Project Run and Play: Design Your Own Fabric Challenge

Well, this time everything was at least sewn, photographed, and blogged in the correct week! Alas, I missed the link up this time, but since I've already written this, up it goes anyway! The challenge this week at Project Run and Play was to design your own fabric, something I haven't done much of, really. I brainstormed, I came up with ideas, and then things like the weather got in the way. In spite of the setbacks, I managed to come up with a couple of cute pieces to show off.

Don't mind the mess. The kids are having fun.

Cyrus is really into sharks this year. As in, REALLY into sharks, sort of suddenly. He's always found them cool, but hasn't really been all about them until now. I wanted to do a stamped fabric for him, so off I went to get some fabric, orange paint, and a cool stamp. Screeching halt. Would you believe that in all three of my local craft stores there was not a single shark stamp to be found? Off to the trusty Google search to find alternate stamping methods, where I found potato stamping. Ooh, an answer to that ever pressing question, "What am I supposed to do with a potato?" And so, the unintentionally sparkly, neon orange hammerheads were born onto black interlock.

Somehow, I didn't paint the whole table orange.

I combined that with some of the same fabric in green, and a couple of awesome orange snaps, to make a Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop Boardwalk Hoodie. Last week's shorts are also featured again, apparently to prove he likes them. He did finally ask for more so he doesn't have to wear the same pair all of the time.

The sun was in his face. Also, there was totally a bee. Somewhere in the yard. It might have come within 10 feet.

Can I go in now, mom?

My little princess loves pink. Passionately. She also prefers dresses and skirts, so I chose the Very Shannon Sally Dress and then decided what to do for my fabric design. Originally I really wanted to try sun painting, since the warm weather has finally showed up, but as soon as my paint came it rained for 2 days. Fabulous. Once the sun came back, it brought the wind with it, which didn't really do it for me either, so eventually I gave up and tried a glue resist batik style painting using this tutorial.

I have to say, I'm really pleased with the results. I did the resist on the bodice and pocket pieces, then simply painted the skirt pieces, adding in some purple which gave it a more tie dyed look. Sometimes I have trouble getting her to try on the things I make. This? She insisted on taking off the pretty dress she was already wearing to put this on. I'm going to say this one's a winner.

We were sad, and then we got bubbles. Yay happy princess!

Aren't those pockets just the best?

My verdict on glue resist - the results? Lovely. The method? Well, it took me longer to get the glue back out of the fabric than it did to make the dress, so I think I'll try an actual batiking method if I do this again. The stamping worked somewhat better, but I think I need more practice. Over all, I'm pleased with the outcomes, and equally as important, so are they!