Project Run & Play Sewalong- Season 10: Week Four (Crystal)

It's Signature Style time over at Project Run and Play, and I totally decided to go nuts and have fun with this one.  Maybe a little too much fun...almost got myself into trouble with the amount of fun.  But don't worry, I was Saved by the Bell.  Smooth intro, Crystal.  Smoother than Mr. Belding's Balding head.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"This is wilder than than one of Jessie and Slater's fights" 
"This is sparklier than the Zack Attack blazer."
"Holy Hot Sundae, this is bright" 

But, dude, it's so me!

I am ALL over color and crazy.  I'm a *bit* on the theatrical side when I sew and usually tame it a smidge for the sake of your eyeballs.  But since we're doing a signature style, I just couldn't leave it alone.  I let it flow, and I love it more than all of the Buddy Bands in the world.  I adore seeing kids dress in fun things because you can only do it for so long before you exit "adorable" and enter "institutional."  Kids don't need to dress as serious as a caffeine pill addiction.

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This dress looks like something Kelly Kapowski's barbie doll would wear.  The fabrics I used were: An acid wash print cotton I found at Joann's a year ago, some sparkle 2 way knit of doom, and the pink stuff I'll talk more about later.  The biggest Papow is all those ruffles.  I normally don't "do" ruffles.  They're hell to sew when you don't know how to use the ruffler foot you spent $35 on and when ruffling on the serger is something you just never got around to attempting.  So yeah, I hand gathered those ruffles...all of them.  Over 160" EACH ruffle (4 of them anyway), but it was sooooooo worth it.  The pattern I used to get my ruffle measurements was the Francesca's by Create Kids Couture.  I really do love Create Kids Couture patterns and I love the ladies in their FB group page even more.  They're just friendly. My daughter FLIPPED over this dress.  She can't wait to wear it to school....which brings me to the bodice.

I needed something with enough coverage for dress code (3" strap minimum), but the Francesca's bodice just doesn't have that. I decided to make the bodice using the Saffron Twirl Dress by Paisley Roots for the front.  For the back, I used the Saffron back piece for the arm holes, but layered it over the back of the All Spice (same designer) and added a little extra to create a button placket to close it up.  Then I used the All Spice flutter sleeve to make the cap sleeve. The Saffron has deeper armholes than the All Spice, so I knew I'd need the width of the flutter instead of the actual cap sleeve...so confusing, but it totally worked as planned.  The fabric is amazing.  It was found at the same yard sale the My Little Pony fabric was at and then was given to me.  Most people wouldn't have been so excited to receive this fabric, but I SQUEALED.  And it totally looks like it fits in with the Saved by the Bell opening credits.

So there you have it: Bayside Barbie. I believe Lisa Turtle would wear this to prom making Screech even screechier.  She'll have to take a number, though, because I don't think my daughter will ever take it off.

 

-Crystal-

P.S. One child + Mommy's Heels = HILARITY

Paisley Roots Saffron Twirl: Pattern "Somersaults"

Yo peeps!  I had my own blog and now I don't.  There were some pretty cool tutorials over there and now they're not available, so I'm slowly bringing them to this awesome blog.  First up, some Saffron Twirl dress mods!   I am so happy with the way these dresses came out! I'm going to share my tiny flips of this pattern- they're more like pattern "somersaults" actually.  We're quite a ways from the pattern Olympics.  You ready?!?!?

***Excuse the weird photo editing.  These pics were taken before I knew how to shoot well and edit like a boss.  It's a little painful, but it's all I've got right now.  Power through.  Just power through***

**********Somersault #1: The teardrop applique neckline********** 

 The only thing I added on my first dress was the teardrop appliques. You're going to need to print out this free template I put together for you. You're welcome. You know you thanked me. Make sure to print it at 100% or actual size...whichever you do normally for pattern printing. You can always increase or decrease these sizes to suit your taste, but my way is usually the best. As far as your method of applique, you can do it however you normally do it. I like to trace my shapes on to Wonder Under (write on the smooth side) and follow the manufacturers instructions for ironing it on.
 I measured out 5/8" from the edge of the raw neckline on the bodice front. Why? Because 3/8" is the SA and I gave myself 1/4" extra for any mistakes. I didn't mark on my fabric because I hate that. I just laid my clear acrylic ruler on my fabric. Then I placed my largest drop down on the center with the point touching the line (the edge of my ruler). Once I was satisfied with the placement, I ironed it into place (yay for sticky, wonderful Wonder Under). I eyeballed the placement of the rest of my drops, making sure the points all touched the line and were evenly spaced. Ironed those suckers down too. They were all like "what!?!?" Then I zigzagged around each drop. Once that's all done, you just sew the dress up as directed and it'll turn out PURTY.  

********** Somersault #2: Skirt band and contrasting ties********** 

 For the contrasting ties....I used two fabrics. Yeah, that's all. Tutorial over! For the Band on the bottom I just used math. THESE MEASUREMENTS WERE FOR THE SIZE 4! The math will be the same, but the final pieces of the larger skirt section will be larger or smaller based on the size you make. My skirt height was 16". I picked 4" for the band height because I wanted a finished band of 3.5" after the hem (hem is 1/2" total). Soooooo 16-4=12. Give yourself a sticker. Now add on SA to each piece since you have to attach them to one another.... and you have one piece that's 12 3/8" tall and one that's 4 3/8" tall. WHEW! All of that addition...making kindergartners sweat.

Now put your band on the bottom of your skirt RST and sew using your SA. Finish off that seam with a serger or zig-zag and press the seam up. Iron your seam up and top-stitch into place. Now you have a 16" tall skirt piece just as the pattern calls for.



Sew up your dress using these new skirt pieces and you're done.  WOO HOO!!!!  Winning all over the place.

You can get the Saffron dress HERE and make sure to "like" Paisley Roots on Facebook.  You can like her in real life, too.  She's a pretty cool person.  She's also one of the SHEs so, yeah.

-Crystal-

Easter for Two Special Girls

I have two of the most adorable nieces known to mankind.  It seems like every other Easter I get the chance to buy them their dresses. This year it was my turn and instead of buying them dresses I asked them for their color requests.  The older one, L, requested a dress EXACTLY like the one I made V when I tested the Saffron Twirl dress.  Red and brown sash.  The younger one, E, didn't really put in a color request so I picked something I thought would look nice on her; I found the prettiest ombre purple and paired it with a turquoise sash.

So the nitty gritty details on the dresses.  This is Saffron number 3 and 4 for me.  I started with the ombre purple dress because I was dying to see it all made up.  Now a word to the wise, if you are using ombre fabric take note of how the colors are set up.  The purple I bought was light towards the selvedge and dark at the middle of the fabric.  Now I knew I wanted this dress to go from light to dark from top to bottom but I didn't think this through when I bought the fabric.  So I cut the bodice from the lighter colors and then got to the skirt.... crap-ola I could get one side of the skirt out of the dark middle fabric I was wanting but then the other side would have to be cut from the lighter fabric opposite of side I cut the bodice from.  So it was back to the store for me.  Bright side?  I now have enough fabric to make V another Saffron in the opposite ombre effect to her cousin's dress.  The turquoise ties I cut as the longer ties so E could have the choice of having the wrap around effect or one nice big bow in the back.