I’m having a great time, really. Some of you have asked me why I accepted to participate in this contest when it leaves me little time to spend with my family and do my work and I will tell you that I do not regret it at all. It has been both an intimidating and unique experience at the same time. Also, the contest has allowed me to meet some extraordinary women. This week we propose to play “Truth or Dare:” it is about sewing something that you have very handy, something that you control and that you know is going to look good or… get out of your comfort zone and sew something totally new to you. As always the subject is very open and allows for each person’s own interpretation of the proposal. 

In general in my sewing I like to use simple and clean patterns that are easy to sew, use, wash and iron; natural fabrics are my favorite. Obviously I would like children to look good but I do not like “superfluous” things. In my long list of creations you will find very little: flounce, glitter, sequin, pink or fabrics or designs that are very “girlish” or “boyish”. I hate stereotypes. For this proposal I wanted to sew something for my oldest child so I sat down with her to do some brainstorming. I said to her: “Honey, what is it that mom would never sew for you?” She very graciously looked at me with a face of pillage and said: “Something pink and bright, with glitter, and things that hang.” Well it is already decided: I have sewn a set with pink, a lot of pink, and bright things and totally superfluous and expendable parts but at the same time I tried to still be “me.”The set includes a tight short that closes with an invisible zipper and a hook and eye fastener on the side, with a scalloped hem. It is a pattern from the Ottobre Design magazine adjusted to the measurements of my daughter and modifying only the shape of the hem. It is sewn with a fabric that I found absolutely indescribable: pink, white and gold, brocade with a bright print and a wrinkled texture, 100% synthetic. It is an upholstery fabric often used in making cushions and similar things for the home.

For the blouse I have started with a blouse pattern to which I have drawn the princess seam and I have sewn this seam and the Peter Pan collar with a fringe in the form of scales to match the short. It is sewn with an ancient pink crepe with a lot of fall. The buttons are very simple and I changed the original cuff by a piece of gold lurex rib. I sewed a cardigan, too. I used a golden lurex knit. It includes a bias facing (I love this neat way to finish garments) and a hook and eye fastener at the center. All the fabrics came from a Local store, Ribes & Casals, in Barcelona.

I admit that I love the whole outfit. In the past, I would have never bought either of the fabrics I used but now I feel very proud of how they look together and I am proud of the risk that I took. They are far from my usual style but I think they are still very much mine. We made the photo session as if it were a fashion magazine, I thought it was a fun idea and she enjoyed a lot using all my golden atrezzo jewelry.

Thanks for reading.Don’t forget to visit PROJECT RUN & PLAY blog to vote for your favorite design.