Project Runway

Dear Mom,

Thursday night I kept an eye on the time, and kicked the Young Man out of the family room (the Young Lady was already in bed) and commandeered the remote control so I could indulge in the long awaited return of Project Runway.

I love everything about Project Runway. The pressure, the clothes, the creativity, the time limits, the challenges, the tears, the challenge of creating a red carpet gown out of office supplies or whatever in 3 hours and 12.762 minutes and having it ready for the runway. Maybe not so much the tears. The nervous breakdowns take me back to board exams and the early days of my dental hygiene education when each of us, in turns, had a breakdown of one sort or another. If we had Tim Gunn mentoring us and talking us down, I can tell you there would have been a lot less crying in the dental materials lab.

On each show, the designers are given an assignment. They sketch, shop for fabric in something like 30 minutes (unless they are given auto parts or something to work with) and put their sewing machine pedals to the metal and get to work. It always seems like there is like 8 hours to work the first day and then like 10 minutes the next morning. This is usually when there are tears and drama and little bits of sniping like the time one designer had a hissy fit because somebody changed the thread in the sewing machine, or when the dress won't fit on the model like happened last night. And since it is a competition, the designers are only friendly with each other for about 3 1/2 days before they start watching their backs and sort of spying on what the designer across the room is doing instead of paying attention to their own work. But I don't watch it for that stuff.

I really like seeing what different designers, given the same challenges, resources and time limits, create. I like to watch those creations walk down the runway- some of them truly inspired and creative and some of them dreadful. I pick my best and worst and listen carefully to the panel of judges (I even like the judges, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia) and then hang on in suspense wondering to whom Heidi will bid "auf wiedersehen". I worry a little about the feelings of the person who is "aufed", but sometimes I am glad to see them go. Last night was a glad night. When Miss Designer said she didn't sketch and did head stands until it was time to go shopping, I had the feeling she wouldn't last. She didn't.

So now to wait until next week for my next episode of slightly guilty viewing pleasure and an excuse to stay up late and knit on a school night.

Like I wouldn't anyway.

Love,

Kim