Project Run & Play Season 9 Sew Along: Week 3

Its week 3 and I’m jumping right in.  This week’s theme is “Design your own fabric” and I just KNEW from the moment I saw the themes posted, I was going to have a rough time with this one.  Some of the other SHEs were so excited about this week- more excited than any other.  I wanted to poop on this theme. It’s a great idea and I have to admit that I can’t wait to see what the real contestants come up with. But, I, however :::SIGH:::  Anyway- CUE INTRO!

(FF to 16 seconds)

*there's supposed to be a video there.  If it isn't working I'll fix it when I wake up here in the western US.

I mixed my creative ideas with child labor and I OUTSOURCED!  I call it “The Little Painter”

I had the brilliant plan of letting my girl paint her fabric with fabric paint and then I would make a dress out of it.  It was seriously epic.  And then my girl decided to stray from her normal subject matter of family, spiders and everything fun in favor of painting a tower.  A tower?!?!  I had a panic moment.  I actually almost scrapped the idea all together, but she was SO PROUD (as she should be) and I couldn’t be a jerk an overlook her art.  It was part of her- the way she speaks from her heART.  And you know what?  It was perfect.

*Side note: This little lady took 3 HOURS to paint this.  She skipped lunch to finish.  Every brush stroke had its place and she thought very hard about everything she did.  Seriously, I HAD to use it*

I ditched my original pattern (using it next week though) because it didn’t really showcase this masterpiece.  I went looking at all my favorite designers’ webpages and found the perfect dress- the Momo by Popolok.  This dress pattern should be called “The Gallery” because it just works so perfectly with this.  Alviana (the designer) unknowlingly saved my day. I shortened it to a tunic length and I added a button placket instead of a zipper because I thought the back needed a little pop of color by way of buttons. Those are the only changes I made.

The colors have a bit of special meaning.  I thought about going with the purples and pinks my girl loves, but had a change of heart while in the store.  WARNING: it’s about to get real up in HIZ-ERE.  My girl is on the Autism scale.  She is very high functioning, but her verbal communication is hindered.  She wasn’t able to call me “mommy” until she was 3.5 years old and still struggles daily to make verbal connections with people that don’t know her “language”.  It breaks my heart, but she has her way of expressing herself that’s uniquely hers.  She communicates best with her art, song and love.  The Autism awareness logo features the colors we used in this dress. Their brightness is a representation of the hope in increasing research and awareness.  World Autism Awareness Day was April 2^nd.  This one’s for all of us =)

 

When my Pretty Painter needs a little more coverage (like when we’re in the freezing grocery store or restaurant), she has this little Slouchy Cardigan by Heidi and Finn to add a little style.  And its so Parisian Painter, no?  I shortened the sleeves and thinned the band because this was an upcycle and I only had so much fabric to work with.  Tim Gunn would hug me...and I could accept the love of Baileywick (cartoon reference- I'm a mom; get over it).

That’s My Project Run & Play “Design Your Own Fabric” look.  Take some time this week to appreciate the art around you.  But not like this!

-Crystal-