Project Runway — What Did We Learn This Week? Episode 13, Season 11

If you don't much feel like partaking in pop culture today, I understand. I feel pretty distracted by what's going on in Boston too. It's harrowing, and I hope it ends soon without any more deaths so the people there can get back to living without fear (if that's even possible now; cowardly sociopaths seem to be all too common these days in America). Come back and read this another day if you need some time to enjoy jokes again.  —Suzanne

Let me just say how sad I am that this season of Project Runway, and thus these recaps, are nearly done. I actually thought this week's episode would be the finale (it was two hours long after all!), so I am happy to have one more occasion on which to hash out who's deserving of the title "America's next big fashion designer" or whatever the false promises are that Heidi makes.

After the field was narrowed to four designers (and, apparently, Layana drowned her sorrows in babymaking!), they were each given $10,000 to create a 12-look Fall collection. It's at that point they all go home to their respective cities to spend four months sketching, sewing, and planning an appropriate gathering with Tim Gunn. (This is also the point when the designers changes their hairstyles, I'm guessing because the show has begin airing and they've now seen themselves on TV. I loved Amanda's new fringe, but Stanley looked like a shorn sheep. Don't even get me started on Daniel's afro...).

I was really hoping that Tim Gunn's trip to see Michelle would be like a Portlandia sketch. (It wouldn't be much of a stretch for Carrie Brownstein to play Michelle, after all, and wouldn't Fred Armison be hysterical as Tim Gunn?). Then Michelle appeared wearing a version of the "fettucine bib" that got her slammed early on in this season, and talked about her inspiration being a woman/wolf/hunter. Woefully, her collection appeared to be quite normal, save a few steampunk details. She did not, it seems, "put a bird on it."

Meanwhile in Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, Tim was truly touched by his time with Patricia at her childhood home. Though he had the unfortunate job of telling Patricia that her work thus far looks "literal" and like “student work” — the worst possible diss in Project Runway terminology! — he seemed to be on the verge of some raw emotion:  “You’ve given me an epiphany about you,” he said. I think I saw a lip quiver. (Seriously, how much would you love to host Tim Gunn? He is the most gracious guest of all time).

Stanley, of course, barely cracks a smile when Tim comes to his West Hollywood home for lunch, while Daniel (the antithesis of Stanley in almost every way) is practically beside himself with excitement. Looking at Daniel's collection, Tim Gunn invokes his monkeyhouse analogy with regards to one coat: when you first go in the monkeyhouse, he says, it stinks to high heaven. But after 40 minutes, you don't even notice the stench. What does that mean? That Daniel's coat is a shitty mess? That's what I got.

Lesson 1: Teamwork!! 

It seemed Michelle actually learned something from the experience of working with others throughout this season of Project Runway, because one of the most successful garments in her three-piece mini-collection was a wolf-print sweater (seriously, how Portlandia is a wolf-print sweater?) that she collaborated on with Joe, the quirky cat sweater guy, who was eliminated many full moons ago! Was she inspired by amazon.com's Mountain Three Wolf Moon Short Sleeve Tee? (If you have never read the reviews for this shirt, please do. It's a short fiction genre unto itself). No matter, I love the ombre effect on Michelle's sweater, and the half-sleeve, and the fact that the wolves are so subtle. Yay for teamwork! 

I thought the other two looks in her preview mini-collection were cohesive, and featured numerous interesting pieces. The judges mostly ragged on her hair and makeup choices, which was a good sign they found little to fault in the clothing. Except for Nina, who hated the compass on this look:

They also had some quibbles with the number of add-ons buckled to this jacket below: a messenger bag and two "saddlebags" (I would have called them panniers!). But it's easier to edit than it is to come up with new ideas, so Michelle is in a good place to win this thing (argue with me in the comments section if you disagree!): 

Lesson 2: Don't blame the body! 

How much time do we spend blaming our own bodies for the fact that ready-to-wear clothes don't fit or flatter our figures? (I know it's the reason many of us started sewing in the first place). But in many cases, it's not our fault: it's the designer, who creates proportions that can either slim or widen us. And sad, staid Stanley should have known better than to blame his model, whose body he claimed was not right for this silhouette:

It's a lovely bodice (which, I should note, he has made before!), but the pleating and the length of the skirt make her look bottom-heavy (and she's a model for goodness' sake, so she clearly is not!). Who then would this possibly look good on? The judges called him out on it: Zak Posen said it should be at least a foot to a foot-and-a-half shorter. 

Before I saw his mini-collection in full, I was actually thinking Stanley might be the ultimate winner, mostly because there were a few interview clips in which he actually smiled:

But the other looks in his collection looked like the sort of expensive, buttoned-up, boring clothing you can always buy at Bergdorf's or Lord & Taylor or whatever:

I would love to know more about Stanley. What has him so repressed that he feels it's his job to cover up all of womankind in turtleneck shirts and calf-length skirts?

Lesson 3: Less is not more. More is more. And it's always better to have more than less.

Last night, Patricia had a lot more than Daniel:

Patricia's mini-collection 

More color. More visual interest. More cray-zay:
 

Daniel's mini-collection

On Daniel: Heidi was underwhelmed; Nina said his collection lacked shape; Zack said he’s seen it all before (not only from Daniel, but from others too). Daniel tried to sell the fact that he used stingray in all three pieces. Zak conceded it's not easy to work with, but that wasn't enough to save Daniel Dali from elimination.

Patricia's criticism was much more colorful, of course: "Tina Turner Smurf.” Dr. Seuss. Nina was unimpressed, but Heidi (a producer of the show as one commenter pointed out) said she would rather see Patricia's runway show than "one of the snooze boys,” referring, of course, to Daniel and Stanley. Zing! 

So who are you rooting for after last night's preview of their final collections? Is Stanley smiling for a reason? Do you think Patricia will ever learn that a single "out there" element is enough for one outfit? 

Project Runway — What Did We Learn This Week? Episode 12, Season 11

This week's episode of Project Runway raised some big questions for me: Does free will exist? Is everything predetermined?  WOULD HEIDI REALLY LIKE TO WEAR A PILE OF GARBAGE?

Episode 12 "Europe Here We Come" featured the same five designers from last week, because the judges/producers can just change the rules whenever they feel like it. Michelle, who teetered on the brink of elimination in Episode 11, got to stick around, though her punishment for producing a disappointing white T-shirt and '90s pants combo was to stay in sad, rainy New York City while the others jetted off on (very) brief trips to the style capitals of the world: Patricia went to Paris (along with Kate, her seamstress, who clung to her the whole time squealing "Can you believe we're here!"); Daniel went to Berlin with Amanda; Layana and Samantha spent a day exploring Barcelona; and Stanley landed in London with RICHARD (the Project Runway contestant who just wouldn’t die! Can I get a “yeaaayussss!!”).

Their challenge was to create a high-end runway look, with a budget of $1,000 US. The designers have all day in their respective locales to sightsee, sketch and go fabric shopping, before flying back to the workroom for 24 hours of furious sewing. It's an emotional trip for all of the designers (except Stanley, who is a robot), and I can understand why; I get weepy when I'm sleep-deprived too. 

Meanwhile in NYC, Michelle is crazy bitter about her circumstance, though she and Tu seem to have a decent time atop a double-decker in their matching brightly colored fedoras — even when they're nearly decapitated by a red light (I bet Gray Line was not happy about that footage making it onto the show!). 

Lesson 1: Home turf advantage is EVERYTHING.

The idea was to capture the essence of a city, and NYC-bound Michelle — well-rested compared to the others, thanks to the fact she didn't do two red-eyes in a row — spent her $1,000 at Mood, the sprawling, three-floor fabric store she already knows so well. Also, having spent weeks now in New York City, she already had a good sense of what makes this city unique. 

Heidi said the skirt looked like a "dirty horse blankie,” which IS actually very New York.  (I live in NYC and I can attest this place is DIRTY. Last weekend I saw three rats running around on the 1 train platform at the 168th Street stop. One nearly ran onto the car we were in, but the doors closed just in time. My four-year-old watched the whole thing, and then announced loudly: “We are SO lucky! Those rats almost ran on the train!” Some poor tourist's jaw nearly hit the floor, which is also nasty and likely covered in urine and vomit residue).

I think without the quilted breastplate, Michelle’s dress looks like a wool blanket that firefighters would wrap you in before carrying you down the fire escape. But all together this outfit nails it: shiny and new next to old and nasty. How very New York. The judges were very happy they gave her a second chance.

Meanwhile in Berlin, Paris and Barcelona, the designers all struggled to find the right fabrics; apparently the producers didn't do their research because Daniel had to settle for white vinyl over leather (seriously? They took him to a store without leather?) and Patricia couldn't find anyone to speak English (or help her keep a running tally of her fabric). Layana was thrilled with the lace she found, but didn't realize the custom there is to cut it yourself. That would never happen at Mood!

Patricia, of course, created her own fabric. There were a lot of Patricia-defenders commenting last week, and I would love to hear what they have to say about this:

Lesson 2: There is no spoon.

That the outcome of Project Runway is predetermined is now without question in my mind. We are in the producers' matrix; how else to explain why Patricia has never been eliminated, and is in fact heading to Fashion Week, even after this disaster? The model looks like she's peeking out of a pile of white garbage bags stuffed with all the trash found at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. 

Heidi liked it, but the thought of sending Patricia to Fashion Week sent Nina on the most interesting diatribe: “Fashion is not art. Stores are not museums. You go to stores to BUY clothes. You don’t go to stores to just look at clothes!!”

But to Fashion Week she goes, nonetheless, and I am fascinated to see what she produces. 

Lesson 3: There's always All-Stars.

Scroll back up and look at Patricia's shirt. Then look at Layana's jacket, which got her sent home this week:

I don't love it, and those shirt sleeves look like jellyfish dangling where her hands should be, but seriously? This is somehow worse than Patricia's shirt, which makes her model look like she has elephantitis of the upper arm? 

Somebody remind Layana that the prizes are actually better in All-Stars!

I know, I know. None of my lessons this week have anything to do with sewing, etc. So here are a few thoughts: I do not think anyone should paint on $100/yard cashmere, like Michelle did. I do not think anyone should layer fabrics to the point where your shirt looks like an overstuffed garbage bag, like Patricia's.

And I do not think you should attempt making pleather thigh-high boots unless you're making a "Pretty Woman" costume (though somehow it totally worked for Daniel's Berlin-inspired outfit):

Nor do I  think you should use $100/yard sequined fabric to underline a skirt; that is wasteful to a degree I just can't condone!

(Did Richard actually help sew any of Stanley's garments? I can't recall a single scene depicting their working relationship....maybe I'll have to rewatch it tonight.) 

So what did YOU think? I can't wait for next week, when apparently Daniel grows an afro!!

Finished! Peg Bundy-style Leopardish Print Pants

I'm in a bit of a snit right now, mad at myself for not trusting my instinct to make a contoured waistband. Because I went ahead and followed Kenneth King's instructions for drafting and sewing a straight waistband (using steam and heat to create a curve), but it does not look good.

Now I am going to have to unpick the waistband for a second time (the first time I applied it, it looked terrible, so I redid it once already), which I'm really worried will end up distorting the top of the pants. These are the things that keep me up at night.

I took photos this morning because I am going to wear them tonight anyway. I'm going out for dinner with some friends to celebrate my birthday (which was April Fool's Day, no joke), and that nearly never happens, so I want to dress cool. (Peg Bundy was cool, right?):

I loved them paired with my burnished gold oxfords, to play up the menswear-inspired tuxedo pant details (which are kind of hard to see, but I know they're there and I love them). And in reality, the waistband doesn't matter all that much. I don't wear cropped shirts. No one will see it. Here's a reluctant back view:

Here's the leather trimmed pocket detail:

I know you care to know more about the waistband debacle, so here's a pic of the straight waistband, after I curved it using heat and steam (from my iron, obvs. I'm not a dragon):

Pretty curved, right? I think for many women, this would totally work fine. But I have a round butt, and the waistband sits pretty low on these pants, so I definitely need a more curved waistband. In the spirit of full disclosure (because this is a teachable moment), here's my back view so you can see the problem. It gapes a little all along the length of the back waistband, and does a weird little pucker thing right at centerback. That could be due to distortion caused by picking it out once already. I'll probably have to take a little extra out at center back now. Sigh:

But, like I said, I am wearing them tonight anyway. And I will fix them eventually. I just may need a stiff drink to do it without falling into a funk. Also, I think I may turn to David Coffin's trouser book for advice on how to face a curved waistband, and use petersham to give it more stability. I would like to wear these with my head help high eventually. For now, the botched waistband can be our little secret:

Project Runway — What Did We Learn This Week? Season 11, Episode 11

With just one episode left until the Fashion Week show, the end is nigh for Project Runway Season 11. That means these are the days in which even the most talented designers can be eliminated. (Or can they? We won't find out until next week! Ack!).

This week's challenge finally gave the designers the freedom to create their own work, free from meddling teammates with poor taste and even worse sewing skills. (Well, not for Patricia, but we will get to her later.)

The remaining five contestants were tasked with creating an "editorial" look for Marie Claire magazine, to be worn in a fashion spread starring actress Jordana Brewster — someone I have never heard of (nor did I know there are now SIX movies in the "Fast and the Furious" franchise. Barf!)  Judge Nina Garcia, who of course is fashion director at Marie Claire, gave them their marching orders, instructing the designers very specifically: no red carpet looks, no gowns, and no T-shirts and pants. To be considered "editorial," a look has to be bold in color, in shape/ silhouette, and be forward-thinking, she added. Did I mention they were told not to create a T-shirt and pants? Sigh. Oh, Michelle. 

Anyone who's seen more than one season of Project Runway knows the eliminated designers are going to come back at some point and play assistant to the remaining contestants. And it was clear from the outset that the drama in this week's episode would come at Patricia's expense; because no one wanted to be paired with Richard, she found herself stuck with him thanks to the dreaded "button bag." Awkward! 

But there was one other pairing that was surprisingly combative, and that brings me to...

Lesson 1: It pays to be an asshole.

Stanley had his pick of the lot, and he chose Tu, saying he was the best sewer in the bunch. But I think he chose Tu because he saw how effectively Kate bossed him around when they were paired up for the prom challenge.

Poor Tu. He was pretty unhappy working in Stanley’s sweatshop. But he took all the abuse, and kept sewing his heart out without complaint. In the end, Stanley won this challenge, and the judges even lauded his management skills (much to the amusement of the other designers, which was apparent from their raised eyebrows). I learned a lot about Stanley in this episode, chiefly about things he does not like (these are all direct quotes):

• Losing
• Mistakes
• Things that are no good
• Saying “please” and “thank you” 
• Picking out stitches — especially out of leather

Though I hated the way he treated Tu (and also the word "culottes," which sounds too much like "clots"), I really liked Stanley's winning look:

I certainly wouldn't work for the guy, but I would buy his clothes. Even Daniel said he would wear these culottes.

Lesson 2: You don't have to know how to sew to be on Project Runway! 

The deadline to apply for Season 12 is April 8. Think you don't have what it takes, or that your skills aren't at par with triple-threats like Stanley and Michelle? Neither did Richard, and he somehow made it onto the show! (And he made it pretty damn close to the end too.)

In fact, I could namecheck at least two dozen of my readers whose skills far surpass that of Richard, who reluctantly returned to the workroom in this week's episode. To add insult to injury, he had to work with Patricia — his partner in the avant garde challenge for which he was eliminated. Though he was supposed to be her seamstress, Richard apparently doesn't know how to sew wovens, and Patricia had to teach him how to sew a French seam!  (Let's not forget he also was unaware that a men's shirt needs a collar stand, and didn't know how to insert an invisible zipper).

“I feel like I’m taking a class! You’re educating me so much,” said Richard to Patricia, whose eyes were so wide with disbelief at that point I thought they were going to pop out and roll across the workroom floor into a pile of shredded leather fringe. 

Richard, to his credit, just stood there and took it with grace as Patricia told Tim she had to change her look thanks to the fact he wasn't up to the task of sewing it. But still, we can't blame Richard for this tent-shaped, one-shoulder wonder, the saving grace of which appeared to be the fact that it had some visual interest (and wasn't a white T-shirt. Why, Michelle? WHY?):

(FYI: You can apply here for Season 12 of Project Runway).

Lesson 3: Zoom in. Closer. Closer still......Now: does your garment still look good on the page? If not, then it's not editorial. 

In the case of Michelle's white T-shirt, the answer was obviously a resounding no — and the result was perhaps the biggest upset in Project Runway history. (Or was it? We won't know until next week what her last chance will be. I can't stand the suspense! Also: I love Michelle).

Michelle's surprising failure to produce something that would send her on to the next challenge is actually instructive for those of us sewing bloggers who care about building an audience. Everyone loved her white T-shirt, and would want to buy it. But white T-shirts do not sell magazines, and they probably don't earn you page views either. Those of us who have attempted it know that sewing a really great T-shirt is not as easy as one might think. And Michelle's was superlative (though I think paired with those baggy green pants the outfit looked like something a mid-'90s raver would have worn paired with a soother on a chain):

Meanwhile Daniel's banana yellow shorts-suit set met the criteria of being interesting to photograph, though everyone agreed he should have paired his winged vest with a long flowy skirt. I think Daniel's thought process goes something like this: "Of course I'll do a jacket...with crazy shoulders...but how to make it young? I know! Short shorts!!"

Miss Chiquita 2050

Layana likewise nailed this challenge, with her armor-like pieced leather bodice inspired by the exterior of the Heart building. I don't love it, but you have to imagine it would jump off the page:

I got up early this morning to watch this episode online (because I don't actually have cable). And when Lucy woke, she joined me for the runway. At some point during the runway show I said, "I wonder who’s gonna win."  Lucy replied: "I wonder who’s going to cry." And then she totally predicted Michelle's elimination/Patricia's tears. So maybe she should be writing this thing? Either way, tell me what you thought! Any predictions as to Michelle's fate?

Straight or curved, how do you like it?

If your husband hates a print, that's a GOOD sign, right? I'm hoping I'm not the only one who loves this abstract brush-stroke stretch cotton I got for just $9.99/yard from Harts Fabrics.

Slant pocket trimmed with leather!!

Ryan smiles thinly, evading direct eye contact every time I display my progress on this pair of pants, which read as animal print (leopard? giraffe?) from afar. I love the print. And though at first it seemed this fabric was a little lightweight for pants (I'm not a girl anymore; I need structure!), it worked perfectly with the pattern I drafted using Kenneth King's Craftsy Jeanius class, which leads you step-by-step through the process of reverse-engineering your fave pairs of jeans (or pants, as my case may be).

Because one feature my pattern includes is narrow overlapped panels at the side seam and inseam, which seem to give this pant just a little more structure where I need it. It's hard to see in the print, but I think this seaming detail is just the kind of visual trickery this pear-shaped gal needs to feel comfortable in a fitted pant:

The only thing left to do is the waistband, which I haven't yet drafted. Though I suspect it won't fit right unless I make it curved, Kenneth King recommends drafting a straight waistband — and then shaping it by ironing so it fits your curves. But, as my patternmaking teacher once noted: I am very curved. Here's a preview, sans waistband, but with my T-shirt pulled down to hide my underpants:

 I'm going to put my trust in Kenneth; his class is super awesome, and following his super clear instructions and demonstrations, I was able to draft a perfectly fitting pair of pants with only two tweaks to my muslin (I straightened the side seam, which curved toward the front, and I took in 3/8-inch at center back). Luckily I have enough fabric to draft a second waistband if the straight one fails to fit my curvaceous lower back (that's where straight waistbands have failed me in the past).

Want to see some welt pockets? I used this tutorial on sewing single welts:

My husband may hate the print, but he was impressed by my welt pockets. Or at least the man knows enough to feign enthusiasm for the little details that leave me cursing.

Anyone out there an expert on waistbands and care to weigh in on the straight-versus-curved debate? Make me a believer!