We’re wrapping up week 2, and what a week it was! Our designers got to sew for the first 2 weeks, and the votes from both weeks 1 and 2 will be tallied up to see who moves into week 3.
The designers are all amazing, and the votes were SO CLOSE this week. There was one tie, and some more VERY close numbers. Just one vote separating in some cases! Here’s your placings from Week 2, and after that, we will share the vote tallies, so you can see who is moving on to Week 3! They will continue to need your support!
Week 2 placements Round 1:
Candice Schoffstall: 1st place
Sara Jean: 2nd place
Anna Buder: Tie for 3rd place
Katie Bolla: Tie for 3rd place
Bekah Adams: 4th place
Steph Carton: 5th place
Week 2 placements Round 2:
Bonnie Flitton: 1st place
Em Getz: 2nd place
Amy Gilane: 3rd place
Nikki Scott: 4th place
Chandy Mueller: 5th place
Liz Velazquez: 6th place
With weeks 1 and 2 added together, our top 6, moving on to next week are:
Candice Schoffstall, Sara Jean, Katie Bolla, Bonnie Flitton, Amy Gilane, and Nikki Scott!!
Congratulations to these amazing designers! We can’t wait to see what next week holds!
Now our least favorite part. We are so sad to see these 6 amazing designers leaving the competition, but they will be going home with amazing prize packages from our sponsors, and are part of the PR&P family now, so you will continue to see their amazing creativity!
Steph Carton, Anna Buder, Bekah Adams, Em Getz, Chandy Mueller, and Liz Velazquez.
Our sponsors make this whole thing way more worthwhile, and we really hope you will check out their shops and support them when you can!
Our sew along is open to anyone who sews for children, so please join in. Maybe you could be in a future season!
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…
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
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.
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.
…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)!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
“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.
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!
