All You Need is Love {and patience) Week 3 look

This week the challenge at Project Run and Play was "it's all in the details"  I thought to myself when is sewing not in the details? Every stitch, button, ruffle, fabric choice, it's always all about the details. So I thought about how I could take the details and make them both pop and be subtle at the same time. It all started with the top.

 This was a design that I had been dreaming up ever since I made this top and I finally decided now was the time to execute the design. Which I did twice since my first one had some really unfortunate mishaps, but I may share it later this week. The top has 3 layers of a circle skirt hem each one with a rolled hem. I knew I wanted to focus on embroidery for the challenge since it was and is my first love. (even before sewing) So I stitched up hundreds of little french knots to form a heart. The design was made to look like birds flying in to form the heart, and the knots fade in the same ombre effect as the pants. I also embroidered the words "All you need is love" along the bottom of the heart. It was truly a labor of love. I got really good at stitching french knots while nursing a baby or rocking a baby to sleep.

 The sleeves are pretty little gathered sleeves that are finished off with the contrast of a nice smooth band. I had fun mixing with textures and subtle design options.

The back is quite possibly my favorite element the low swoop perfect for warm summer days. The back overlaps and buttons into place. The skirt pieces are cut and matched to look like one continuous piece even though they are not.

The pants were also one of my favorite pieces. I used a white stretch denim and made some lovely rita skinnies, only I left off the button tabs, added a back yoke,and faux fly and cropped them a little shorter so they were ankle length. Then I dip dyed the bottom in a pink dye bath, and then put the whole thing in a blue dye bath. The result is a lovely blue that fades into a purple. I love the blue but my daughter won't wear anything these days if it doesn't have pink or purple on it.

 If you have been around the blog long enough you may know that I am a bit of a Beatles fan. (quite a bit actually) I am often influenced in my designs by their music, although not always in a super obvious way. There are detail elements that are influenced by a total of 6 different songs. It was kind of fun to hide them away in the details, which really just make it special to me.

The last element, to top of this feminine and flouncy outfit was the tulle bow. I have a tutorial for that coming up. So hop on over to Project run and play to cast your vote!

Project Run&Play week 2 {Chevron Challenge}

Week two is here! Week two for project run&play was the chevron challenge. We were given 2 yards of our choice in color of the chevron fabric from Riley Blake. I decided on the navy, figuring it was a good "basic" color that could easily be used for any design. I designed and made two looks before this one. (I may share them someday) I started with pants, they were a bit wild, then I made a top, and it just didn't wow me. Then I was nearly out of fabric and knew I had to make the last one count. :) Plan C came through for me. Good old faithful plan C. I decided I needed to focus on the things that I love and that the design would come together.

So I went with a color blocked skirt that I pieced together using coral and sea foam green cotton. I went with a really full gathered skirt so it was fun and girly.

The top has a circle neckline with a button closure int he back and is all trimmed out with bias tape I made with the same fabric from the skirt.

The back is split down the back so it is easy to get on and off, and I matched up the chevron print so it looks like one piece, which also over laps so you don't get a gapping back. The dress can be worn by itself for a perfect everyday dress.

I also made a navy petti skirt out of tulle to add a fancy flair. My daughter loves to feel like a princess these days and fun fluffy skirt did just the trick.

The skirt had twirl-abilty and that made for a fun dress for this little girl who could not stop twirling all about.

 Abbey was simply in love with her new dress, and I loved the play with the circle neck line, chevron bodice, and striped skirt. It had a geometric flair in its subtle way and that sums up my design quite well.

So head on over to Project Run&Play and cast your vote for this weeks looks.