Get ready to "make it work"

Bravo's highly-anticipated fifth season of the three-time Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning creative competition reality series Project Runway returns Wednesday, July 16 in a new time slot -- 9/8c. Returning to the runway, host and supermodel Heidi Klum heads a panel of industry luminaries, including judges, top women's and menswear designer Michael Kors, and fashion expert Nina Garcia, as they decide who is "in" and who is "out." Tim Gunn, Chief Creative Officer at Liz Claiborne, Inc., will once again act as a mentor to the designers as they take on weekly fashion challenges. The 16 Project Runway contestants will be whittled down week-by-week to the finalists who will show their own line in front of an audience of fashion industry movers and shakers at New York Fashion Week.

Week #10 Project Runway Challenge

First, go read about Sophie's progress on the Week #9 Challenge... She's planning a little something for her inner diva!

This is a fantastic challenge -- choose a work of art as inspiration for your piece. Although PJ limited the source material to three wings of the Met (how harsh, eh?!), I won't set any limits. Find a piece of art that inspires you and make something.

Interestingly, there's a quilt exhibition with this theme at the Memorial Art Gallery right now -- click the link, then "preview the sale" to see thumbnails of the inspired quilts. None of the images are terrifically large, but there are some interesting works there. I'm still hoping to see this exhibit in person!

Another thought -- do you remember the idea of "slice quilts"? Groups would choose an image, slice it into sections, and each member would interpret their section before sewing them all together. Here's an example, and this one of glads in a vase is stunning (and a current project). The glads could be one of my all time favorites -- I do love glads!

You know what time it is... Week #9 Project Runway Challenge!

I know, I know... I don't have time for this. But it's kind of addictive! Plus, maybe I'll want to revisit this idea sometime in the future...

Wow -- I just realized we're down to six designers. Do you have a favorite amongst the contenders? Ricky, Rami, Christian, Chris, Sweet P or Jillian.

Um, the divas of the WWE? Their challenge is to create an outfit for the divas to wear in the ring. What in the world are we going to do?! (OMG -- they're going shopping at "Spandex House"!)

OK, let's do this: Design something that expresses your imagined self. While these divas are doing a job (albeit a non-traditional one!), they're also role-playing and living out fantasy lives. What do you DREAM of being? What do you want to be when you grow up? How do you see yourself? (This might be different than how the world sees you...) What is your dream job or aspiration?

Project Runway - Week #8 Challenge

What will today bring? Oh, Levi's... this could be fun! More than 500 pairs of jeans in different colors with matching white cotton by the yard. Very neat to see all the different tones and tints of denim... this is like a scrappy blue and white quilt!

OK, focus here :) Design an iconic piece in denim.... Your challenge: Use denim for something. Easy this week. It could be a patchwork denim picnic quilt, clothing restyle, throw pillow, curtain, tote bag... whatever. I'm sensing a trip to the thrift store for supplies!

Week #7 Challenge - Project Runway

Hmmm.... create an avant-garde look that is artistic and conceptual, inspired by your model's hairstyle. Frankly, all that hair scares me! You're welcome to incorporate the hair idea if you like, but I'm *not* making it part of this challenge.

Your challenge this week is to create something that is arty and conceptual, doesn't have to be practical in any way. I encourage you to play with new ideas, new or unusual materials, whatever strikes your fancy. For example, Debbie brought home a stash of office supplies to use in quilting... Nellie is working on a piece that will incorporate pieces of spiral binding...

OOOOooooohhhhh -- a twist! Both an avant-garde piece AND a prêt-à-porter piece (gosh, that movie was funny!). Can you translate your crazy vision to the "traditional"? I usually find it I work more the other way -- traditional with a twist, if you will -- so that could be a fun element to add!

Project Runway Week #7 Challenge

Here we meet again... are you ready to create memories?

Before the challenge, can I just say: I take exception to the statement that prom is one of the most important days in a woman's life. Yes, I went to prom, yes I was excited, yes I had a good time. But it wasn't like life revolved around it. Ever. I subscribe to the concept that TODAY is the most important day in my life, no matter what the day brings. Some days suck, but that doesn't devalue them, you know?

OK, off my soapbox now -- Let's interpret the prom :) Use fancy material(s) -- if you usually work with "plain" cotton, try some silk or lame or velvet or lace.

So, if I tell you about MY prom dresses, will you tell me about (or show me!) yours?! I'll look for pictures...

Project Runway Week #6 Challenge

After a two-week hiatus (did you work on your challenges? I didn't, LOL!), Project Runway is back tonight. Wonder what this week will present? I may not make it through the episode, but I'll stay awake long enough to issue a challenge, I promise!

Hmmm... their challenge is to create a look using items from the Hershey's store. I'm not sure what to do with that, to be honest!

OK, here's what we'll do: Use something candy-related -- the wrapper, the paper cups, the plastic bags they come in, whatever -- and you can add whatever materials you need to make an item. I guess you could use the candy too -- how about an M&M mandala?

I actually saw this Ecoist clutch made of candy wrappers in a magazine today; lots more here on thegreenloop.com:
Good luck... and I'm not responsible for any resulting weight gain ;-)

Project Runway - week #5 challenge

First, I seriously commend this week's models -- to lose significant amounts of weight and then put themselves in a designers hands... probably none of whom have ever made clothes in anything related to a real size.

Anyway: Your challenge this week is what I'll call "New Wine in Old Wineskins" -- take a finished or unfinished project, and refashion it. You could also take an old item of clothing and turn it into something fresh and wearable. If you collect "cutter quilts," now would be a great time to turn one into a teddy bear or pillow or something!

Hey, does my unfinished week #1 challenge project count?!

And now, George wants some attention (and to watch the yarn move onto the needles some more...)

"Oh Joy" is right! (Week 4 challenge)

Sophie emailed me today (with that subject line) to say she had finished her Project Runway Week #4 challenge piece... so I ran right over to her blog to see it. You should too -- it's fantastic! She used neon, cutouts and fringe in a very fun, modern way.

Project Runway Challenge -- Week #4

Ooooohhhh... dated trends AND teams. "Now it gets a little more complicated" is right! How shall we make this work? The designers are working in teams of three, and have to create three pieces that work cohesively as a collection. I won't challenge you with that -- let's not be ridiculous :)

So, here's the deal: Choose at least TWO of these outdated fashion trends and make ONE piece that incorporates those ideas.

• Neon
• Cutouts
• Pleather
• Poodle Skirts
• 70s Flare (a la John Travolta)
• Overalls
• Dancewear
• Baggy Sweater
• Underwear as Outerwear
• Zoot Suit
• Shoulder Pads
• Fringe

A couple of thoughts immediately came to mind: Sonji Hunt's work speaks to the idea of cutouts, as does an article in the new Quiting Arts Magazine. Fringe could be a great edge treatment, or an eyelash-type yarn. Underwear -- there's Christine Thresh's Bra block pattern, or use lace in a starring role. Shoulder pads might be some extreme trapunto.

Oh -- in case you were wondering, my menswear piece is truly disgusting and I'm tossing it. I refuse to make your eyes bleed by showing a picture -- I just can't be responsible for the resulting medical bills and mental anguish!

Week #3 Challenge = U-G-L-Y

Ew. I should have gone with the idea I showed the other day for my week #3 challenge. I messed around with the strips of the tie, and added some decorative stitches, and it's just plain ugly. Binding is probably making it even worse. I feel like I've been visited by the same workroom gremlins that led Sweet P to this seriously troubled shirt. I haven't decided if I'll stitch on the other two binding strips and show it to you, or just toss it out. I'm leaning toward the latter, but I'll sleep on it first in case inspiration comes to me in a dream ;)

Sophie's Week 2 Challenge

Go see Sophie's great week #2 diptych challenge here, if you haven't already. It's still a work in progress, but who am I to judge? Neither my week 1 nor my week 2 are finished. (Apparently I chose an obscure thread for the quilting of the feathered star, so that one may languish until I can locate more.)

Anyway, I love the free style of these pieces, and the day/night contrast. I can't wait to see how she finishes them.

How could I forget...

Christine Thresh's wonderful paper dolls, from her pattern Kate & Friends. She's done men, women, boys and girls for your paper-piecing pleasure.

Inspiration for Menswear Challenge

Thought I might jumpstart your thinking by sharing some links to quilt ideas and sources that are menswear inspired.

• ABOVE: Tied quilt made from "various suit and coat materials, rectangular sections of various woven materials, backed with green plaid material, each section with center orange cord knot. No mark. Size: 66" x 64"." (from an old Dargate auction catalog)
• Kate's journal quilt, using fabric from her father's Hawaiian shirts
• Kate's quilt top, using that shirt fabric in a totally different (and very cool) way
  
• Lots of menswear inspired quilts at QuiltBug
• If you EQ, there are 16 shirt front blocks (most with long ties) in the Contemporary Pieced block library
• Men of Biblical Proportion -- quilts by men, about men and for men, based on the men of the Bible. (I wish there were more pictures on the site -- I saw one of these pieces at a local show before it went to the exhibit, and it was amazing.)
• Wagga rugs, a traditional Australian covering made by men -- the rugs themselves aren't much to look at, but they might inspire you...
  
• Several sports-themed quilts made from patterns by Spring Creek NeedleArts
• Tied quilt made from "various suit and coat materials, rectangular sections of various woven materials, backed with green plaid material, each section with center orange cord knot. No mark. Size: 66" x 64"." (from an old Dargate auction catalog)
• Quilt made from wool suits by blogger Kodachrome Knits, inspired by Good Things from Tag Sales and Flea Markets by Martha Stewart
• I'm no Sunbonnet Sue fan, but one of her boyfriends would also fit the bill for this challenge.
  

Oooooohhh Menswear (Project Runway week #3 Challenge)

Love this challenge! The designers are dressing the very stylish Tiki Barber (former NY Giants football star). I so would not want to tackle a shirt and a suit in something like two days. I did think they might give a surprise extension on the time, given the more complex tailoring required by this challenge.

Your mission this week is a project that is distinctly masculine, either through the fabrics, materials, theme, shape or style. Thoughts that cross my mind include:

• suiting fabrics in traditional dark colors with pinstripes, checks, etc.
  
• sports themes, particularly football
• figures and/or portraits
• plaid flannel shirts, or other menswear shirts
  
• neckties and/or pocket squares
  
• anything that reminds you of the men in your life
  

I have some gorgeous windowpane checked shirting that I bought in the garment district last time I was in New York City... I might use that, or some of the plaid flannel bits in my stash from another project. Or maybe something with pockets...

I'll always associate pockets with my dad, as he refuses to wear a shirt that doesn't have at least one pocket (he prefers two). I bought a cute plaid shirt one year for father's day, and just assumed it had a pocket... You know what's coming next... no pockets. My mom even ironed it without noticing -- but my dad sure did, once he went to put his stuff in there! I'll never live that down...

What does this challenge say to you?

Project Runway Challenge - WEEK 1

Yeah, I'm still behind on the week #1 challenge... but making progress again! I think I mentioned I had an orphan feathered star block that I was thinking about using. I still can't quite believe I cut it for this project, but what the heck -- it wasn't perfect and it doesn't go with anything else, so why was I saving it?

The block must be around 15.5 or 16". I overlapped the block with a piece of the background fabric, both right sides up, and cut a nice gentle curve. After piecing the new plain fabric to the block, it was (sadly) a little out of square, but I persevered. I first quilted the straight lines, where the pieces would have been if I hadn't cut the block.

I had first thought to quilt inside the lines, making the plain side look more like the pieced side. I started that the other night, and ended up picking it all out. In the process of doing that, I decided it was too obvious to quilt it that way -- it would be more interesting to quilt outside the lines. Of course, if I was going to all that work, I wanted the quilting to show.

Be careful what you wish for... I also really wanted to try a new-to-me background filler I learned in a class with Carol Taylor earlier this year. For the first ten minutes, I hate-hate-hated it. The quilting lines looked like blood and it was completely horrible. I decided I would keep going (there was enough done that ripping it out again was NOT an option!) and if nothing else, one of the cats could have a new little quilt. (One of my mom's cats -- George is much too big for this little quiltlet!)

Luckily, the more I quilt it, the better I like it. It's still a little odd, but I'm OK with that, at least at the moment. The photo above is the result of a little more than an hour's worth of quilting. About three more hours of that (I'll have that filler in my muscles by then, I hope), then finishing.

Don't ask about week 2 (the diptych)... I think I've decided to make a pair of Christmas ornaments (yup, taking the easy way out!), but I'm not really in the mood today.

Here's a closer view of one corner. Do you think I should go back after the filler is done and try to "darken" the straight lines that represent the pieces?

Holy cow -- I just clicked the close up image to be sure it would get bigger -- and it does. Don't say I didn't warn you! I almost deleted it after that, since the quilting isn't really that great, but I decided to be a big girl and leave it for your viewing pleasure. I think this filler at this (small) size is better suited for a much thinner thread. See, I did learn something...

Two pieces. $15 and a dose of style (of course!)

This week's challenge, should you choose to accept it, is a diptych. And on the cheap. Two pieces that work together, total raw material cost not to exceed $15 -- and should reflect fall or winter in some way. That price includes any batting, backing, thread, interfacing, fusible, embellishments, etc. And yes, stuff from your stash counts against your total. I'm definitely thinking smaller is better this week!

Last week's challenge has turned out to be a bit bigger than I first thought. Not physically -- it's probably 16" square -- but the ripping last night really took the wind out of my sails. Well, that and last night's bedtime adventure...

For those of you who have been reading for any length of time, you know that my house seems to be a hotel for wayward bats. Yes, another little brown fuzzy one dropped in unexpectedly last night, looking for milk and cookies, I guess. I finally was able to throw him out the window (literally).

VERY high on today's to-do list was to call The Batman. Seriously. That's his name.

In the meantime... maybe tomorrow will bring the opportunity to finish last weeks challenge piece.

One step forward...

And one step back. I spent about an hour piecing, layering and doing basic quilting on my Project Runway challenge piece. Then I spent almost an hour ripping out about 1.5 minutes of really terrible free motion quilting. Given that I just finished that, I guess I'm done for today. A girl needs her beauty sleep after all ;)

Make It Work time!

Monday already... and while I can clearly SEE my Project Runway piece in my head, I haven't done a single thing to turn it into reality. Work is rather exhausting lately, and any tiny bit of energy left at the end of a day seems to go into sitting on my bum holding George. Tomorrow is the day. It must be, or I'll fail at my own challenge, eh?!

For now... some sales analysis awaits me. Lucky me :)

More challenging thoughts...

First, I have to say: the winning garment from last night was lovely, but it didn't seem very fashion-forward to me. Stars have been wearing that flowing Grecian style on the red carpet for many months now. Although I definitely would have made the plaids match on the structured top, I thought it was generally more interesting.

I'm still thinking about how I might approach this challenge. I have an orphan feathered star block that would definitely speak to my traditional side; maybe I'll do something funky with it. I think one of my strengths, actually, is working with color. I love searching out just the right fabrics and combining them in interesting ways. Maybe I can incorporate that idea idea somehow. Hmmmm......

Unfortunately, I have to work during the day Saturday, so Friday night is pretty much my opportunity to tackle this challenge. Wish me luck!

Oh, slightly unrelated note -- Marianne posted this (sort of) self-portrait today on the quilting.about.com forum. This might be one way to show YOUR point of view...