{Project Run & Play} Project Smooth Sorbet

 It's here!  It's finally here!!  Project Smooth Sorbet is Project Run and Play's latest designer collaboration and it's full of 10 amazing patterns.   I've been working behind the scenes all Spring and am thrilled to contribute two cute purse patterns to the lineup - fetta & frutta.  It was really hard keeping the secret for so long!

Since competing in Season 23 (Spring 2020), I've been lucky enough to sew three of the designer collaborations and I always love how they center around a fun theme.  Smooth Sorbet is ALL about sweet patterns, fun colors and sorbet!  It doesn't get better than that!  

Actually, it does -- Art Gallery Fabrics was beyond generous and sent me all this fabric to sew up coordinating looks for my two girls.  Thank you AGF!!!  I chose coordinating prints from the Hello Sunshine Collection by Katie Skoog and added in a Striped Knit Basic for one final piece.

I sewed 6 of the 10 patterns and I'm loving how they can become a whole capsule wardrobe.    The garment patterns are full of options that you could sew at least 26 (I lost count towards the end...HA!) unique pieces.  I am definitely sewing up the remaining 4 patterns!  They are all so good!

Smooth Sorbet Collection 

• Bacca Bootcuts (Sizes NB - 16 | Call Ajaire)

• Bacio Basic Tee (Sizes NB - 14 | Jennuine Designs)
• Baie Blazer (Sizes 12m - 14 | Jennuine Designs)
• David Rain Jacket (Sizes 12m - 14 | Bobbins 'N Buttons)
• David Rain Jacket Expansion Pack (Sizes NB - 16 | Call Ajaire)
• Fetta Purse (One Size | That's-Sew-Kari)
• Fragola Top & Dress (Sizes 12m - 14 | Suco by Susana)
• Frutta Purse (One Size | That's-Sew-Kari)
• Limone Lounge Set (Sizes NB - 14 | Jennuine Designs)
• Parfait Polo (Sizes 1 - 16 | Project Run &Play/Skirt Fixation)
• Sorbetto Swimsuit (Sizes NB - 16 | Call Ajaire)

(I've sewn the items in pink)

First up is fragola top & dress.  This top has my whole heart!!  While I normally sew dresses for my youngest, she's starting to gravitate towards tops and this looked perfect for her.  I selected Tropic Like It's Hot in Rayon and the drape is so dreamy -- just as I pictured.

Fragola comes in top length, dress length and maxi length.  It's a babydoll silhouette with optional flutter sleeves.  The back features a button opening and the easiest placket you'll ever sew!  It's magical.

We paired it with the baie blazer in Art Gallery's Striped Sleek Mint.  I love the subtle stripes against the bright bold floral of Fragola.

Baie Blazer is one of those patterns that looks intimidating, but comes out perfectly after taking it step-by-step.  I chose the Peplum option and the pattern includes a unisex option as well.  The pattern is suited for medium to heavy weight stable knits with 20-40% stretch, but I love how it turned out in AGF's super soft lightweight knit.  The pattern also includes pockets and a button closure front (which I omitted).

To finish off her look, I stitched a frutta purse and decided a pink pineapple would be fun and whimsical.  The purse body is Poolside Blush and the crown is Sweet Slice of Watermelon.  The diamond print of Poolside Blush was perfect for quilting.

Frutta was fun to make and sewed up much faster when I wasn't stopping after each step to take a picture for the tutorial! HA!  I originally sewed Frutta for my Week 1 look in Season 23.  I had already sewn my youngest a purse and knew my oldest needed one too.  Long story short, my original Pineapple Purse idea was not turning out how I imagined so I dismantled it and cut it into this shape the morning of pictures.  For this release, I tweaked the pattern a bit -- enlarging the finished size and boxing the bottom corners to allow for more room inside.  This pattern is very beginner-friendly.

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For my oldest, we went a little more casual.  First up is the bacio basic tee.  I loved the fun bright floral print of Summer Shine. 

Bacio is a great wardrobe staple.  It's a casual fitting tee with both straight or curved hem.  The neckline can be finished with a traditional band or a fun exposed edge band which I'm intrigued to try.   I sewed the traditional neckband here. 

We paired it with the limone lounge set -- sewing up the knee length skirt option in the bright Sweet Slice of Watermelon cotton.

Limone offers SIX length options -- shorts, bermuda shorts, crop, pants, and two skirt lengths: knee and maxi.  I knew she'd love the skirt the most and chose the size based on just her hip and decided not to lengthen for height.  She prefers her skirts above the knee and since she's petite, it gives her the illusion of height.  (She gets it from me so I'm passing on all my tips and tricks!)  This pattern also has both plain and paperbag waist finishes with optional drawstring.

Last, but certainly not least, is the fetta purse.  This purse was one of my favorite pieces I made for Season 23 -- it made me smile every time I'd see it (and still does). I went with a traditional lemon again, using the Canary cotton that coordinated perfectly with the Hello Sunshine collection.   Now each girl has a Lemon Slice!

Fetta is just plain fun!  Its simple shape means it can be stitched up in under 30 minutes, but is a great introduction to adding zippers.  It's perfectly sized to hold a cell phone, some money and lip gloss.  Included in the pattern is the free iron-on image (slightly modified from above to fit the curvature of the purse bottom better).  My daughter has already requested an orange slice next!

And that's a WRAP on my season long project!  Head over to the Project Run and Play Shop to grab these patterns on sale this week and check back next week for the LOOKBOOK!  You'll find some great inspiration and lots more photos of the projects.

{Riley Blake Designs} Rainbowfruit by Damask Love

 

If you love color, then THIS is the fabric collection for you!!  Damask Love is known for her love of color and it's perfectly executed in her latest collection for Riley Blake Designs.  Aptly named "Rainbowfruit", you can't help but simultaneously smile and suddenly need a sweet fruity treat.  

Click the photo to view the collection storyboard.  Photo Credit: Riley Blake Designs

I mean, look at the array of color here!!   I knew right away that I'd sew for my youngest who loves color, has the personality to rock it and literally would eat popsicles or fruit all day long if I let her.  It took a while to narrow down my choices.  I ended up choosing a main print and 3 coordinates. 

• Rainbowfruit Main in Aqua
• Rainbowfruit Calories Don't Count in White
• Rainbowfruit Let's Chill Hot Pink
• Rainbowfruit Triangles in White 

These fabrics sat patiently for me to decide what fun pattern to choose for them.  Then the stars aligned and Little Lizard King is releasing a fun new dress tomorrow called Sarria and it's instant love!!  Of course, I had to play with the stripes and made a pieced front -- it's my favorite way to sew stripes and is such an easy way to add a fun little feature.

How to piece your front bodice piece: 

1. Add a seam allowance to the fold line of your front bodice piece.  I like to add 1/4" because then I don't have to trim any bulk away.
2. Draw a 45-degree line from the bottom center corner of the bodice out to the outer edge.  This will be the line to make sure you're lining it up correctly.
3. Place the pattern piece right side up, lining up the bottom of a stripe with the drawn line on your pattern piece.  If your stripes are horizontal or vertical to the the selvage, your pattern piece will be placed on the bias.  If your stripes are diagonal like in Rainbowfruit, one side of the bodice will be cut with the grainline and the opposite side will be cut cross-grain. Cut.
4. Take your cut bodice piece and place it face down on your fabric, matching the stripes all the way around.  Cut.
5. Pin the bodice pieces together, making sure the stripes are aligned. You can hold it up to the light to help align them.  Baste in place with the seam allowance you added.  (Basting just makes it easier to rip the stitches if needed.)
6. Check to see that the stripes perfectly match.  If yes, sew over the basting stitches with a normal stitch length.  If no, fix the stripe alignment.  Once you have it correct, press the seam open.
7. Make sure when you cut the lining, that you remove the added seam allowance from the pattern piece (or you'll have to piece it together like I did because I was rushing...HA!)

Of course, I couldn't resist doing it to the back too!  However, since this is a buttoned back, I added a placket overlay (and then trimmed the original stripes underneath it) so they wouldn't be off center.  I love how the Chill Out in Hot Pink pops against the stripes.  Then I used small light blue buttons with white centers.

How to add a contrasting button placket:

1. Find out your bodice overlap.  In Sarria, it's 3/4".  I cut a strip 1 3/4" wide by the length of the back center.  (it's okay to be a bit wider than you need, you can trim to fit).
2. I'm using a 1/4" seam allowance to sew it on so I took a fabric pen and drew a line on my bodice piece 1" from the center edge.  (This pattern uses a 1/2" seam allowance to which I added the 3/4" overlap - which will be my placket finished width and finally I subtracted the 1/4" for the contrast piece.  Math: 1/2 + 3/4 - 1/4 = 1")
3. Place the contrast piece against the line drawn so that the 1" of fabric along the back center is still visible, right sides together.  Pin in place. Sew.  
4. Flip the placket over to cover the center back and press.  Trim any excess contrast.  You should have 1.25" visible now or Bodice Overlap + pattern SA)
5. Trim the original bodice fabric underneath.

This fun cutout is my favorite part along with that micro-ruffle contrast -- it looks like icing!

I used the Triangles to make coordinating Nara Bows in the 3" size.  It's my most sewn bow pattern and whip up in just minutes.  I make two so I can do her hair in little space buns -- it always brings out her fun personality!