My previous post about the night before left off w/ me having to change models due to the dress form being way too big to fit my model’s measurements.  Fortunately, my new model was able to meet me on Friday morning before the competition, so I was able to take all the correct measurements and see her in person.

After I took her measurements, it was time to get our challenge.  Here it is in detail to the best of my memory:

Mission Possible:  Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a garment for your client, a supermodel, attending a fashion industry event in Milan, Italy.  What nobody knows is that she is also a secret agent for the CIA.  She needs to be able to communicate w/ headquarters via cell phone without anybody knowing.  You must incorporate the My Sew EZ Touch kit into the garment (this is a real device- more detail below) and provide a place to hide a cell phone.

So the My Sew EZ Touch kit is a thin, flexible control pad that can be sewn into a garment, the controls are embroidered on the fabric (but have several decorative designs so they don’t necessarily look like controls) and has a flat, ribbon-like cable that connects to an iPod or cell phone.  It was crazy cool, and they had them for sale at the expo!  They’re even washable!

So anyway, we all thought it was a pretty fun challenge.  I got to designing right away, and since it was in Milan, I wanted do go dramatic, yet elegant.  I had a basic idea in mind and set out to shopping.  I found some absolutely GORGEOUS silks from Bohemian Element, so I settled on this great teal color, with black as an accent.  I was nervous about spending all my money, so I bought a little, then went back 3 more times to get more…   Theresa who runs Bohemian Element was a real sweetheart, and we told her she just needs to move to Fayetteville.

SO… I knew right away that the best way to do my pattern for this particular design would be to drape it, so I started taping off my design lines onto my dress form.  This is only the second time I’ve done a fully draped garment, but I love it and am going to do much more that way.  Friday was pretty crazy all day, and there were lots of people attending the expo, so there were lots of questions and people just standing and watching.  It took a little getting used to, but it wasn’t too bad and I was able to most of the time just block everything out.  By stopping time on Friday night (7:00) I was pretty tired, so I went to bed super early.

Fast forward- Saturday was a blur, just wrapping up and getting everything ready.  At 3:00, fitting time, I was done and went to go fit my model.  I had just put the dress on her when my ORIGINAL MODEL SHOWS UP.  No one had called her!!!  I felt AWFUL, and had to explain what happened.  She was sweet and said it was fine, but I still felt so bad.  But I didn’t have time to dwell on it, so I finished my fitting and we got ready for photographs and judging.  The dress fit her just about perfectly.

The judges really seemed to like it too.  The runway show started at 6:00, and they announced the winners about 7.

Dum dum dum…..

I got 2nd place!  Of course, I think everyone really wanted to win, but I can’t say I’m disappointed.  I won a Baby Lock Enlighten serger, an iron, a couple of gift certs for fabric, and a pants drafting dvd/book.  For those of you who don’t sew, a serger is a machine that finishes the edges of fabric with a squiggly-looking stitch.  Just look at the inside of your clothes and you’ll see what I’m talking about.  Though this one is WAY fancy and does all kinds of other cool things too, so I’m pretty excited about it arriving!

Overall, it was an awesome experience and a lot of fun.  I haven’t decided for sure, but I think I will probably enter again next year (hopefully I’ll make it in again!).

The ladies who run the expo, the vendors, the Baby Lock rep, my model Jennifer, and our mentor Becky were all awesome and it was great to get to meet and visit with them.

Then we go to our stations to start setting up and I try to dial up my dress form to my model’s measurements.  Guess what?  The SMALLEST measurements on the dress form are 2 INCHES BIGGER than my model, meaning the dress form will be totally useless.  And we don’t get to do a mid-challenge fitting, only at 3:00 on Saturday do we put the garment on our model, and they have to be ready at 4.  So I start stressing out a bit…  Fortunately our mentor Becky, who is great and super-helpful, gets me a new model.  She was one that wasn’t there that night, and I probably won’t get to actually meet until I put the dress on her, but I do have her (basic) measurements and they fit the dress form.  So this will be interesting…!!!

Oh, and we aren’t allowed to take any pictures, so sorry, I won’t be able to post any….

Just bought some awesome vintage rayon velvet ribbon from Finiribbon on etsy.  It is sooo gorgeous!  Of course, I’m doing what I always do when I get something great- fret about actually cutting it lest I mess it up!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5822964

I’m lusting after this beautiful German glass glitter from etsy seller Christoperpines:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vt_related_1&listing_id=31067396

If you’ve ever seen this stuff in person, it is mesmerizing.  It’s made w/ real glass pieces and coated w/ silver, so it gets this really cool tarnish that makes it look vintage.  Not sure what I need it for, but I’m definitely trying to come up with something.  Maybe some decadent Christmas cards…

My dad always said about me, “My daughter likes small shiny objects”, and that’s pretty much true.  Then and now.  I’m like a magpie I guess. 

And since it’s starting to get cool, I’m of course thinking about getting out the knitting needles.  This yarn from etsy seller ByRebekahWithLove looks like spun pewter.  So pretty and inviting.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31115422&ref=sr_gallery_21&&ga_search_query=yarn&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=5&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Oh, and yesterday I got to test-sew on a $10,000 sewing/embroidery machine.  I think it’s the model we’ll be using at the competition next week.  I was joking (before I found out the price) that I’d tell my husband I just wanted the machine instead of a new car (whenever we are thinking about getting one).  Little did I know how accurate that would be!  But man, it is a cool machine!

Ok, so I don’t think I would quite call myself the Michelangelo of sewing, but I definitely got a kick out of this!

Now, if you look carefully, you’ll notice that the pattern lines up exactly on the flap.  I would love to say that I did that on purpose and it was due to very careful measuring and planning.  But no, it was a complete stroke of dumb luck!  I didn’t even notice it until I was photographing it. 

It’s made of 2 coordinating 100% cotton prints, and has a fluffy fleece interlining to give it a bit of cushion.  It’s finished with one of my vintage buttons.

Speaking of my vintage buttons, I thought I’d share how I got part of my giant sewing stash.  My machine, the original manual and all parts to the machine, tons of vintage buttons, snaps, closures, zippers, approximately 87 tape measures (ok, maybe not that many…), sewing weights, pinking shears, giant murderess scissors, cutting table, threads, bobbins and TONS of other stuff all came from an old lady whose daughter is friends with my grandmother.  When she passed, her daughter hated to just toss all of it, but she didn’t sew, so she asked my grandmother if I would take it.  I was thinking she just meant a few things, but was overwhelmed by the boxes and boxes of sewing paraphernalia.  It is really a lifetime’s worth of supplies and equipment.  Some of the tools I have yet to figure out what they are exactly…  The machine is from 1980 and is AWESOME.  I love it.  And it’s really cool to go digging through my stuff and think about her.  I like to think that maybe she watches down on me as I sew. 

I made a reverse applique birdcage scarf.  I’ve never done reverse applique before, but it was super easy and kind of fun.  I’ll be trying it again in the future, maybe on something more elaborate.

Scarf is made of rayon knit, is 60″ long x 8″ wide and has raw edges.

The birdcage is 100% silk organza stitched to the scarf by reverse applique. The little blue bird is also made from rayon knit.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30889255

1) my son jabbering and singing himself to sleep

2) my Hillsong United station on Pandora.

Loving my rayon knit, so I used some more today.  They told us we should wear all black or black & white for the runway show so as not to distract from our designs, thus the black.

The top:

I used an existing top for the basic pattern shape, but made up the sleeves.

It’s fairly simple, with a cowl neck and short puff sleeves.  It was a bit too plain, so I added some chiffon roses and a vintage rhinestone button (if you know me, you know I’m a sucker for detail.  and vintage.)

that one sleeve is sticking out kind of wonky-like, but it doesn’t do that when there’s an arm in there!

I’ve got to start photographing during the day, these flash pics are kind of icky!

Create a wedding gown for a bride that does not want a typical white fluff dress.  Choose a historical period to base it on.

I decided to use the 1930′s as my inspiration.  Great Hollywood glamour era.

I chose the 30′s because it was very feminine, but not flouffy.  Here’s what I came up with:

If you can’t read my notes, they are:

Silver/dove grey crepe bias-cut fabric  w/ pewter beaded inset

Pewter organza criss-crossing @ back & on train

Rhinestone medallion at top of train, smaller rhinestone buttons at tips of shoulders

I like a pale silver or dove grey color b/c it keeps it in the right “mood” for a wedding, but is not your typical white or cream.  I also like a darker color for the inset and the organza on the back so that it has an element of “pop”.

Please excuse my rough rendering, my skills definitely lie more in the conception/construction of the garment!

I took a 10″ square box and broke it down flat.

I made a tiny prototype out of paper, and was surprised that I remembered pretty much exactly how they should go together. 

So then I drew a template onto the cardboard, using the pre-folded lines where folds would need to go.  This made the block 10″x2.5″x5″

Then I cut it out: There are several flaps and things that get folded into the inside for stability.

Then I folded it and put it together:

You could leave it like this, but I decided to cover it in paper, so I unfolded it again, traced onto some heavy wrapping paper, glued that on, then re-assembled:

those middle pieces fold in and give it lots of strength in the middle so it doesn’t get squished.

Now I just have to make about 50 more for Little Bit to play with!