The Sheet That Wasn't...

So Project Runway's week 3 challenge is the white sheet challenge.

I LOVE this challenge (in theory):  I mean it is right up my ally, upcycling, total creative freedom, not something girly that is hard to adapt for a boy... this should be a breeze, RIGHT?!?!?  But here's the thing - it is a white sheet.  The opportunities are endless, how to pick what to do???

Well for Operation: Project $0, I said I was making suits (WHAT WAS I THINKING????)  But I figured, this was as good a time as any to at least do a sports coat if not a full suit.  I of course didn't want it to be WHITE.  So then came my foray into dying... ummm, poly cotton doesn't dye well, according to my sister- Rit sucks, and I have three children and very little time for experimentation.  After a long complicated process I finally got it to work!!! (don't worry I'll post a separate tut on the magic of forcing a poly cotton blend to take dye!)

Luckily I had a white sheet in my stash - my sister got cheap white sheets for my bridal shower to do the 'create your own gown for the bride' game.  Most people use toilet paper, or trash bags, but my sister is AWESOME and she got sheets ;o)

I've never made a sports coat - I was going to buy Melly's blank slate pattern (go buy it!), but then my friend gave me a little suit that fit A and B to a T.  So I, in my infinite(ly stupid) wisdom, decided to pattern the coat -by some miracle it fit beautifully, but I had no instructions... instructions are good, instructions are helpful, instructions can save you from ripping out seams umpteen million times.

But let's step away form my idiot-ness and simply enjoy the adorable end result.  It isn't perfect, I can see all the flaws (the uneven dye, the piping -gahhhhh don't get me started on the PIPING), but then I look at that happy boy - who hates modeling for me - and I'm satisfied!

 JUMP!  (see, see - I told you my kids wear shoes!)

 (this button was in my stash button jar)

 Look B, I can put things in my pockets!!!

 'My turn mama - I'll take some pictures!' ummmmm... I think this photo session is over ;op

Here are some 'making of' pics:

Making a white sheet -not white...

  

 These are the secret to dyeing Poly-cotton blend, you need BOTH to get the rich color

 detail of the center back of the coat - not every line matched perfectly, but most of them did!

 Pieces for the lining

 Lining of the coat - I really love the grey&orange combo, but was terrified when I was starting out.

 Pocket Details

Hope you enjoyed my white sheet ;o)

*Hopefully by some miracle I will finish Baby girl's skirt today and be able to enter it as well - it was a joint effort with my mom and I really want it to be in the running too!

linked: http://www.sewcando.com/2012/09/craftastic-monday-link-party.html, http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/2012/10/sew-cute-tuesday-100212.html, http://onelittlemomm.blogspot.com/2012/10/wkww-what-kids-wore-wednesday.html?utm_source=bp_recent&utm-medium=gadget&utm_campaign=bp_recent, http://www.thetraintocrazy.com/2012/10/ma.html, http://www.hideousdreadfulstinky.com/2012/10/eat-make-grow-thursday-10.html, http://www.sewcountrychick.com/2012/10/sew-tell-saturday-105-2012.html, http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/10/mop-it-up-mondays-37-cutting-edge.html, http://www.sumossweetstuff.com/2012/10/market-yourself-monday.html, http://www.linesacross.com/2012/10/the-cure-for-common-monday-58-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20LinesAcrossMyFace%20(lines%20across%20my%20face), http://www.alderberryhill.com/make-the-scene-monday-43/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20AlderberryHill%20(Alderberry%20Hill), http://sarahdawndesigns.blogspot.com/2012/10/pintastic-monday-12.html#.UHMePE3R58E, http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/2012/10/made-with-love-link-up.html