Project Watercolor Beach Capsule Wardrobe Collection

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Nem tudo o que o Covid trouxe foi mau, a mim, por exemplo, trouxe-me a vontade de voltar a costurar, e com isso a oportunidade de fazer parte de um projeto espetacular, uma vez que pude participar nos testes de 5 moldes, todos parte do último catálogo do Project Run and Play (vejam mais sobre isso em designer collection). Na imagem abaixo estão mencionados 4 dos 5 moldes que testei, as calças devem ter ficado esquecidas por lapso, pois como podem ver elas aparecem na última foto. Assim sendo, testei o Viridian Swimsuit, Golden Dress, Chromium Hoodie, Lemon Tee e Abby's Marigold Pants. 

Not everything that Covid brought was bad, to me, for example, it brought back the sewing desire, and with that the opportunity to be part of this cool project, since I was able to take part in five pattern tests from the latest Project Run & Play pattern lookbook (check more about over at designer collection). In the picture below there are mentioned 4 out the 5 patterns I tested, the pants must have got forgotten in the edits, but as you can see, they are pictured too. So that said, I sewed up 5 patterns from the collection: the Viridian Swimsuit, Golden Dress, Chromium Hoodie, Lemon Tee and Abby's Marigold Pants. 

A meio de Abril porém as coisas complicaram-se, e eu não pude acompanhar melhor estas designers que fizeram um trabalho espetacular. A saúde do meu pai agravou de repente, e acabou por deixar-nos a meados de Maio. Tive que desistir de mais um teste quando estava mesmo prestes a começa-lo, e deixei passar mais um que gostava de ter testado também. Tão pouco pude ajudar na divulgação da coleção assim que saiu. Mas eu não conseguia. 

Half way through April, things got messy around here and I wasn't able to follow the designers wonderful job as much as I'd like to. My father's health got really bad, and he eventually left us by the end of May. I had to leave another test I was about to start behind, and let pass another I'd have enjoyed testing too. I couldn't even help promoting as soon as it came out as I planed. I just couldn't. 

Assim que hoje, mostro-vos muito por alto cada uma das peças que fiz e em breve, espero mostrar-vos cada uma delas mais pormenorizadamente, começando com o biquini (Viridian Swimsuit). Tanto eu como a miúda ficámos encantadas com as cuecas de inspiração vintage. A cor do tecido talvez não seja o mais apropriado para o tom de pele dela, tão branquinha, mas eu não tinha muita escolha de material para fato de banho. Tinha apenas um retalho deste que comprei há um par de anos na Espanha e que foi mesmo à medida, mais um pouco e não conseguiria ter feito nada com ele. O modelo é lindo, e tenho a certeza que o irei usar mais vezes, assim que consiga encontrar algum tecido que faça o click.

SO, today I m sharing a quick tour through all the pieces I sewed from this collection, and soon, I hope to be able to share every single one of them in greater detail, starting with the Viridian Swimsuit, bikini version here- Me and the girl were in love with the vintage inspired bottoms. The fabric color might not have been the greatest choice due to her very pale tone of skin, but I didn't have a lot to chose from when it comes to swimsuit fabric. I only had a scrap from this one which I bought in Spain a few years ago, and had it been needed a little bit more and I couldn't use it at all, it was right the amount I needed to make it. The pattern is beautiful, and I am sure I'll be using it quite a few more times, as long as I can find the greatest fabrics. 

A seguir mostro-vos o vestido (Golden Dress), que se não me engano foi a primeira das cinco peças a ser feita. Já não costuro nada sem perguntar antes à miúda se gosta ou não do modelo, é muito decidida com o que quer ou não vestir. Ela adorou (e raramente quer vestidos), então lá estivemos também ambas a escolher o tecido. Um algodão que tinha comprado a pensar num mommy & me look, uma vez que é um padrão que ambas adoramos. Ficámos as duas encantadas com a peça final. 

Next I am showing you the Golden Dress, which I believe was the first of all these to be made. I can't sew the kiddo anything before asking for her opinion, she's quite sure of what she wants to wear or not. She loved it (and very seldomly she likes dresses), so we went through picking fabric together as well. I used this buffalo check cotton I bought with a mommy and me look in mind, because it is a print we both love. The finished piece made us both pretty happy. 

Segue-se então o hoodie (Chromium Hoodie), uma das peças de vestuário que ela mais gosta de usar. Para este fiz duas peças durante o teste, a primeira para ele e uma final, para ela, onde a deixei escolher de todas as opções disponíveis, e como com o vestido, escolheu o tecido também. Para o primeiro teste, para dele, reciclei um hoodie maior do primo. O rapaz não ficou muito satisfeito com a gola, mas também já fazia algum calor para essa peça quando tentei experimentar nele. 

The Chromium Hoodie comes next, it is one of the pieces she enjoys wearing the most. For this test I made two pieces, a first one for him, and a second (final) for her, where I allowed her to pick from all the options available, and just like with the dress, the fabric was also her choice. For the first test, I refashioned their cousin's hoodie, which was bigger, into a new one for my boy- He wasn't quite happy with it because of the neck option I made him, but truth is it was already getting too warm for him to wear that back when he tried it on. 

Outra das peças que fiz foi a Lemon Tee para ele. Aqui também optei por usar uma peça já existente e dar-lhe nova vida. Em ambas peças, esta e a que menciono acima usei a mesma dica, a parte da frente. Este é daqueles moldes com garantia de ser usado uma e outra e outra vez, pois t-shirts são peças essenciais no guarda roupa de qualquer criança. 

Another piece I made was the Lemon Tee for him. Here I also used a pre existing tee to refashion into a new one. In both of them, this and the one I mention above, I used the same tip, turning the front piece to the back and the back to the front. This is one of those patterns we are sure to use over and over, bacause t-shirts are one of the essential pieces in any kid's wardrobe. 

E para terminar, mostro-vos as calças (Abby's Marigold Pants), que são perfeitas para uma miúda super ativa que adora roupa confortável e desportiva como a minha. Na foto veste-as com a parte de cima do biquini, e andava super vaidosa do conjunto. Tinha comprado este tecido para fazer umas camisolas para o pai, mas fica-lhe tão bem como calças nela. Ainda sobrou muito, pode ser que o pai tenha sorte. 

And to finish, here's the Abby's Marigold Pants, which are perfect for this super active, sportswear loving girl of mine. In this picture, she's wearing them with the top of the bikini, and she couldn't be more proud of it. I had purchaised this fabric to make some shirts for the hubby, but it looks as good as pants on her. I still have quite a bit left, maybe dad gets lucky sometime. 

Se ficaram curiosos(as) com estes moldes, e em descobrir o resto dos que fazem parte da coleção, não se esqueçam de visitar Project Watercolor Beach lookbook (o catálogo) para muita inspiração. 

If you're curious to know more about these patterns and all the rest that make part of the collection, make sure to check the Project Watercolor Beach lookbook for a lot of inspiration. 

Challenge Create: Adult Edition |week 3|

What a week! What a theme!

When I first knew the themes, I was very excited with them all. Then I started to feel depressed about this third week. Vintage... a hint of it... so many possibilities, so many great things I could do... if I wasn't pregnant. No matter what time from the past I'd pick to get inspired by, there were always garments I was sure I couldn't turn into maternity wear. This would be the week I'd go back to the era of the corsets. Did I ever mention how much I love them? I am pretty sure I did. But, there's no way I can fit into a corset right now. I went for a 50's inspired look after all... Just a bit... 

I tried my best to fit the look with the make up and hair, ahahaha... I have a lot of hair, and it's pretty wild, I rarely can make anything out of it on my own, so I am pretty happy with how it turned out after all. I've always, always loved the pin up look, but never believed I'd look good on it, because I'm so skinny. Being pregnant though, I'm having just a few extra weight and that makes a huge difference. I felt so good with the entire look, and I guess is shows in the photos. I had to sit for this photo, it was a request from my daughter. 

My main (vintage) focus was the skirt. I didn’t want to make a very complicated one. I wanted something with some twirl, suitable during pregnancy and after. And I was sure I wanted to use the red plaid fabric I had in my stash for years. To get this look all I did, was to sew a fabric tube, hem it, shirr the top of it and attach to a rib knit band. Skirt done!

To complete my vintage look I needed something for the top. And at 26-27 weeks long, I started thinking not so much of only flowy clothes to wear during pregnancy, but also something, I could possibly wear after, suitable for nursing too. Yes, I believe nursing is important, and having clothes that allows an easier nursing period even better. Especially, when you’re not a huge fan of button up shirts, which is where I fit. I’ve had this idea in mind for quite a while and was sure I wanted to use it during the challenge. It’s not my own idea though, I’ve seen it a couple times online. SO, what was it? Making a top, with access to nursing, by adding two openings on each side.

I drafted the top pattern out of one of my store bought shirts. The original had some puckering on the front, a circle collar and was about my waist long. For my own, I wanted the collar to be slightly squared shaped so the openings would look better. I did the openings with this technique here, and used snaps to close it. And I made it much longer, as a tunic. I like it so much I've been wearing it for two days already. 

Although this was the most fearful challenge for me so far, we got the best photoshoot after all. All the photos had something we loved and it was hard to select which ones to use. I guess having my little miss literaly telling me which poses I should be making, made it a fun family event (daddy was taking the photos). 

Quite a simple outfit this time, that works just great for me and my figure at the moment. For this photoshoot I’ve used a belt, but I can also wear it without it, works well both ways. And I totally can wear the tunic in a less formal way, with a pair of leggings. You ca see the three ways I’ve been wearing them below.

After having enough photos of my own, we finally let her join in the fun (she played the photographer as daddy was taking these photos, but she was wanting to join me too), and we got all this sweet mom and daughter shoots. How great is that?! 

Now go and vote for your favourite look HERE!

Maratón Telaria | 1. retro |

The Maratón Telaria has started last week. We had until the 27th to join the sewalong flickr group with the first theme: RETRO. So, guess when I decided to sew my piece?! Exactly, the 27th. Which meant I had to sew my dress, take pictures, and edit them to enter. 

But, of course I did it. I spent all this time convinced I wanted to do a rockabilly look for G. but then, as I got lost online, I chose to get inspired on those lovely short 70's dresses. Mine wasn't so short though and I'll tell you why. 

front and back view of dress - it closes on the back with snaps. 

As I've been saying forever, G. has got way too many clothes that fit for now. When I say she doesn't need anymore, I mean, I don't know where to keep anymore clothes, there's no space for them, really. That's actually something that has been keeping me unmotivated lately. I mean, I have been sewing, behind the scenes, but I'm not really in the mood to get too creative. 

So, back to the reason why this isn't as short as I wanted. It is simple, I made it hoping this would be a great fit by spring, so next year. The sleeves are wide enough for her to comfortably grow into this, I hope this will last as a tunic when she's even older. 

The pattern I used was the one I drafted from an existing dress and used for the Sad Cat Dress, can you remember that? The only changes I did this time, was on the seam allowances, this made this dress narrower than the previous on the neck line. Even though it looks like it is shorter than the other one, it isn't, it just happens that kids grow a lot in just 7 months passed. 

Contrary to the Sad Cat dress, this isn't lined, instead I used homemade bias - actually I made it from left overs from the sheet I used as lining to the cat dress - on the neck line and bottom seam. To finish off the sleeves I used a vintage lace I had selvaged from an old shirt I was given a while ago. 

So, after all, what makes this look retro? In my opinion, and intention... as I said before, I was inspired in the 70's. The features I tried to bring back from that period were the line of the dress, the lace, the width and the plaid of course. I wanted to include a peter pan collar to it too, but I was attaching the bias already when I suddenly remembered "the collar! Oh gosh, I didn't cut the collar!" - well, too late my dear, I'm not doing that. But, even though the day was rather warm, she wore a white shirt underneath the dress, which -look so convinient - had a peter pan collar too. 

Just before we left the home, I managed to make her a matching hairclip. I tried to do her hair inspired in the 70's pictures too. I love it! This isn't much of my style, but I confess I'm satisfied with it. Plus, I needed this kind of quick and simple sewing. 

The only thing I seem to feel sorry about, is that the lace isn't as white as the bias. It works though. Once again, I only used fabric and supplies from my stash and it feels good. 

This week's theme is knits. I still have no idea what to sew! Any suggestions?