of the contrasting mauve pink dots to make a long trailing bow for her bun.

My only little details aside from this showstopper of a dress is a long, ribbon like bow, which she wanted in her bun, and a dainty little heart tag. The shimmery pink heart tag from Shine Bright Label Company was a perfectly sparkly, dainty detail. As you look through the photos, you will see that we made our way around quite a bit of land, stopping on a swing set, greeting our horses, and ending with a trip up to a lake. She was overjoyed and enthusiastic throughout the whole process- especially when I told her to “go frolic” into the lake, where I captured some amazing shots.  I hope you enjoy the frolic through my third week submission! It was truly one of my most challenging sews.

Aren’t they ALL amazing?!?!? Choose just one to cast your vote. The poll closes Thursday, 9/19, at 8pm EST.

Voting is over for the first group this week and results will be announced on Friday! This is our last week with all 12 Season 29 designers! After this round of voting, the top three from each group will advance to Week 3. Make sure you check out all of them and cast your vote at the end.

As a reminder, here is the theme:

SOFT FOCUS
Get inspired by textures, colors, or blurred lines, and make it fashion!

If this inspires you to sew something for kids, why not join the sewalong? Details are HERE.

Are you ready to see the incredible outfits created by our next six designers? Great! Here you go…

Liz Velazquez – Candyland Dream

For this theme “Soft Focus” involving colors and textures I wanted to create an outfit for everyday wear. My daughter loves dresses so pants were not an option. 

I used the Bayron Bay Dress pattern from Little Lizard as a starting point, I modified the front of the bodice creating a V for a fashion look. For the textures I drafted and added a “Cargo pocket” style in corduroy fabric. I used the Laurel pattern from Peony Patterns for my top, I modified the sleeve cuffs by making them shorter. I created a hair band with tulle for a little sparkly detail. 

I was inspired by the colors of my daughters’ favorite game CANDYLAND so this beautiful flannel fabric was perfect. I had bought this fabric a while ago at Joann, it went perfectly with the theme and my visualization.
See more pictures in my IG Liz V Designer

Emily – Delicate Darling

When I heard the theme ‘Soft Focus’, I thought of the word whimsical, light colors, soft and flowy fabrics, and dresses. I was rocking my 1 year old in the middle of the night and remembered this gold dotted mesh I had stashed in my cabinet. (Sometimes it really pays off to hoard fabric 😆). Pulled it out the next morning and thought it was perfect for this theme! Paired with a super soft pointelle, it embodies soft focus to me. 

 I made the bodice out of a pointelle knit from Joann Fabric, using Samantha Marie Design’s Petal dress pattern. I used a simple circle skirt for the underneath layer, then topped with the gold dotted mesh, also from Joann. I used the Willow dress from Peony Patterns for the tiered skirt, but did an exposed gather instead of the traditional method. The elastic puff sleeves are my own design, with the base being from the Willow pattern. 

 Her bow is also self drafted, using the mesh with a rolled hem along the edges. For a touch of whimsy, I made a star wand out of sherpa from ISEE fabric, stuffed with a few fabric scraps, and yarn tied on.

Amy Gilane – Fall Texture Play

When considering the themes for this week, I was captivated by the idea of the incoming fall and chasing my children around, watching leaves fall and colors change. A soft, blurry image in my head of my son running, just a blur on my camera, as he toddles along adventuring on our farm made this my focus.

Rich in texture, my fabric inspired collection from L + E Fabrics made his whole look. I started off with Lowland Retro Joggers, doing the side stripe reversed in Luxe French Terry, with the angle accents in slub terry and ribbing. Pulling the idea of soft, the luxe tone on tone sage color really made this a natural texture. Completed with an equally a soft focus: no top stitching, just a nice press to keep theme. I then sewed a Curved Hem Tee from Lowland in Slub Jersey, adding my texture and colors by adding stripes to the pocket, which is reversed slub french terry. For his hoodie, I played more with texture, placing Luxe Terry inside out for some of the color blocking on the shoulders, and the inside of the hood. Slub terry, ribbing, and slub jersey provide detailed contrast.  The hoodie makes a fantastic layering piece, rich in color and texture, with the gentle press instead of top stitching for my softer focus.

A puppy inspired Lowland Bum Bag is a play not only on texture, but dimension, applying multiple pieces of the teddy fabric in a soft nod to a puppy shaped face, leaving the ears hanging loose for tactile dimension. The zipper plays on colors used in my whole look, from Shine Bright Label Company, and a small paw print tag is near the bottom, offsetting the puppy applique.  It was a perfect accessory that tied his playful demeanor to the look. 

Nikki Scott – Fancy Like…

Fancy Like…

…Applebee’s on a date night! Yes, I absolutely had this stuck in my head while we were taking pictures, so it’s only fitting I use it as the theme! When my daughter and I were at Joann’s looking for fabrics for the monochrome round, we checked the remnant bin like we usually do. My daughter saw this sparkly floral fabric which little girl’s dreams are made of (and sewists nightmares!) and would not let it go! No matter how adamantly I said no, that fabric still somehow ended up in our bag when we left the store for a “someday maybe” project. When I found out the prompt for the second week was soft focus, it was serendipitous to use this sparkly floral fabric!

For the dress, I wanted to keep it simple since the material was so difficult to work with. There was a lot of hand cranking the needle through this material, so that I wouldn’t break needles on all the beading. Thankfully, only one needle was broken in the making of this dress! I went with a Made for Mermaids Lillian which I slightly modified to have the style of pockets I like, fit the remnant size, and modified the top of the back to have binding so no beads would be against the skin. 

I really thought this dress needed an accent that highlighted the flowers within the dress. My daughter is the type of girl who won’t leave a bow or headband on for more than 5 minutes, so I decided a purse would fit her style much better! The pattern is the free Buttercup pattern from Made By Rae. This vinyl from Fabrictopia is such a gorgeous soft blue that went so perfectly with the ivory contrast stitching and rose gold rivets! The whole outfit is perfect for a date night (with her dad)!

Chandy – Fluffy Dinos

As soon as I knew the theme was “soft focus” I knew I had to make a look with some fluff for my daughter.  Why dinosaurs? She loves dinosaurs, her favorite movie is Jurassic Park and her collection of dinosaurs is unparalleled. 🦕 Her favorite color is purple, so purple everything!

The top is made from a cozy brushed waffle sweater knit.  I started with a Made for Mermaids Vanessa and modified the neckline to be hemmed instead of banded and added a tulle bow to the back. For that extra fluff I opted for bishop sleeves.

I love hi-lo skirts, the way it flows when walking, but still allows for mobility.  Which is very important for a 5 year old, who loves climbing and running. I used the skirt portion of Little Lizard King’s Arendelle and turned it into a skirt.  The bottom layer is a satin lining and there’s about 15 layers of tulle before the top layer, which is a cute 3D dinosaur organza.  For her headband I used the same fabric as the skirt lining then fussy cut out dinos from the remnants of the organza and attached them to the headband.

I didn’t want just another pair of biker shorts for her to wear under the skirt,  I wanted something with some poof.  So I made some bubble shorts, using Little Lizard King’s Newport shorts, but I modified it to use a knit fabric instead of woven making it super comfortable for her to wear even without the skirt.

Now that my kids are older.  I make sure to take their opinions and preferences into account.  They are my customers after all 😀 This outfit takes into account her love of comfort and dinosaurs with a bit of punk.

Bonnie – Elevated Comfort

Hey sewing friends!  When thinking about the theme “soft focus” this week, I was drawn toward “soft” colors and textures.  Comfortable, everyday clothes that would be colorful and fun, but softened.  Something you would want to lounge around the house in, but also look modern and stylish if you need to go out.  I’ve been thinking about a specific relaxing sweatshirt for awhile now.  I used Sew A Little Seam’s Constance Sweater as my base in this perfect french terry.  I picked a print that wasn’t overwhelming and had the muted tones I was going for.  I adjusted the sleeves and added big pleats at the top of the armscye and added more volume to the bottom of the sleeve.  Cuffing right at the elbow helped me achieve the look I was going for.  Instead of hemming or adding a band to the sweatshirt, I serged thick elastic to the bottom, flipped it up and strategically tacked it down in spots.

For the pants, I used the Lowland Kid’s Cargo Pants in a linen bed sheet with beautiful light blue-ish gray tones.  Linen is one of those fabrics you always feel comfortable in. Additionally, I used the Lowland Kid’s Letterman Jacket.  I lined it with sherpa, which gave me a little bit of a run for my money at times!  The outside texture of the jacket is gorgeous, but I wanted it to be extra cozy, comfy and soft, which is why I used the slightly darker gray sherpa inside.  I decided to make the jacket more “letterman” style by doing contrasting sleeves in a light pink and cuffs in a muted brown.  I added the playful butterfly patch as well.  

The bag, again, pulled the look together.  I wanted something smaller that crossed her body.  It’s perfect for all her little treasures.  The gray bias tape on the outside pulled in the colors from the jacket.  And the green canvas added another texture.  This time I made a very simple tie bow for her hair in the same fabric as the sweatshirt.  I adored how it looked in her hair and how quick it was to sew!  You can see more details and read more information about this soft and cozy design over on my Instagram.  

It is so much fun to see the different outfits inspired by the same theme! We love all of the creativity and hard work that went to each one! Unfortunately, you have to choose just one favorite in the poll below. Voting ends at 8pm EST on Thursday, 9/12. Results will be announced on Friday morning.

Last week all 12 of the designers did an outstanding job! Since this is our first “Super Season” with twice as many designers, we decided to give everyone twice as many opportunities to continue! The votes from last week will be added to the votes from this week to determine the top three designers in each group. Make sure you check out all of them and cast your vote at the end.

Are you ready for our next challenge? Here is the prompt:

SOFT FOCUS
Get inspired by textures, colors, or blurred lines, and make it fashion!

If this inspires you to sew something for kids, why not join the sewalong? Details are HERE.

Now, on to the main event…

Steph – Float

Week 2’s theme threw me for a loop.  Soft is not something I do.  I like structured dresses and crisp fabrics.  Okay, so how do I do “soft?”  I trip to the fabric store feeling every fabric I don’t normally work with.  I found some double gauze in a nice soft color (deep dusty teal) and got the rest of the bolt.  I had 2.5 yards to work with and make it work.  It’s still very hot here (into the 90s) so I’m still in a summer dress frame of mind.

I started by tracing with a running top to make the inner shelf bra and then worked outwards from there.  I knew I wanted thin straps so I made a whole lot of it and played around with what looked good.  I liked the combination of normal and crisscross straps.  The gauze was calling to be a swing dress so I used the “slash and spread” method to even distribute the extra volume of the bodice and added a fun zig zag waistline.  I then wanted the skirt to be even fuller.  As full as I could get out of the fabric I had on hand.  The skirt resembles upside down petals growing from the stem of the bodice.  Each petal has a 40° angle, with 10 petals total making the hem of the skirt over a full circle.  There is 23.33 feet of hem in this dress which is all hand stitched.  That’s a lot of hem!

Even though this dress is pretty heavy in real life, it seems to be floating away from the model barely attached at the spaghetti straps.  Knowing this was a “twirl worthy” dress, I made matching bike shorts quickly for modesty.  Neither the bike shorts nor attached shelf bra are shown because we do not show off our foundation garments, lol.  The amount of bounce and swing this dress has earned it the name Float because it just seems to be floating around Girly as she walks.  This dress seems to defy gravity.

Candice – Whimsy Wishes

Who else is still in awe over the first week’s designs in the competition? It honestly made me that more excited to compete in week 2! I absolutely loved the theme Soft Focus, a concept that weaves together textures, soft colors, and blurred lines. This project was heavily inspired by my oldest daughter’s vivid imagination, bringing to life a dress that captures whimsy and a dream-like essence. I wanted to create something that felt like it was plucked right out of a daydream, with every detail carefully thought out to evoke a sense of softness and flow.

When thinking of the theme, soft focus, I chose the color pink for this dress because I felt its gentle hue perfectly embodies the idea of softness. I decided to use Lienz by Little Lizard King as a base for our dress. I loved the hi low top skirt and the closures on the back of the dress. To create our vision, I used chiffon for the bodice but added a crushed satin overlay to serve as a modesty panel.  I draped delicate tulle over the bodice to create a visual effect of blurred lines, giving the dress an ethereal quality. Then to complete the bodice, I added a beautiful flower and pearl applique. The skirt was a labor of love, crafted from multiple layers to achieve the right blend of texture and movement. It is made of 4 layers of differing materials in which you can read more on my instagram @sewing4wildflowers.

To elevate the whimsical nature of the dress, I added a pair of butterfly wings that bring an extra layer of enchantment to the overall look. I used 14-gauge wire and bent them in the shape I wanted. Once I was satisfied with how each wing looked, I added on a pink organza to hide the wire and fill in the wing. To tie the wings into the overall design, I added appliques that matched the bodice, creating a cohesive look. I then wrapped a ribbon around the edges and the center of the wings. I also created a magic wand using the Blazing Star pattern by Sunflower Seams. To make the wand more personal, I added on layering labels from Shine Bright Labels that perfectly embody who she is.

This dress is more than just a piece of clothing – it’s a representation of my daughter’s imaginative world, where soft edges and whimsical shapes define her view. I’m incredibly proud of how this dress turned out, and I hope it inspires others to see the beauty in subtle textures and soft hues. Sometimes, the most magical creations come from looking at the world through a softer, more imaginative lens.

Sara Jean – Boho Elegance

This week was tough for me. I have discovered that soft materials are not my forte. After several failed attempts, I was inspired by the soft, flowing Bohemian-style dresses filling my Instagram feed. The rich teal color is my favorite for fall, and this soft voile was the ultimate choice for spinning in the falling leaves. The free-spirited bohemian aesthetic was perfect for my wild child, and the lace added a romantic, soft focus and a touch of elegance. 

I created the Boho Elegance dress using a soft, sheer cotton voile, vintage ribbon, and hand-dyed lace. I used RIT dyemore on white, floral lace and it took a few tries to get the right color mix to match the voile. For the construction of the dress, I started with Peony Pattens Dahlia Dress. I added a lace tie to the cutout in the back to match the lace ruffle on the skirt. I created a flutter sleeve and drafted a split bodice and v-neck for extra drama. I made an angular shape waistband and sewed in ruched material to soften the waist seam. The skirt is a slight high-low maxi with 2 layers of soft lace ruffles. I added a vintage ribbon to the exposed seam of the lace. My dress-hating girl loved this one because it is so soft and lightweight. The twirl factor was a big win!

Anna – Vintage Blush

Soft focus can have multiple meanings and I wanted to play off of them in week 2. In photography, it is used to create a slightly blurred image to invoke a dreamy or almost ethereal feeling. To achieve this look, I used an open aperture and golden hour lighting.

Having astigmatism, my vision is always in soft focus. It allows me to see the blending of light and colors. You can achieve this by relaxing your eyes and opening your perception. It allows you to to take things in as a whole, appreciating the many parts of a work harmonizing at once. I created a look with many layers, textures, and shades of pink and gold.  When you soft focus your eyes, it creates a soft vintage blush that brings feelings of fondness, gentleness, youth, and health.

To create this look, I focused on soft, natural fabrics. I began with the Oxford blouse from Little Lizard King using cotton dimity fabric and organic cotton lining. Instead of using buttons up the back, I turned it into a zippered back. I cut the puff sleeves down the center to create an open sleeve, hemmed them in, then I added binding to the end of the sleeve and an eye and hook closure to keep it closed. I sewed a daisy flower button on top. My second daughter loves to be stylish and wear dresses, but she also loves to run and climb and jump. In order to create a look that was play friendly, I decided to make her pants, but I wanted them to look like a maxi skirt. I used gauze because it is soft, comfortable, and breathable. I began with a basic jeans pattern, added elastic to the back waistband, pleats in the front with daisy buttons and made the legs wide to mimic the look of a skirt. To add dimension to the look, I added a quilted jacket from Frollein S using the Storm pattern from Boo and Lu. I adjusted the welt pocket location and made it seamlessly lined with a vintage floral. Finally, I made her a bejeweled headband and a handbag with the quilted fabric and a vintage handkerchief.

Bekah – The Secret Garden

“Where you tend a rose my lad, a thistle cannot grow.” 

Lucette and I present another literary interpretation of this week’s theme: Soft Focus in The Secret Garden

Translucent embroidered tulle and the softest sage washed cotton paired well with the patterns for Pirates So Classic sundress pattern.

I fussy cut some of the tulle and hand stitched it with translucent thread to better embellish the front bodice.

The straps were widened and a little gathered puff “sleeve” was added. Instead of measuring the two skirts, I just used everything I had, making this a low waste project.

Bekah Adams
@clothed.in.vermillion

Katie – Pom Pom Party

When I heard the theme Soft Focus my first thought was glamour shots and soap operas from the 80s, the soft light, blurred lines, and warm feel.  Then I snapped back to present day.  How to embody the 80s drama but make it Fashion?  I wanted to create a look that played on textures and soft fabrics, that was colourful, but with muted tones, and where the drama can build.  An outfit that can match my daughter’s more is better style and her large personality. Just like many runway shows, where the collection builds to the final feature – bridal or ball – this outfit blooms from basics to bash.  Introducing Pom Pom Party.

Pom Pom Party – a fashion collection in one outfit – where the pom poms bloom throughout.  Mix and match the pieces to create versatile, flexible options to extend those fancy party dresses.  The simple pink dress is playground approved juxtaposed against the shiny high tops for the ready to play look.  The dress uses Boo & Lu Solstice dress pattern as a starting point, made with the luxuriously soft cotton lycra jersey from Shear Perfection, in a soft pink.   Pair the dress with knee high socks and hair clip bow with a hint of pom poms – foreshadowing what is to come.  The socks are a hack of the Opal pattern from Petite Stitchery, with added tulle and poms.

Next, layer on a cropped cardigan, to elevate the look.  I used a combination of Petite Stitchery patterns (Arlo, Tori, Charlie), and some trial and error to create this hidden snap placket, with puffed bishop sleeves cardigan that features a splash of poms.  Then layer on the feature bubble skirt for the final pom pom burst.  Layers of soft pink tulle, with a top bubble skirt that features a hidden pocket on the inside to easily change the skirt fill to reflect different themes and events.  A full pom pom party!  Hop over to www.instagram.com/custom_by_kate if you want to learn more.

These are all so amazing! Everyone went all out this week creating beautiful, soft looks! It’s an impossible task, but try to choose a favorite in the poll below. It closes at 8pm EST on Tuesday, 9/10. Then, come back on Wednesday to vote for your favorite in the next group!