Babs Needs a Makeover… and Edna Mode Has Entered the Chat

Every sewist has a mannequin they adore. Mine is named Babs – loyal, sturdy, and always ready for pins, fittings, and fabric draped dramatically across her shoulders, but according to her… a fashion victim of eternal calico.

Today, Babs announced (with great dramatic sighing, tell tale signs that she’s been spending far too much time with Edna lately) that she is tired of wearing her toile and requires something more exciting. Something fabulous. Something with “shape, structure, and colour, darling.”

She was tired of her calico toile. She wanted colour. Fashion. Life.
And honestly, I couldn’t blame her.

So I decided to do something different – something fun, creative, and collaborative.
I invited my entire online community to help design Babs’s next outfit… inspired by the unstoppable energy of Edna Mode.

The Community Challenge Begins

Instead of choosing the design myself, I created a 3-part voting system:

✨ Round 1: Necklines
✨ Round 2: Sleeves
✨ Round 3: Skirts

Everyone gets to vote.
I combine the winning choices.
And then I draft and sew the outfit using Helen Rhiannon’s pattern blocks – which I absolutely adore for their flexibility and clarity, and which I will be using for teaching my Beginner Foundations of Sewing as well as my Intermediate/Advance Dressmaking & Pattern Work workshops.

Edna would say,

“Luck favours the prepared, darling.”
And these blocks? They keep you very prepared.

Why This Project Matters

This challenge isn’t just about dressing Babs.
It’s about showing sewists – new and advanced – that:

• You can design garments one element at a time
• Pattern drafting becomes easier once you see the options clearly
• Collaboration sparks creativity
• Even a calico-toile-wearing mannequin deserves a glow-up

And honestly?
This is the most fun I’ve had planning a project in ages.

What Happens Next

Once the community votes on neckline + sleeve + skirt:

• I’ll draft the pattern
• Create a calico toile (sorry Babs, one last time)
• Choose a gorgeous, colour-rich fabric
• Sew the final garment
• Reveal it with a full Edna-approved flourish

And yes – I’ll be blogging each stage, sharing progress photos, and recording videos for YouTube.

Because Babs doesn’t just get a new outfit.
She gets a full fashion moment.

Want to Join the Fun?

Follow along on Facebook → francoiscalitzatelier
Read the blog posts on my website → François Calitz Atelier
Sign up for my mailing list for updates → Join My Mailing List
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (coming soon!)

As Edna would say:
“Go. Create. Inspire.”

And together, that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Round 1 – Choose the Neckline

Choose Babs’s Neckline

Welcome to Round 1 of the Community Couture Challenge!
Babs has been practising her runway walk (with limited success), and she is ready for her first design decision.

Today’s category:
✨ Necklines

Here are your choices:
1. Curved Neckline
Clean, classic, and soft. Perfect for elegant drape and timeless simplicity.

2. Sweatheart Neckline
Romantic curves and feminine contouring. Sweet but sculpted.

3. V-Neckline
A little drama, a little elongation — a very Edna-approved shape.

4. Boatneck Neckline
Wide, graceful, and effortlessly chic. Audrey Hepburn would nod in approval.

Edna Mode reminds you:
“Choose shape, not chaos. The neckline sets the tone for the entire silhouette.”

Cast your vote in the comments, darling — Babs awaits your decision.

Round 2 – Choose The Skirt

Round 2: Choose the Skirt

Thank you to everyone who voted in the neckline round – Babs has not stopped preening.
Today, we move into Round 2: The Skirt.
 
A garment can change completely depending on the skirt silhouette – so this vote is a big one.
Here are your choices:

1. A-Line Skirt

Timeless, flattering, architectural. A favourite among designers.

2. Box-Pleated Skirt

Structured folds and crisp volume. Edna would inspect these pleats with a ruler.

3. Circle Skirt

Elegant, dramatic twirl factor. High potential for glamour.

4. Fitted Skirt

Streamlined, sleek, and structured. Perfect for polished looks.

5. Gathered Skirt

Soft volume and gentle fullness. Romantic and classic.

Cast your vote and help shape Babs’s silhouette.

Round 3 – Choose the Sleeves

We’ve reached the final decision in Babs’s makeover journey:

✨ The Sleeves

Your options:

1. Butterfly Sleeve

Soft, floaty, and ethereal. A whimsical touch for dreamers.

2. Capped Sleeve

Minimal, structured, and clean. Ideal for showcasing the neckline.

3. Flared Sleeve

Light, flowy, and perfect for movement. Great for elegance and flair.

4. Puff Sleeve

Bold, sculptural, and full of personality.
Edna would say:
“Drama on the shoulders? Approved.”

Vote by commenting which sleeve style Babs should model next.
Darling – choose wisely. Sleeves can make or break a silhouette.

Meet the Three Winning Features!

The Votes Are In – And Edna Mode Has Spoken (Loudly)

Darling… what a glorious week of fashion democracy this has been.

After dramatic voting rounds, passionate comments, and a few choice words from Edna Mode herself, the final design for Babs’s new outfit has officially been chosen by YOU – the community with impeccable taste.

Here is the winning silhouette you created:

✨ Sweetheart Neckline

Soft curves, romantic contouring, and just the right amount of attitude.
Edna’s verdict?
“Charming. Structured. A neckline with character – fine, proceed.”

✨ A-Line Skirt

Timeless, universally flattering, beautifully architectural.
Babs twirled (as much as a dressmaker’s mannequin can) when she heard the news.
Edna simply said:
“A-line. Sensible. Elegant. Thank heavens.”

✨ Flared Sleeves

Movement. Flow. Drama without chaos.
When the results came in, Edna actually smiled.
(Just a little. But it counts.)
“Finally – sleeves with personality, not boredom.”

What Happens Next?

Now that the design is chosen, the real magic begins:

1. Drafting the pattern using Helen Rhiannon’s blocks
2. Creating the toile (sorry Babs… one more calico moment)
3. Choosing the perfect fabric
4. Constructing the final garment
5. Grand reveal – Edna-approved and community-celebrated

And yes…
I still have to keep Edna Mode in her box for now.
If I let her out too soon, she’ll take over the blog, the challenge, the atelier, and possibly the postal service. Her time is coming, darling.
Just… not yet.

Thank you for voting, creating, debating, and designing with such flair.
This community truly has STYLE.

Stay tuned – drafting begins shortly!