by Chloe Taylor
After Sean did a quick private ballot count under the table, Zoey was pleased when he announced that Josie had won. Anyone was better than Ivy, plus Josie’s lookbook had genuinely been awesome.
“So we’ll be meeting here every Wednesday, guys,” Sean said at the end of the meeting, “and doing different activities each week. If you have suggestions, come find me or Zoey to discuss. We’re open to anything!”
Ivy raised her hand. Zoey looked at Sean questioningly, as if to say, Why is she raising her hand?
But Sean just said nicely, “Yes, Ivy?”
Ivy turned to look pointedly at Zoey. “I was wondering if Sew Zoey could use some of her connections to book us a field trip to a fashion show or to meet an editor of a magazine or something. After all, she’s so famous, right?”
Zoey felt her cheeks grow hot. Ivy was really living up to her namesake: She was being poisonous. Zoey wished Ivy had never heard about the fashion club. In the corner, Mrs. Holmes turned her head from her computer and looked at Zoey. Zoey thought she saw Mrs. Holmes give her a wink, but she wasn’t sure. In any case, it gave Zoey a second to collect herself before answering.
“I’d like to do all of that, Ivy,” Zoey said evenly. “But I’m afraid I don’t have enough connections yet to get the whole club into a show. I haven’t even been to a real fashion show yet myself! But I’ll keep it in mind.” She paused, thinking about her huge news about Sonya Turley, and wanted to announce it just to shut Ivy up. But she knew that wasn’t the right thing to do. In fact, it might make Ivy even meaner toward her. Instead, Zoey added, “I am going to try and work some local connections, like fabric stores, to get us some donated material, and I’d like to ask you all to please save magazines for future projects. I usually save my own copies for future inspiration, so it’s really hard on me to cut them up! These were from my aunt. And check your own homes for extra fabric, buttons, notions, and the like.”
“Great point, Zoey,” Sean said. “And everyone—bring your dues! Don’t make Zoey nag you. She’s a busy girl, running her business and all.”
Even though Sean didn’t look at Ivy when he said the last part, Zoey knew it was intended for her, and she was thankful he was on her side.
And so the meeting ended on an upbeat note, though somewhere deep in the pit of her stomach, Zoey worried Ivy would end up ruining the club. Maybe not for everyone, but for Zoey, at least.
CHAPTER 6
All About the Legs!
It’s all about the legs . . . in this outfit (chevron tights!), and in the competitive sport of ice-skating. Right? And do you know why I can’t stop thinking about ice-skating? Because the amazing Sonya Turley has decided to buy the piano-inspired skating costume I designed! NO, REALLY!!! I can’t believe they’re paying me for it, but Sonya insisted. Her personal costumer (doesn’t that sound awesome? To have a personal costumer?) is going to make the outfit, and Sonya’s planning to wear it to nationals in a few weeks. I can hardly believe it. Sonya and I are making a few tweaks to the design now over e-mail, because she’s in California at her training facility working hard to get ready to compete. (I love typing things like “getting ready to compete . . .”)
Anyway, I’ve posted this great fall outfit, which I’m hoping to make ASAP and wear to our next Fashion Fun Club meeting. (Although I still haven’t figured out how to knit a complete sweater, to be honest, so I’ll just start with the shorts.) Anyhoo, the first FFC meeting went really well, although I think a few people in the club weren’t quite sure what they were in for . . . and that includes me! But we’ll know for next time! I have to come up with next week’s activity for the club, so post your ideas in the comments and help me out, pretty please? Sew long!
After school the next day, Zoey decided to reach out to one of her “connections,” as Ivy called them, and picked up her phone to call her favorite fabric store, and the domain of one of her most trusted sewing advisers.
The store’s owner, Jan, answered cheerily, as she always did. “A Stitch in Time, how may I help you?”
“Hi, Jan, it’s Zoey.” Zoey sat down at her kitchen table and started unloading her books. She had tons of homework to get through.
“Zoey! It’s so good to hear from you. But why are you calling me and not here shopping for goodies?”
“Well, I was hoping I could ask you for a favor. I’ve started a fashion club at my middle school with some other kids, and we need fabric for projects. We have some money from dues, but not a lot, so I was wondering if you have anything discounted we could buy, or if you have any sales coming up, or if you could consider—”
Jan immediately cut her off. “Zoey Webber, I can do better than that for one of my favorite customers. I need to clean out my storeroom to make space for new inventory, so I’ll just pack up a few boxes of remnants and send them over to your school. Free of charge. How’s that?”
Zoey couldn’t believe it. She really did have connections! Free fabric for their club! “Oh, Jan, thank you! Thank you a million times. I’m going to make you something verrrrry special in return!”
Jan laughed. “No need. I read your blog last night—I know you’re currently designing something very special for Sonya Turley. Congratulations! I’m a huge fan of figure skating, so I’ll be watching the nationals in a few weeks, and I’ll definitely be cheering for Sonya . . . and your outfit.”
“Thanks, Jan! That means so much. And the club will be so happy to have the fabric. We’ll put it to good use, I promise!”
“I know you will. Keep creating, Zoey. Just talking to you makes me feel younger and peppier. I might go clean out that storeroom right now!”
Zoey laughed, and she and Jan hung up. Zoey got up to make herself some peanut butter crackers and pour a glass of milk. She was going to need the energy. After she got her homework done, she needed to sit down with Sonya’s dress sketch and make some changes the seamstress had asked for. Zoey knew the client was always right, but it was hard to give up control of the design she loved so much. Luckily, the changes were small, but still . . . Zoey wanted her nationals debut to be perfect, and it wasn’t easy leaving the sewing and final design approval up to someone else!
Most Friday nights, Zoey and her friends tried to get together to do something fun. It didn’t always work out, because sometimes Kate had sports practice, and sometimes Libby had ballet, and sometimes Priti had to spend time with her sisters and whichever parent she was staying with that night. But when they did manage to get all four of them together, it was always fun.
Libby had decided they needed a movie night, so the four girls met at their local cinema for one of those movies that parodies everything else that had come out that year.
“Yay!” Libby said as Priti hopped out of her mother’s car and came running up to meet her, Zoey, and Kate. “Everybody made it!”
Priti sighed audibly as she joined the girls. “I’m glad to see you guys. My mom is going to the movies tonight too with some friends, but I convinced her to go to a different theater. Can you imagine?”
The girls all laughed, and Zoey handed Priti a box of her favorite sour candies. The girls had already bought popcorn and candy for the group while they waited. Priti thanked her and opened the box immediately.
“Let’s go in now so we can get seats together,” said Kate, who was wearing a rather adventurous outfit for her. Instead of her usual comfy jeans, she wore a long-sleeve T-shirt dress over a pair of tights with flats. For anyone else, it would just be a cute outfit, but for Kate, it was very girly and fashion-y.
“What’s going on, Kate?” Zoey asked. “I didn’t even know you owned tights!”
Kate blushed. “Of course I own tights, Zoey. Everyone owns tights.”
“You look great,” Libby said quickly. “You didn’t wear that to school today, though. Is something going on?”
Kate’s cheeks grew even redder. “No, I just put this on because I was meeting you guys. Sheesh! I didn’t know I’d be grilled about it.”
; Sensing Kate’s discomfort, Priti interjected. “So, I’ve decided to stick with volunteering at the home for the elderly. How about you guys? Have you decided on where you’ll be doing your twenty hours yet?”
“The food pantry,” said Kate, grateful for Priti’s help. “There are so many families that just need an extra bag of groceries here and there, and the food pantry makes sure they get it.”
“I’m sticking with the animal shelter,” said Libby. “Although it’ll be hard not to bring them all home! Some of those pups are so sweet.”
“How about you, Zoey?” asked Priti. “You’re sticking with the thrift store, right? So much great vintage inspiration.”
Zoey shook her head. “No, but I thought about it. The store was nice, but they didn’t really need me. And if the point of this is to help places that need our energy and talents, then I think the pet shelter is better for me. Those sweet animals need love! And maybe Libby and I can even help find some of them forever homes.”
Libby clapped her hands and then hugged Zoey. “Yay! You’re staying at the shelter with me. I’m so glad.”
Priti looked surprised. “Wow, Zoey! I thought for sure you’d stay at the thrift shop. It’s so you.”
“I think you’re making a good choice,” said Kate. “Those animals need you!”
Zoey grinned. “Well, I have to admit, part of me just likes taking a break from clothes and playing with kittens and puppies for a few hours!”
The girls laughed.
Kate linked her arm through Priti’s as they headed into the theater. “So tell us about the home for the elderly, Priti. What do you do there?”
“Well, I read to people and take the library cart around, and I play checkers and just try to be cheerful and friendly to everyone.”
“I think it would be hard to be there,” says Zoey. “Is it depressing at all?”
“Well, a little bit. Sometimes. But it helps me, you know? It distracts me from thinking about my parents’ divorce.” She cleared her throat. “You know who else is helping there, by the way? Ivy.”
Zoey’s jaw dropped. “Ivy? Seriously? Is she trying to make the older people feel worse?”
Priti shook her head. “Surprisingly, no. I think I actually saw her smiling and talking nicely to someone the other day. And her grandmother lives there. So maybe she likes to go and visit her, too.”
“That’s probably what it is,” said Libby. “She’s not really volunteering; she’s just pretending to but visiting her grandmother.”
Priti shook her head. “Nope—we all have to do rounds. She can’t just stay with one person.”
“You should have heard her taunting me in fashion club the other day,” said Zoey. “Ugh.”
The lights began to dim, and the music for the previews came on. “I don’t get it,” Kate whispered. “Why would she join the club if she dislikes you and your clothes so much?”
“She didn’t know I was in it,” Zoey replied. “And now that she does, she’ll probably stay just to make me miserable, since that’s one of her favorite activities. In any case, I said anyone can join, so I have to let her.”
“I’m sorry, Zoey,” said Kate. “Let’s hope she starts behaving better soon, so she doesn’t ruin it for everyone!”
Zoey chuckled. “That’s like ‘hoping for water in the desert,’ as my dad likes to say. Not going to happen.”
CHAPTER 7
Raining Cats and Dogs!
Ack! It’s Tuesday again. I went to the pet shelter again over the weekend with my friend, and we had such a great time! The manager let us take a few doggies for a walk after it stopped raining, and we managed to keep them out of the puddles. Then we cleaned cages again, brushed a bunch of the animals, and finally had some great playtime! I’m so relaxed when I’m there, even though I’m “working.” I’ve heard that pets are good for their owners because they lower their heart rates. Do you think that might convince my dad to let us get a dog?
If it doesn’t, maybe this sketch will. I got the idea for this cats-and-dogs outfit, and decided to make an “owner outfit” to go along with it. There’s just something fantastic about a pet all dressed up. . . . I should dig up some designs from my Doggie Duds line, because my new friends at the shelter might be more adoptable if they had some spiffy clothes. Maybe I can make outfits for a few of them!
I’ve been working hard at modifying the design for Sonya Turley’s skating costume. It turns out that skating costumes have a lot of requirements, including that skaters risk a deduction if a piece of their costume falls onto the ice surface and that the costumes must be considered “modest, appropriate for athletic competition, and not excessively theatrical.” Sonya’s costumer has been helping me ensure that the design is up to the International Skating Union (ISU) standards. Who knew, right? Mixing fashion and ice-skating is more complicated than I thought!
I’m sad I won’t be making the outfit myself, because I’d love to play with the gorgeous, glitzy fabric they plan to use. I guess I’ll have to settle for seeing it on TV! (Although that’s not exactly “settling,” is it?)
Zoey was working hard on a new project in home ec class. It was the pair of pleated, cuffed wool shorts she’d sketched the week before, and she hoped to have it finished for the next fashion club meeting. Mrs. Holmes had assigned everyone the task of completing something with pleats, and Zoey had chosen her shorts. She liked that Mrs. Holmes didn’t always dictate exactly what they had to create; she gave them some room to do what interested them.
Priti was making a skirt with pleated detailing, and she was struggling to get her material pinned properly. Occasionally, Zoey would stop and help her, but Priti sometimes insisted Zoey not help, so that she could learn to do it herself. Priti had joined home ec because of the cooking component, but she’d come to enjoy the sewing part as well.
When the bell rang signaling the end of the period, Zoey folded up her shorts and placed them in her backpack to take home and finish that night. She still needed to brainstorm activities for tomorrow’s fashion club meeting as well. As she and Priti began to clean up their worktable, Mrs. Holmes came by and placed a hand on Zoey’s shoulder.
“Zoey, can you stay for a minute after class, please?”
“Oh, sure.” Zoey said good-bye to Priti and headed up to the front of the room. Sean was there as well, so Zoey figured it was a safe bet Mrs. Holmes wanted to talk about the fashion club.
Mrs. Holmes pointed to several large cardboard boxes stacked beside her desk. “They’re not as heavy they look, but I’m dying to know what’s inside. They’re all addressed to you, Zoey, care of the Fashion Fun Club!”
“Are they what I think they are?” asked Sean. “Open them!”
Zoey and Sean exchanged excited looks, and Zoey picked up a pair of scissors to begin cutting the tape at the top. Sean helped peel it off, and together they opened the first box.
Inside, it was stuffed to the gills with bolts and bolts of brightly colored fleece in shades of neon yellow, green, and orange. In the next box they found some remnants of plaid flannel, some basic striped cotton, and another bolt of fleece. And the third box held several skeins of neon yarn, and a bag marked “Notions,” which Sean picked up.
“Go ahead, look!” Zoey directed.
He opened it to find some ribbon, buttons, and zippers to use for projects. “This is amazing, Zoey! I can’t believe you got us all of this. And for free!”
Taped to the side of the third box was a note.
Dearest Zoey,
Hope you can make good use of these materials. Knowing you, you’ll find a way to turn lemons into lemonade.
Fondly,
Jan
“Wow, it really is very generous of A Stitch in Time,” said Mrs. Holmes. “Now you just need to decide on some projects for your club!”
“What can we make with a bajillion yards of neon fleece?” Sean wondered aloud. “Sleeping bags?”
Zoey laughed. “That would be a riot! Fashionable sleepi
ng bags.” She thought a moment. “Fleece jackets seem a little obvious, and the colors are so bright, no one would probably wear them. Plus, they might be too difficult to make for beginners. Hmm . . .”
Mrs. Holmes stayed quiet, watching her students brainstorm.
“Hey, I know!” said Sean. “How about scarves? We could make them reversible, with a different color on each side!”
“Brilliant!” exclaimed Zoey. “That’s perfect! Not to mention pretty easy to sew for people who are just getting started. Think how cute and cheerful everyone will look with their neon scarves.”
Zoey picked up one of the skeins of yarn, turning it over and over in her hands.
She then held it up to show Sean and Mrs. Holmes. “You know, I’ve been trying to learn to knit and watching a lot of online videos about it. The other day I saw this one where someone was making pompoms using yarn and a fork. It was really neat, and totally easy. I wonder if we could make pompoms for the ends of our scarves?”
Mrs. Holmes clapped her hands. “What a great team the two of you are! I’m impressed. This club is in good hands—I probably don’t even need to show up.” She laughed.
Sean grinned. “I think we’ve found our activity for tomorrow’s meeting, Zoey! See? It wasn’t that hard, was it?”
Sean and Zoey practiced making the pompoms at the end of lunch period, and as the video promised, it was easy. Zoey was incredibly relieved to have a fun project for the group to do and even more relieved she wouldn’t have to think of another project for two more weeks, since next week would be Sean’s turn!