The lookbook for Project Watercolor Beach is out!!!!! Let me tell you: this puppy was a labor of love. I had so much fun designing a collection for this. It was especially thrilling to lean an entire new graphic design program so that I could help Audrey with some of the layouts for the lookbook, including my own and the Tester pages at the very end! Now I think I will produce a web-zine for everything I ever sew. 😆 #kiddingnotkidding
I know you are anxious to oogle photos, so I’ll get right to the good stuff. 😉
This collection features ten *new* patterns designed exclusively for the Project Run and Play shop. With such a wide variety of pieces, you can create an entire summer wardrobe! I sewed nine of the patterns, each designed by a past Project Run and play contestant.
Lets start with the boys, in Cobalt Board shorts and Lemon Tees. Admittedly, I have never sewn board shorts before, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I really liked the fit of these shorts! And I was impressed that they fit both my average 8-year-old and tiny 3-year-old equally well, with few alterations. The Lemon Tee is a well fitted, basic tee, with a cool feature in that the back neckline is bound, like most store-bought tees, which made me feel super legit. 😄 I always keep Raspberry Creek basic stripes on hand, these are the mint colorway. The solid white is LUXE Jersey from The Fabric Snob, my absolute FAVORITE solid Cotton Jersey ever!!! The Grey board short fabric is from Fabric Fairy, and I have to say that I was very impressed with their selection of solid board short colors. I ended up with grey because I didn’t have time to order a swatch to color match, but I ordered a few more colors for later this summer! Because you can’t really have too many swimsuits.
I decided to try out some new fabric painting techniques on some of my pieces, in the spirit of “watercolors”. I totally love the streaky, ombre, batki place this hoodie ended up in! I wanted a more organic, handmade feel to the dip dye look. This is the chromium hoodie, and it’s such a nice fitting basic, I have plans for at least two more! I especially love the cropped option, and all the cute ears you can put on the hood. 😍😍😍
The Golden Dress is designed for woven, but I had this cute crochet lace, so I did it in knit! The lace is from Stylish Fabrics, which has surprising treasures and the cheapest ($4/yard!!) rayon spandex I’ve ever seen on the internet. It worked perfectly, with no alterations.
I used a soft, lightweight jersey for the Ultramarine Cover Up, with a scrap of rayon spandex for the hood. I ordered these giant pom poms from the best trim shop on Etsy, ichimylove, but they were too dark for the project I ordered them for. Thus, they have been sitting in my stash for years, and just happened to match the hood scrap exactly! A match made in heaven.
I was so excited about this cute little graphic that my sister designed, that I hand painted it on canvas to use as a beach bag! It is seriously THE cutest. The bag is self drafted, and lined with a fun yellow cabana stripe, with plenty of interior pockets for sunscreen and goggles.
Here is another example of fabric painting fun! I cut my pattern pieces out of white rayon spandex, got it damp with a squirt bottle, and then just painted splotches. Because I didn’t have as many colors of fabric paint, I used regular craft paint mixed with fabric medium for this one. I love fabric medium! This shirt dried just as soft as it started out, even with all the paint in the fibers. I paired it with capri length Marigold Pants, made from more of my favorite LUXE Jersey. Seriously. If you haven’t tried some yet, what are you waiting for?! It’s that. good.
I think this tee might be my favorite piece of the whole collection! I love the bold graphic, the colors, everything about it just makes me happy. It helps that it’s sewn in, you guessed it, LUXE Jersey! I paired it here with the Bodhi Board Skirt, sewn in butter yellow cotton, for an easy wear summer outfit.
Aren’t these donuts the cutest?! I totally splurged on this Erin Anne print in the Hawthorne Supply Co. shop, and I have no regrets. 😍😍 It’s just as cute in person as it is online! I used it for the Coral Dress, and it has gotten a lot of wear since the photoshoot last weekend. Because you KNOW no one can wear handmade items until after the photoshoot. 😉 The Coral dress is fun because it has several sleeve length options, knee, midi and maxi lengths, and can be sewn as a dress or separates!
Ok, I lied. *These swimsuits* are my favorite pieces in this collection! I knew the minute I laid eyes on this rainbow stripe swim knit from Raspberry Creek that I NEEDED it in my life. Like, immediately. The piecing on the Viridian Swimsuit provided a perfect opportunity to play with the direction of the stripes, and you know I never pass up an opportunity to add a ruffle! I found the donut fabric at Mood Fabrics, and it is some seriously thick and awesome compression swim knit! I’m definitely regretting only ordering a half yard. The pink on the bottom is from Raspberry Creek, my go-to for swim knits!
I hope you enjoyed this collection as much as I enjoyed sewing it! I just love these lookbooks. It is so awesome to collaborate with so many talented designers and bloggers in the virtual sewing community!