We have some winners for the Season 24 sew along!!! Thank you SO MUCH to each and every one of you who sewed along.
It's always a good idea to sew along, not only because you get to join the fun and your kids end up with amazing clothes, but because we keep our eye on the sew along for future talent...
Vannah Rae sewed this AMAZING look for the Cut It Up theme.
1 "people's choice" winner chosen by popular vote
Here's the good and bad news...this prize was supposed to be determined by popular vote via hashtags on social media. But due to elections in the USA (or something???) hashtags have been blocked. So we THINK that the winner was one person, but due to us not being able to see all the #prp24sewalong entries, and having limited hours in the day, we're going to award two prizes here:
You really have to go look at Vanisha's Instagram post to see ALL the things she sewed with this fabric.
Whitney sewed along the entire Season, and all her entries were fantastic! This fantastic look was a huge hit on Facebook.
That's a wrap for Season 24!!!
We'll see you next week for some REALLY EXCITING news!
This is what Shauna of Shwin and Shwin had to say about her Signature Style creation:
I love the look of this whole collection. Who doesn’t love summer clothes? I love that you created pieces that all go together so well, and while they are perfectly age appropriate there are many pieces I wouldn’t mind having myself. Every piece is impeccably made, I mean truly beautiful. So many perfect little details from the piping to the buttons. I love how each piece has something special to it and yet they can all swap around and they don’t over power each other. I love the classy swimsuit which is so well made. Well everything really was so well made, I feel like I can’t stress that enough.
It's always bittersweet to announce the final week of a Season...but that's where we are! Week 4, Signature Style. Don't you think we've been seeing these ladies Signature Style all along? But just wait until you see this...
As usual, make sure to get all the way to the end of the post so you can support TWO of these talented sewists with your VOTE.
Made by Kates - Simply Summer
Wow! I can't believe I actually made it through all 4 weeks. It's been a whirlwind (and my sewing room looks like it!). Deciding what to do for this week was MUCH harder than I anticipated! Looking back at weeks 1 through 3, I covered winter, fall, and spring. So it was only logical to include summer in my final look! Plus, when I asked my daughter what she thought my signature style was she didn't skip a beat and said, "swimsuits and rompers!" Those are her favorite things I make for her so I wanted to be sure to include that. I'm a pretty practical person and like to make things that can be worn more than one way. Summer plus practical put the idea of a little summer capsule in my mind and we are already definitely dreaming of summer. This look 100% sums up my signature style - clean lines, classic styles, fabulous fabrics, coordinating colors, and fun little details. This look can go from resort ready to everyday chic seamlessly. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Let's start with the swimsuit. Just this week we wrapped up construction on a backyard swimming pool so I was all for making another swimsuit for my girl. She has been begging me for a zipper swimsuit just like one of her favorites from a popular company. We took our own twist on the design and the Breakfast at Tiffany's vibe is my favorite! I started with the Mairin swimsuit pattern from Sew a Little Seam and changed the neckline and added some color blocking to the front. I redesigned the back to include a high back, cut in shoulder lines, and a circle back cut out. I also added a tie to go around the back. The gold zipper down the back to get in and out of the suit easily is her favorite feature - I personally love the contrast with the white neck ruffle. It's fully lined and made from high quality swim fabric from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I love that she has a well fitting, unique swimsuit she feels amazing and confident in.
When we aren't swimming, I wanted to create some pieces she can mix and match and feel comfy, cool, chic, and classy in. She definitely has an opinion when it comes to what she will wear and her style is becoming a little more sophisticated. She absolutely loves all the looks she can get with these pieces. I love clean, classic lines and little details so I made sure to include that aesthetic. The white linen top started with the bodice of the Fringe Dress from Chalk and Notch. I added three vertical pleats in the shoulder as well as arm ties at the sleeves. The skirt is a self drafted a-line skirt with an elastic back and a flat front with an inverted pleat. I designed rounded patch pockets with the same pleat design from the top, and included white trim on the pocket as well as outlining the belt with the white linen. The fabric for both pieces is Robert Kaufman Linen from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. She requested a romper, but was ecstatic for the faux romper we made out of one of my favorite fabrics- rayon challis. It's so dreamy to wear! This is a retired club print also from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. The faux romper look allows her to wear it so many more ways! I used the Linville Romper pattern from Hey June for both pieces, modifying them to be how we wanted them. I made the pants joggers with an elastic ankle and a paperbag waist - of course they have pockets too! The top has a cascading circular sleeve, with a white contrast facing and white poms attached. These brought a huge smile to my girls face, but they also warm my heart. A friend of mine passed away unexpectedly and I got some of her sewing stash - including these. I've been waiting for just the right project to use them for and I know she is proud! I also added a back placket with a tie for a little fun in the back.
Thank you Project Run and Play for allowing me the opportunity to push myself and take time to create some things I wouldn't have made time for otherwise. Sewing for me is connection, resourcefulness, memories, and community and I have felt each of those things during the past four weeks. For more pictures and details, check out my blog post HERE.
Deriving Mommyhood - Encapsulating Style
I'm beyond honored to be here for the final week! This competition has been a challenge but I'm so happy with what it has pushed me to try (Pattern making, looking at you!). Let's dive in to my final look....well, looks. Because when I thought about my signature style, I realized that I often sew in mini capsules. I have made so many mini capsules for each season, for each kid as well as myself because all of us can struggle sometimes having amazing clothing items, but nothing that coordinates. Any designer I have worked with knows that I think in full wardrobe, not just single piece. So of course, I made her a mini capsule to take her from fall to winter as my finale. Another big part of my process is that my little muse gets a say in absolutely every detail of everything I make her. We sit down and look at inspiration together, pull fabrics together, and sketch our designs. I love having her involved in the process as she genuinely has great taste and loves wearing what I make her so much more if she has a say.
This capsule encompasses both of our style, but it also shows my absolute obsession with clean finishes. I would gladly wear every piece I created for her myself, and think that they will stand the test of time and be great for her little sister in a few years. It also shows how I take inspiration from fashions from the past and try to bring them into modern looks using edgy details like metal and leather. I'll start with the jeans I made her, using gorgeous stretch denim I bought in Paris. I decided to do a more tailored version, starting with the Stay + Stitch Avenue Flares as a base. I made them wide leg instead, and changed the top to be a high waist sailor style (with pockets!). I did facings in satin from Minerva and subtle olive topstitching, with jean tack buttons and a nice deep hem. Next, her pixelated print top. It makes the artsy mathematician in me quite happy to have a geometric floral print (stretch chiffon from Joann's). I made her a simple, tailored top using the Juniper from Sew a Little Seam for the base. I left off all plackets, choosing a faced keyhole instead. I used french seams throughout the shirt and topstitched every little seam, as well as making split sleeves (she is currently obsessed with bishop and bell sleeves and all flavors of flowy sleeves). I tacked the elbow as I originally had chosen to do a wrist tie but she really wanted them open instead. I finished the neckline with narrow self made bias and did a narrow curved hem.
For the skirt, I started with a basic half circle skirt, and slashed and added to the pattern to have knife pleats around half of it. I chose to do a wrap style, borrowing a little from a kilt look (and did some mitred hems at the corners to reduce bulk). The waistband is also self created, a contour waistband that encloses all the seams at the top. For the closure, I used rose gold vinyl pieces with some metal purse hardware, and little metal snaps that mimic the look of rivets but also help stabilize those closures. The fabric is some mystery textile my husband purchased in bulk for me from one of his many Thailand trips...I assume it's a ponte though. The second top I made is from some soft white french terry provided by Minerva. I started with the Knoxville from New Horizons Designs as I like the general ease of it for a sweater, then changed the front to have a curved placket of rose gold grommets that I made a tie to go through. I echoed the skirt pleats by adding a few deep knife pleats on the sleeve caps and now desperately need this whole sweater for me. The facings for the grommet strips make for a nice finish inside the hem as well.
Last, she of course needed a layer for some warmth. I had originally decided I wanted to make a leather moto jacket, but those split sleeves meant I needed something easier to get on and off, so I drafted a capelet from some wool coating (Mibs Fabrics). I started with a circle, cutting the neckhole offcenter for a high low effect, then added a deep funnel collar inspired by Violette Field Threads Alba dress. There's a keyhole with another tack button closure on the back. I used self made satin bias to finish all the seams as the mustard wool is fairly bulky, so I understitched the collar to catch that binding on the inside, then did a thicker binding around the hem so that it peeks out. Last, it got two rows of snaps so that she can choose to cinch it in and create sleeves. She and I are both obsessed with all the mix and match looks she can make from these 5 pieces! Check out lots more pictures and info on my blog!
Annie Sewzalot - Stripes Go With Everything
I am so excited to be here for the final week! Signature Style is something most would find easy, but this was probably the hardest week for me, thus far. I would say my taste is somewhat eclectic, as I love a variety of styles and fabrics, but the one thing that has always been a constant for me would be stripes. I LOVE stripes of all varieties but black and white stripes are my all time favorite. So, I decided to make a practical look this week, incorporating some of my favorites, as well as some of Dalilah’s.
I knew I wanted to start off with a basic pair of jeans. Dalilah doesn’t love jeans because we can never seem to find a ready to wear pair that will fit her. She has the waist of an 18 month old, the hips of a 4 year old and the height of a 5-6 year old! It has been a while since I made a pair of real jeans and have yet to actually draft a jean pattern, but now seemed like as good a time as any to do both! I started with my basic block and drafted a slim fit, boot cut with a fully functioning zip fly. Since they are fairly basic in design, I decided to add striped bow pockets to the back. The stripes are made from the same fabric as the jeans (stretch denim from JoAnn Fabrics) along with the white from the jacket fabric, topped off with a mustard bow. I love how they turned out and she loves the fit!
For the top/shirt, I wanted to go with something I knew would be worn over and over again. Dalilah’s all time favorite fabric is double brushed poly. She is seriously obsessed with it so when I saw this floral at JoAnn’s, I knew it would be perfect! It is super soft and had all the colors I wanted. I started with Magnolia by Little Lizard King as the base. I straightened the waistline and adjusted the neckline to a slight “V” neck. I am, always have been and likely always will be, completely obsessed with ruched sleeves so I drafted a ruched sleeve and added a basic gathered skirt. Dalilah is happy with the fabric and I love the look!
For the jacket, I started with the Hamilton jacket I drafted last week as the base. I took out the princess seams in the back and reshaped the bottom of the bodice. For the front, I omitted the removable plastron, added width and reshaped the bottom. I added a gathered skirt which is longer in the front and back and shorter on the sides. I added an embroidered heart patch with her monogram so there would be no mistaking who the jacket belonged to. The sleeves on the Hamilton jacket were a standard set in sleeve, so I redrafted the cap as I wanted a high gather to accommodate the ruched sleeve on the shirt. I decided to go with a pointed hood to exaggerate the chevron look on the back. I think the view from the back is my favorite but now as I type this, I realize that I really love the front as well! I am obsessed with how the sleeves and bodice align! The jacket is fully lined with the same soft double brushed poly as the shirt and we decided on a zipper closure, as that is what Dalilah prefers.
I have had quite a bit going on throughout this whole competition and I am so pleased with everything I have been able to accomplish, as time has not been on my side. The looks for each week have all been completed within 1-2 days! I am surprised that I have made it through without completely losing my mind and have learned alot about myself and what I am capable of, so win or lose, I am happy. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me and will continue to support me this week. If you want to see more, please follow me on Instagram at Annie Sewzalot.
Now it's your turn! Use the voting widget below to support TWO of the designers with your vote.
This week, our guest judge, Shauna of Shwin & Shwin really, really will have her work cut out for her to determine the scores!
The designer scores are determined as follows:
1/3 of the designers score is determined by the guest judge
1/3 of the designers score is determined by the panel of judges
1/3 of the designers score is determined by YOU, the audience!
And now let's all sit back and enjoy the show! Be sure to stay for the whole thing, see all 4 designers's creations and then support 2 of them with your VOTE at the end of the post.
Annie Sewzalot - My Shot
Wow! I am so excited to be here for week 3!! I was certain that I would be eliminated last week but somehow I came out the winner and I am still in shock!!!
When I found out the theme for this week, I knew right away that I would be using Hamilton as my inspiration. My sewing BFF, Erica, is completely obsessed with all things Hamilton so this week is dedicated to her. I spent a few hours combing the web looking for inspiration. I had a hard time narrowing it down as I loved the costumes for both the men and women. So, I decided to pull together a look that brought in elements of both. The two characters whose looks spoke to me most were Marquis de Lafayette and Eliza Hamilton.
I looked through my enormous collection of patterns to see if there was anything I could use as a base but didn’t find quite what I was looking for, so I had to start from scratch for the coat. Although, after I was finished, I realized that I probably could have used Nutcracker by Duchess and Hare, as the silhouette is very similar. If you want to recreate this look, I suggest you start there.
I have a basic block I drafted to my daughter’s measurements, so I used that as the base. I added princess seams and extended the center back bodice to create the coat tails. The front is 3 pieces, the 2 sides and then a completely removable plastron, accented with gold buttons. For the neckline, I added vintage pleated ruffles from my stash, along with some jacquard trim. I added the same ruffles and trim to the sleeves. I wanted the front skirt to be a bit dramatic, so I drafted a hi-lo circle that is partially gathered at the hip and wraps to the back to meet the coat tails. I couldn’t stop there, so I decided to add some over-the-top epaulets to the shoulders. I found the beaded medallions in the jewelry supply section at JoAnn Fabrics and they were the perfect color to coordinate with the Dupioni I found there as well. Next, I added 3 layers of fringe and some trim. The epaulets are attached at the shoulder by snaps. The whole coat turned out exactly as I wanted it and my daughter is over the moon!
For the bottom half, I used some performance knit with a touch of gold shimmer. I started with the cropped length of the New Haven leggings by Little Lizard King. I drafted and added a double layer hi-lo skirt and added some gold trim to accent the hem lines. I added double ruffles to the seam between the bottom of the leggings and the cuff, as I wanted them to peek out of the top of the riding boots. I finished off the look with a miniature, shallow crown hat which is attached to a headband. I think the hat is Dalilah’s favorite part of the whole look as she hasn’t taken it off yet!
I really had a lot of fun with this look and I can hardly wait to see what everyone has created this week! I took “My Shot” and I hope you love it as much as I do! If you want to see more, follow me on Instagram at Annie Sewzalot
Cut, Sip, Sew - Off to See the Wizard
Hello! Wow- it's week 3 and I cannot believe I am
here! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that voted for me.
I'm excited to show you my looks for this challenge. My favorite child
friendly musical is the Wizard of Oz. It used to come on tv every year
around Thanksgiving so oddly enough, I associate the movie with the
holidays. I think at this point everyone has seen beautiful
replications of the costumes worn in the movie, so I wanted to put my
own spin on things.
Glinda is the final look I put together. All but the
lining fabrics for this dress are from Cali Fabrics. I bought lots of
pink for this- organza, tulle, and chiffon. Thankfully, Cali Fabrics
has a huge selection of special occasion fabrics. For Garnet's dress,
I started with the Rosie Cotton pattern from JillyAtlanta. The front
bodice has pretty sweetheart lines that made it a good starting point.
I cut a large piece of chiffon for the overlay and gathered it up on
two sides. I knew I could not make buttonholes in such a delicate
fabric so I widened the back piece and added two rows of elastic so
this dress can slip on and off easily. The skirt is 5 or 6 layers- one
of the rhinestone studded organza, a couple chiffon, and lots of tulle
underneath for body. Of course Glinda needed a crown. I bought some
foam from the kid craft aisle, cut out the top shape, sprayed it with
adhesive and dumped a bunch of glitter on top. Now everyone is all set
to see the Wizard. If you would like to see more pictures, jump over
to Cut,Sip, Sew!
Made by Kates - What a Glorious Feeling
I can't believe we are at Week 3 already! To be honest, this was the theme that I was most worried about. I've never particularly enjoyed making costumes because they are generally only worn a time or two and when I put so much time into something, I love to see it worn. However, I do love musicals and "Singing' in the Rain" is one of my favorites! Since my babies were young, I've sung the song "Good Morning" to them each morning (changing a few lyrics to celebrate that they slept the whole night through!) The musical is full of fun catchy music, and you can't help but smile as Gene Kelly sings, "What a glorious feeling I'm happy again!" In a year that's been a rollercoaster, I like the reminder to smile through the rain! For this weeks theme of 'All the World's a Stage', I decided to create a look based on the character Kathy Selden that portrays the jovial theme of the musical but is an outfit that my daughter will love wearing on her own 'stage'!
Nothing says "Singin' in the Rain" like a yellow slicker, so I knew I needed a yellow coat. Taking a basic bodice, I drafted this coat to incorporate some of my favorite details. Bodice pin tucks, a rolled statement collar, waist inseam pockets with a flap (they are real pockets!), a flared 3/4 sleeve with a narrow ruffle, and a partial gathered waist with a slightly a-lined skirt. The coat is made of a buttercup colored Robert Kaufman rayon linen from Raspberry Creek Fabrics and is fully lined. Shortly after the themes were announced I came upon some cute buttons with umbrellas on them. I grabbed them just in case and they were perfect for the front of this jacket! I deliberately left the bottom of the jacket open so that whatever cute dress she is wearing underneath can peek through.
The inspiration for this dress comes from Kathy's role as an aspiring actress and her romance with Don Lockwood. It's airy and light, with a romantic touch. Made from a beautiful periwinkle georgette, I drafted a high waisted loose bodice with a gathered flutter sleeve. A ruffled collar gives the top an elegant flair and the elasticized waistband gives the gathered skirt shape. A hairpiece which repeats the ruffled collar gives it a bit of a vintage touch. The dress has an invisible zipper closure, a lined bodice and skirt and is finished entirely in French seams.
For more pictures and details, check out my blog post HERE.
Deriving Mommyhood - Into the Sewiverse
So glad to be back for another week, but not going to lie, this theme was a struggle for me. I really started pushing myself with sewing thanks to doing years of family halloween costumes, but this year my heart just isn't in it. My older two no longer want to be anything but zombies or death if they dress up at all, it's super cold and rainy for Halloween here in Ireland, and we are on full lockdown so there's no events or trick or treating to be had. So I knew I had to create something that would be super functional more than costume, while still infusing a little magic for my little guy who will miss all the fun he was looking forward to. Enter his current favorite movie, and current favorite character, Miles Morales, aka Spider-man from an Into the Spiderverse.
Okay, okay...you're thinking this isn't the most functional day to day look and I see it, but let's start with the more useable parts. First, he has a spandex suit made from sports lycra that will double as base layers under his sports gear for chilly practices. I started with a basic raglan tee (Streamline from New Horizons Designs), added some colorblocking, extended the neckline, added a mock turtleneck, and some vinyl as well as decorative topstitching. It can also be used as a rashguard for the beach! He also has leggings I created by extending his favorite trunk pattern (this one is Jalie) and adding a yoga waistband as opposed to exposed elastic and some more vinyl webs.
Next up, a basic pair of twill shorts complete with fitted waistband, back welt pockets with flaps, slant front pockets, zip fly, and rolled hem with contrast binding. I went all out on the features and used the Grady pants again from Sew a Little Seam. Definitely wearable again! He also got a basic red hoodie that I made using a tee pattern (11th Hour Gear from New Horizons), changing the neckline to add the Ollie Bomber hood, adding a kangaroo pocket, and finishing the neckline and zip with contrast binding. This hoodie doubles as a zip in lining for his jacket. The jacket itself is an oversized Ollie Bomber from Sew A Little Seam. I used stretch twill combined with fusible fleece and added some stitch lines for more of a quilted look. Otherwise I kept the outside pretty basic to follow the look of the character, adding the welt pockets and some vinyl again. It is fully lined in beige marl jersey from Minerva, and I added a facing strip so that I could add a second zip for the red hoodie to zip inside and attach. There's also tabs with snaps at the neckline and sleeve cuffs to hold the hoodie in place. The zippers were tricky to figure out, but I got my husband to solder an extra tab to the hoodie zip so that it is reversible.
Now for the finishing touches! I made a belt from cotton webbing and a 3d printed belt buckle. I added grommets for the belt to close as well. Of course, he needed a mask and gloves to complete the look, despite the lack of necessity for daily wear. I traced his hands to make the gloves, adding some colorblocking as well. For the mask, I measured circumference and height of his head in quite a few places to draw the basic shape, then added some darts to round it. I added a teeny bit of vinyl and then used the 3d printer yet again for the red lenses. I glued mesh inside the lenses, and glued the finished eyes to the black lycra mask. On the inside, I added some craft foam to cover all the glue and make it a little more comfortable, and put a zip on the back to make it easier to get into and out of. Phew! If only there was time to make the rest of the spiderverse for the whole family....maybe I could convince the rest to dress up too!!! Lots more details on my blog.
Now it's your turn to help decide which designers make it to the final week! Use the voting widget to support TWO these incredibly talented sewists.
This week's celebrity guest judge is Lauren ofPattern Workshop. It's a good thing she's so FABULOUSLY talented because this week is going to be intense!
The designers scores are determined as follows:
1/3 of the designers score is determined by the guest judge
1/3 of the designers score is determined by the panel of judges
1/3 of the designers score is determined by YOU, the audience!
