Barbie/Project Runway #7

About 1 minute into the Episode #7, I knew I was going to have a challenge....and a lot of sewing.

The remaining 10 designers were put into two teams to create 5 "looks" PLUS design their own fabrics playing a major role in the outfits, PLUS make a video for the background of the runway show. Seeing as I am a team of one, I can fudge on the rules just a little bit, right? So, I decided to make five looks, make my own fabric, and forgo the video part - more on that later.

To make the fabric, the designers had a computer for designing, and then that design was sent away to be printed. Me? I used my home computer, then printed out the fabric myself, also at home. I knew I wanted some kind of polka dots for my design, so I went to the WEBDINGS font, chose the #8 key, and selected size 40 pt.

Then, I selected three different cotton fabrics: white, teal and yellow. I cut freezer paper to 8 1/2 by 11 inches (the size of paper that fits in my printer), cut the fabric slightly smaller than this and then ironed it to the freezer paper. Into the printer it went!

To the left, you can see the computer screen with the dotted pattern which actually reminds me of those reinforcement circles you put over the holes on notebook paper to prevent ripping. To the right, you can see the printed fabrics.

After hearing that teal was supposed to be one of the "must have" colors this season, I knew that my collection needed to include this color. Yellow was chosen as I wanted to include an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini for Barbie, and thought that teal and yellow make for a pleasing combination. To this I would add white and black.

Here's Barbie in Outfit #1: a bikini with a couple of beachy props, thanks to a loan from my friend, Marti.

Outfit #2 is an ensemble in black, white and yellow. Note the teal shoes. Barbie can wear this happy little outfit when she goes out for ice cream with her sister. She'll bring the dish for sherbet and the root beer float glass. Cheers!

Outfit #3 is a classic shirt dress. Just slip one of these on and Barbie can go anywhere in style. With that fair skin, she'd better take her sun hat along. Do you get a vibe that Barbie is channeling Anne of Green Gables in this dress?

Black beads are used for the buttons on Barbie's dress. Hidden snaps secure the dress so that Barbie is demure, of course, with no surprise reveals.

Speaking of revealing, this next dress, Outfit #4 shows a bit of skin. The darts in the bodice make for a bit of "pointy-ness" ala Marilyn Monroe.

I added a little flower to the sundress strap. It was looped elastic.

Finally, in Outfit #5, I made a gown with a ruffled va-va-va-voom scarf, again with Marilyn in mind. It was fun to posture Barbie in a pose similar to the one in the background picture.

Now, about those backgrounds in the photos. This is my rendition of the videos the designers were supposed to create. I used books which related to the outfit themes. I placed the open book into a decorative plate holder, then stood Barbie up in the foreground. Just in case you were wanting an outfit recap, here you can see the individual pieces of the entire collection:

And now for a word with the Project Runway people:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE

Take a break from the team projects - they're doing me in!!!!

Thank you.