CHALLENGE 3: WHAT WOULD OBAMA DO?

For this challenge the designers were asked to design something for our fashionable first lady. The models strutted the stairway at the Missoula Art Museum:

Number one and two. Gretchen took home the prize with her presidential highwaisted skirt with a flair of embellishment. And Ingrid got a close number 2 for a beautifully draped one piece dress. All sleeveless of course.

Runners up: Allison and Meghan with bright colors and fashion forward looks for the first lady.

HOME DEC HEAVEN

The Power of Pattern (Home Dec 101)

This workshop is an introduction to decorating interiors. Designer Renee Brown is here to help, and provide a little inspiration for your interior. She will show you how to successfully incorporate color, pattern and texture to make your room pop for spring.

Stephanie scored this amazing pile of design inspiration on Sunday. Jealous yet?

Renee Brown of Doublehappiness Designs is here every other Sunday to dish out free design advice.

The free workshop runs the first and third Sundays of every month. Do to the SCREAMING DEAL, you do have to call or stop in to sign up. The workshop (ie heaven) lasts from 1-2pm on Sunday and you can hire Renee for a home consultation if that just isn't quite enough time.

Oh yeah, and did we mention that you get 20% off home decor special orders for a month. We are practically paying you to come to the workshop!

FINALE!!

I wanted to give everyone a heads up on the final challenge so you can start thinking about it. There will one or two eliminations in the mean time, but it is a little more involved and I think it would help to start thinking about it now.

FINAL CHALLENGE
For the finale you will be making a line of clothing. Your line will need to consist of 2-4 garments and/or accessories (total). The pieces in a line of clothing should have a similar inspiration and should have a cohesive presence (think of it this way: often, if someone likes a particular line of clothing, they purchase multiple pieces and they should coordinate somewhat).
Another aspect of the challenge will be to create an identity for yourself. Give your "company" and line a name-design a tag or business card that represents this.
Your budget and other details will be announced next week, but start thinking about what you want to do.
TIPS: Time is always an issue in Project Selvedge, as in the real world. Build your line accordingly. Some pieces should be simple basics and some should be some more complicated and "stand out" pieces.
Also, wear ability is an issue with a line of clothing as opposed to runway fashion.
I recommend choosing more than one model for the fashion show-it gets crazy and goes fast and having multiple models will make everyone's life easier.

Let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks for all your work and inpiration. The fans of Project Selvedge (even the ones not directly related to contestants:) LOVE the event and the amazing things you guys come up with. I hear compliments on your work daily-so thanks for making it a success.

4 contestants left

literary character inspired designs

FANTASTIC FASHION SHOW AND JUDGING

friday, march 27 @ selvedge

fantasy meets runway.

CHALLENGE FOUR:

Your challenge for this week is to get your inspiration from a literary character or passage from a book. Choose from the list below or pick one of your own.

This is a FASHION DESIGN competition so don’t make me a snow white costume. Your garment needs to be high fashion with a flare of inspiration from your favorite character. Bring a book or passage to the show and be prepared to tell us why you made the choices you did.

Garth from Shakespeare and Co will be here next week to help us judge your garment.

You can use anything you want for supplies and we encourage the use of non-traditional materials, you’ll have $30 at Selvedge to spend in addition to whatever else you decide to use.
Good luck!

Some ideas:
Dorothy Gale (The Wizard of Oz)
Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby)
Pussy Galore (Goldfinger)
Blanche Dubois (A Streetcar Named Desire)
Alice (and Wonderland)
Ophelia (Hamlet)
Hermione (Harry Potter)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Lord of the Rings

Fashion Show

Project
Selvedge

Fashion
Show

Bill

bill

Rachel Japan

Ingrid Egypt

Megan Native American

Gretchen India


Chanel Africa

Alison Russia

the winner

the hair

the judges, and one frenchie

PROJECT SELVEDGE CHALLENGE THREE

We are excited about our new president, but even more excited about our new fashionable first lady. For the next challenge imagine that Michelle Obama is coming to Missoula, she likes to support local designers and is choosing between the 5 of you for her outfit.

It isn’t easy being a fashionista. Recently in the news there has been some controversy regarding Michelle Obama and her fashion choices. Some say her lack of sleeves is the "wrong style at the wrong time." Others say applaud her "complete confidence."

You will be expected to weigh in on the controversy with your garment.

Your supplies are: 4 yards total from set fabrics and $20 for other fabric and supplies at Selvedge.

Make it fabulous as you will be strutting the runway at the Missoula Art Museum next week.

SHOW: THURSDAY, MARCH 19 @ THE MISSOULA ART MUSEUM

Good luck!

EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN IN! WE WILL POST YOUR CREATIONS THE BLOG!

OUR GENEROUS & FASHIONABLE SPONSORS: Selvedge Studio, Betty's Divine, Le Petit Outre, Jeanette Rankin Peace Center, The Missoula Art Museum, & Shakespeare and Co! Support your local fashion friendly businesses!

Meet the Project Selvedge Contestants

Here are our Fabulous Project Selvedge Contestants!

Rachel
Meagan
Kathryn
Ingrid
Gretchen
Chanel
Alison

And the winner is.................
Rachel for her fabulous crochet bikini

Project Selvedge
Fashion Show Dates

March 6-13 at Selvedge 6pm
March 19 at MAM 6pm
March 27 at Selvedge 6pm
Finale April 6 TBA

ANY ONE ELSE READY FOR THE BIRTH OF SPRING?

Anya and her cute sundress are!

NEWS FLASH!

A quick Project Selvedge update (read more about our fashion design competition below-under the felt valentine how-to).

We are teaming up with the Missoula Art Museum's hipster art event Artini for the third challenge, so one of the fashion show dates has changed. (From Friday, March 20 to Thursday, March 19).

More importantly: Betty's Divine has added their amazing prize to the list of fabulous things that the overall winner will bring home. Ready? A $125 gift certificate to Betty's Divine (yesss!), but that's not all-they are also throwing in a Brazilian wax and an oil change (both by professionals, don't worry). I kid you not. I mean-who doesn't need that?!

All that and $500 in fabric-why wouldn't you apply?

DIY: FELT VALENTINES

1: CUT YOUR PATTERN FROM PAPER (OPTIONAL)

2: TRACE PATTERN TO FELT & CUT IT OUT

3: CUT OUT DECORATIVE PIECES & POSITION THEM ON YOUR VALENTINE

4: STITCH (OR GLUE) YOUR DECORATIVE PIECES TO YOUR VALENTINE

TA DA!

amy butler's newest apron pattern-fancy enough to be a dress!

PROJECT SELVEDGE

project selvedge is an amateur fashion design competition
(which means no excuses about "i'm not good enough" and all that!).
here's how it works:
1. go to the website and check out the application:
selvedgestudio.com
2. fill out the application and bring it to us by february 23 (along with $25-which by the way is all it will cost you. we provide all the supplies)
3. we'll let you know if you made it by february 27.
4. then the fun begins: each week we present the designers with a new challenge & supplies. you will have a week to sew your design.
5. there is a fab fashion show on friday evenings in march-your designs will be critiqued by a panel of judges who will pick a winner and a loser.
6. the loser of each challenge will have to hand in their project selvedge badge. if you are lucky & talented enough to make it, there is a finale fashion show in april.
7. now the good part: the prize. the winner of the finale will receive $500 in fabric from Selvedge. Betty's Divine is throwing in a $125 gift certificate, but that's not all! As if that wasn't enough, they will hook you up with an oil change and a Brazilian wax-I kid you not (and both done by professionals :).
got it? let us know if anything is unclear or if you have any questions! (we're really good at encouragement too if you need a little extra push)

L & M 541.7171
leah@selvedgestudio.com

PROJECT SELVEDGE

It's Project Selvedge time again! This is our yearly fashion design competition.

We urge YOU to apply (see the application on our website selvedgestudio.com)

I promise, the challenges are designed for beginners.

You'll thank us later.

We'll keep you updated with all the projects, challenges, and drama, but it's best if you come watch yourself. Every Friday in March from 6-8pm & the Finale is the First Friday in April!

Selvedge Sale

classes, classes, classes

You'll have to go our website for the full effect, but here's a taste of what's coming up for winter '10:



Some standards:

Kids Can SewBag: (1/24 3-6pm $35)
Simple Skirt (1/11 or 1/20 6-9pm $35)

Knit Skirt (1/28 6-9pm $35)



And some newbies:
Pencil Skirt (1/05 and 1/06 4-7pm $55). Flattering and versatile, with boots or heels. This classic silhouette attracts attention, in all the right ways, but be careful with your new powers girls!


Home Dec:
Power of Pattern (1/10 10am-noon)
Staple Gun Project (1/17 10am-noon)
Fabulous Designer Renee Brown will lead you through the details of design and get you moving in the right direction with these practical and fun workshops.

New One Hour Workshops like: New Mama (1/22, 5-6pm $12)

Don't for get Sew Lounge! (Open sewing for all skill levels)
First and Third Thursdays from 5-9 pm



And you would be a fool to miss our FREE workshops: Saturdays 11-1 pm
January
9th:: Felt Coasters
16th:: Tea Towels
23rd:: Café Apron
30th:: Evening Hair Clips



Don't forget you have to call or stop in to sign up and classes are small so get in here!

WINTER NESTING

BAD GIFT SOLUTIONS:

Not that we're implying these gifts were not...thoughtful...just that they are not exactly you. And (as long as you don't offend anyone) we have some suggestions for "improving" these bummer gifts into something that actually applies to your life.

1. Ugly sweater from Grannie Joan...solution: mittens, scarves and leg warmers (you could get a set of each out of one sweater!)

2. XL T-shirt from Aunt Millie's cruise to the Bahamas...solution: cut it into gores and make a skirt, cami, or just take in the sides and sleeves for a more fashionable (and ironic) look.

3. ANOTHER pair of flannel PJs...solution: pillow (with "decorative" button placket-great for a project with the kids), eye pillow (with lavender-hmmmm)

4. Old fashioned table linens from Great Aunt Mable...solution: piece them into a blanket (or curtain), yoga bag, grocery tote or drawstring make up bag



The moral of this story is that thrifty gals like us spare no scrap and aim for the functional. So don't feel guilty, just think of all the trees you're saving!

Tip: Basically, you're just using your gift like yardage and strategically placing pattern pieces.
We have all the workshops (Saturdays 11-1), classes, patterns, and books to inspire and motivate you to lock yourself in your sewing room for the rest of January.

Saturday Ipod Case Workshop

ipod case!!! make it at the saturday workshop, 11-1. free free free free free free free free free