Signature Style

It's the final week of Project Run and Play. I started this blog so I could play along with PRP. And now it's Signature Style Week. In all the seasons I've been reading along, I've been thinking about this question. So I started this season with a list to define my signature:

• It has clean lines and few embellishments. It's the subtle details that make it special. And hopefully it's impeccably finished.
• It is easy to wear for everyday life. It’s not special occasion, it’s not for one-time use. 
• It’s not twee. It may be youthful, but it's not sentimentally cute.
• It’s feminine, but not girly. There’s not a ruffle, nor any pink, in sight. Perfect for The Peanut’s personality and you can tell because she lights up when she wears it. And that’s my ultimate goal.

We'll Spring Break in France, s'il vous plaît

Today is a special off-schedule post so that I can share my Project Run & Play Week #2, Spring Break Challenge solution. I so wanted to get this posted on Monday, but it snowed (again!) on Sunday (March 30th! Why?!). So I gave myself grace, and time to find some sunlight for photos, and pushed this back until now.

Strolling on the Seine? Or heading for the gangway on the cruise ship?

Project Run & Play Week #2, Spring Break Challenge: Design an outfit inspired by your favorite vacation spot (or day-dreaming vacation spot). 

After-School Pattern: Sporty Redux

The Peanut’s wardrobe is mostly casual and her needs are mostly play clothes. So even though I’m drawn to the dress patterns, pants are always in need. I had just finished sewing the After-School Shirt & Pants by Oliver + S (with the Raining Cats & Dogs top), but I jumped right in and gave it another go. I considered the ruffles of View C in the pattern, but instead opted to sew a sportier look more in keeping with The Peanut’s personality. To achieve this I used lots of high-contrast top-stitching on the plum-colored bottomweight. I chose thread in a pale purple (over an even paler purple option) yet it looks almost gray-white in the final product. Top-stitching can be painful for a perfectionist like myself to sew; I can’t help but see every wobble and catch. It takes effort not to go back and re-do it until it’s just right.

  Still rocking the up-and-away model look.

No-School Sewing

Out of 23 potential weekdays for school in January, The Peanut has been, or will be, out of school for 10 days plus 2 two-hour delays, if not more (thanks, holidays & freeze days). How fitting that I had already chosen the After-School Pattern by Oliver + S to work on during this time. I shall forever remember it as the No-School Pattern.

There's a Hershey Kiss hidden in those pockets.