I loved my self-care sewing series. I loved the chance to grow my sewing skills, and build my dream wardrobe. But if it was to continue, it couldn't be done under the $50 limit that was the series' namesake, and I couldn't carry on alone.

Enter: Suzanne, my friend and sewing mentor, and a wildly talented seamstress and photographer.

"Runway Deconstructed" is our brainchild. We'll bring you weekly trend reports, as interpreted through the use of a different set of patterns each month.

Our goal is to show you the limits of your favorite patterns, and show you how to use them to recreate your favorite looks with just a dash of imagination! Each week we'll talk about the trend we chose, the outfit we designed, and how we adapted the patterns to make them. Fun, right??

Without further ado, here are our pattern selections for March!

Runway Deconstructed: March by duval0904

I loooooooove these patterns! But I'm sure you're thinking "Thas'a'lotta knit!" And right you are! That's because knit patterns offer an unparalleled flexible fit, ideal for customizations. And customize, we shall!

As for our first week's theme??

Spring Color Trends

What better foundation for our trend reporting series, than to discuss this season's colors! The experts at Pantone released this list, and we're more than a little obsessed. Here are the colors that are dominating the department stores (and our fashion features) for the coming months:

Spring/Summer 2014 Pantone Colors, as interpreted by the sewists of Pattern Revolution (@pdfrevolution)

I chose to represent Violet Tulip in my dress this week. This Girl Charlee knit was perfect for the project!

Violet Tulip, in Girl Charlee Knit & Modified Sew Caroline Out & About Dress. Jewelry styled by Krystle Clark, Rep of esbe Designs.

I actually had a few sources of inspiration for this dress. The first was a super fun maxi I saw at Marshall's, which was essentially this exact shape. The others were courtesy of pinterest, and the available fabric in my much-loved knit stash. Check out the two-toned maxi, and thigh-high slits. Do I dare to bare??

Week1 by duval0904

This is my second Out & About dress, and my third Out & About adaptation. This time, I fully lined the bodice for a sleeveless version.

I picked the maxi length skirt option, with the addition of slits. To determine the height of the slits, I marked each skirt side seam with the "mini" length on my favorite pencil skirt pattern, and stitched from there! The high drama look I was going for this week was a success. I'll keep you posted as to whether or not I close them up, though. It's a little more risque than my usual style. And while I love the concept, I don't know that you'll see me chasing kids in it. (Plus, it'd mean I have to shave my legs. Boo!)

I thought maybe my knit skirt would be too heavy for the bodice to hold up on its own. I added a yoga band from the Jocole leggings to help battle gravity. In hindsight, it's probably structurally unnecessary... but I actually really love the look of the built-in belt!

Here's Suzanne with her Pantone interpretation, featuring the color of the year: Radiant Orchid

Radiant Orchid, in Girl Charlee Knit & Color-Blocked Sew Caroline Out & About Dress

I have been digging the new color trends for Spring and Summer, but I'm going to make a little confession. My closet contains primarily two colors Black and White... there is a dash of red, and occasionally a pop of blue. Until February and our month of Self Care Sewing I generally stayed away from color and prints. BUT NO MORE!!!

So let's talk for a second about color. If you are just jumping into the color bandwagon, you might want to consider a print that contains the color rather than a huge bold statement of SOLID color. When I pick fabrics and prints, I think a lot about the fact that I am a curvy girl. I don't want to walk around looking like a giant pumpkin (believe me, I made that mistake in highshool with this huge orange sweater - oh the horrors!), or in the case of Radiant Orchid - like a ginormous flower.

I fell in love with This Print from Girl Charlee, it contained radiant orchid along with other trending colors and of course had a touch of my favorite, black. I chose to pair it with another on trend color: Paloma Grey to tone down the busy-ness of the print, and yet to keep it light and springy.

Week 1 - Suzanne's Inspiration by duval0904 on Polyvore

I was inspired by the variety of color blocking I have seen on the runway, and while I would love (in my brain) to one day try a mini, the world isn't ready to see these thighs! By doing a banded skirt, you can allude to a shorter hem line while still keeping those legs safely covered for modesty and child chasing.... and yes, I did shave for these pictures, take that Becca!

I'm really happy with this on trend look! Here's another helpful hint if you want to confidently wear this style with a curvy figure. Layer your dress with a structured jacket. You can go with a blazer for the office, or something like my jean jacket for a more casual look. Once the weather turns even warmer, consider a light linen jacket or a vest. The crisp lines of the structured piece will help define your curves and conceal any lumps and bumps you may want to hide.

Feeling inspired?? Sew along with us! How have you worn the Out & About Dress? The Jocole leggings? or the (FREE!!) Plantain? What have you sewn in this season's trending colors? Link your creations below, then vote for up to 10 of your favorite entries. Top 3 entries get a special call-out in our last post of the month!

Then tune in next Friday for an all new trend report :) What trend(s) do you want to see us style? Comment below!

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