Let’s Hear It For the Boys! We love sewing for kids, and there’s plenty of good sewing around here for boys and girls, but we thought it would be fun to have a mini season this summer that just featured boy looks! We’ve gathered six of our past designers to go head to head, two designers each week, for a total of three rounds.
The theme for each week is the same: “Copy That Look.” Our designers will show you their inspiration and then their re-creation. It’s always fun to make, “I can make that,” a reality.
Public votes will be the only determining factor each week for who comes out on top, and we’ll be sending all of our designers home with an amazing prize, because they deserve it!
Sponsor Shoutout
We could not do what we do here at Project Run & Play, which is bring the sewing community together around children’s fashion, and amplify the creativity of hundreds of talented designers, and anyone who sews along (that could be you!), without some amazingly generous sponsors. We want you to know that the companies you see supporting the events we host are worthy small businesses that we would love to support, and for you to support as well!
Click their logos to check out their websites, and maybe find some new fabrics you need for your next project.
Thank you to Minerva and Core Fabrics for sponsoring this week.
Our first two designers are:
Alexe St-Germain from Season 28 and Katie Bolla from Season 29. They are here to go head to head with their best boy look! Spoiler alert: you won’t be able to choose your favorite! Check out their amazing work, and cast your vote at the bottom of the post.
Alexe – Let’s Hear It For the Boys!
So exciting! A competition dedicated to boys!
The concept of recreating a look was kind of hard for me because I had a lot of outfit ideas but I was always looking for pictures of what I had in my head – LOL.
I finally made it work with something 100% within my style: bright colors, appliques, fun labels and risky color combinations. I hope you all like it 😊
Katie – 90’s Nautical Prep
Do you have any sewing fears? Certain sewing techniques, fabrics, pieces that send you running in the other direction? Well what if you decided to tackle all of them in one capsule … What possibly could go wrong? What is that song… “My anxiety…”. Well I am glad I tackled (not overcame) my fears because this 90’s kid (me) has always had a soft spot for vintage prep reminiscent of a certain preppy, nautical designer. Lucky for me, 90’s is back. So let’s break down this boys-piration summer outfit.
Starting from the bottom and working up – we start with a twist on the classic khaki pants and the first check on the fear list. Woven pants with a fitted waistband and proper fly (eek). The Petite Stitchery’s Calloway Cargos in stretch twill created a great base staple pant to recreate the relaxed, yet polished inspiration style. Paired with a classic chambray dress shirt it is a perfect match. This is my first button up shirt and a new to me pattern, Birch from Sew a Little Seam. This shirt was a SLOW sew but so worth it in the end. The full painful, bum clenching, teeth grinding experience – is there anything more scary than buttonholes on a finished product that you are so proud of? This shirt has all the details – the button cuffs with tower, flat felled seams, pocket, back pleat and curved hem – i think it is pretty spot on the inspo photos
Finish off the outfit with a few layers. The classic ¼ zip layered with folded cuffs, relaxed bunched sleeves or worn wrapped over the shoulders. I opted for a rich green french terry from Shear Perfection with a gunmetal zipper for the Baja Pullover from Project Run and Play – a nod to the inspiration photo pullover. The final layer is a navy blazer complete with anchor, stripe print seersucker lining. I modified the Kirby Blazer from Petite Stitchery by adding a pocket flap to the welt pockets, a second button to front closure and faux cuff buttons to better reflect the inspiration pictures. There are hidden details throughout to tie the capsule together – binding inside ¼ zip collar is the seersucker blazer lining; the binding on the inside of pants waistband is the chambray from the shirt and the blazer buttons match the pants button. Wear all 4 pieces layered together or mix and match for many outfits.
These designers BLEW US AWAY! Now you have a very difficult decision to make. You may only vote once and the poll will close on Thursday, 6/5/2025 at 8:00pm EST.