As a home-sewer,(“… no, it’s not homemade, it’s custom …”), I am gunning for Carol Hanna. Gunn-pun completely intended. I loved the lampshade, bottle-brush dress and though it would look great on Barbie who turned 50 recently. I thought the dress was whimsical, a beautiful color, and totally unwearable. How, or where would you sit down? Anyway, CH is still my sweet surprise win. I hope she feels better by runway.

Based on the sneaky-peekies, I believe Althea will win. At least Irina seems less one-dimensional after seeing her with family, friends, and dog but, please, all black?

Soli, thank you. I did not know Chris March had a blog and so I had to read all of his commentary for this season. For me, he confirmed that Gordana is more talented than she ever was given credit for, the show is skewed young (none of the final three are over 30), and thin. When Lisa picked “Willow” for the 13th look, I wanted to reach out and feed her.

Chris March of the human-hair-as-embellishment is my all time favorite Project Runway designer. He was grateful to be there and his sentiment that sometimes the universe gives you love and you can take it, had me hooked. I thought Malvin this season might be another Chris.

I agreed with Nina that Christopher doesn’t know fabric. Compare the flowiness of Gordana’s long dress to Christopher’s. Christopher has had memorable designs but even with no formal design education, (rant on) for crying out loud, has he ever walked through a department store and seen or felt what different types of garments are made of? (rant off)

Gordana surprised me with her sudden alliance with Irina. I was not surprised to see gray in her inspiration and project. (OK, snark off.)

Since the newspaper project, I’ve thought Althea would be in the final three. I think she will win because she’s edgier than Carol Hannah and Irina. Carol Hanna would be my sweet surprise winner.

Irina, I believe, will be successful whatever the outcome. She is organized, presents herself well, does beautiful, albeit, somewhat predictable design.

OK, at the time of the wedding dress challenge, I was trying to figure out how to modify a men’s suit jacket to make it more feminine, fit me, be fun, etc. (sews4fun: are you looking in my sewing room?) With the challenge last night, I am at about 70%, in the meantime the designers have made three complete projects. I love sewing but I cannot imagine sewing for more than 3-4 hours at a stretch. I cannot imagine working in the same room with the same people for 12 hours at a time. (Tim Gunn makes it sound like a good thing.) And I cannot imagine spending a half hour planning a project and then be limited to a half hour in an awesome fabric store (what kind of sick show is this, really?) I have spent months and years planning a project in my head. No matter how it plays out on TV, the designers are creative, driven, and focused. They have my respect.

I interpreted Althea’s and Irina’s oversize sweaters and sleeves as outerwear. I would wear Althea’s paper bag pants. And the spaghetti-strap top, well, never.

Irina continues to irk me with attitude. Although I find most of her designs ho-hum and predictable, she is talented.

Gordana -- if the sleeves and jacket were shortened just a tad, I would not only wear Gordana’s outfit, I would look for the pattern. I liked the “Elvis-y” collar, loose construction, and middle details but why, oh, why the sad grey again? Although as presented, I could see the jacket with jeans. She is closest to my age and I'd like to see what she would do with the time to construct a whole collection. My husband thinks some of her presentation/self-confidence issues are rooted in her culture of origin.

Logan and Christopher continued to amaze me with their haphazard designs. I will miss Logan’s sliver pants and sneakers and bow legs. All the zippers, meh, not so much.

There were no ‘wow’s for me last night. In my opinion, (and somewhat ironically as I’m always complaining on him), Nicholas’ tucks at the bottom of the pants was an interesting detail I might incorporate sometime(like instead of a cuff). Good-by Nicholas.

Other than that, I _loved_ that Gordana went into Mood with $150 bucks and threw $120 at the necklace. Kid in a candy store. I wouldn’t have ever even thought of using those materials to get that effect. Wow! For me, she won. Gordana is subtle which doesn’t play well on reality TV and I hope she stops apologizing for her work …

I find Logan and his creations memorable not because they're good, but because he's in the bottom three and is grateful to not be going home. My snidely snarky side would like to see him in the final three just to see what he would offer up as his vision ...

In a previous season of Project Runway, Chris March and Christian Siriano (team challenge) created a dress with an enormous ruffle collar which had an interesting silhouette. None of that this week.

I have been most surprised by Carol Hannah and Althea as designers. Carol Hannah's design looked like red-carpet wear.

I was wow-ed by Chris’ and Logan’s offerings. Neither appears to have construction or fitting abilities. Irina seems to be the snarky golden child; Nicholas, her snarky brother. Their mouths are writing checks their designs can't cash.

Gordana is honest and has concept behind her designs. I think she got lost with the challenge and will be the next to go. Honest self-assessment doesn’t make for good reality TV. Hope I’m wrong.

If you squint at the winning and losing designs, they both have the same shape and color base. On a previous episode Shirin gave us the lattice smocking pregnancy dress. I will miss her.

The process of Project Runway is at work. Reality TV rules. The best designers may not make it to the end. Beginning of season, I was sure Malvin and Ra'mon would be on the platform. My final three prediction: Irina, Logan, and Althea
Winner: Althea

For me, the high point of Episode 8 was seeing the normal-shaped women divorcees giving up their wedding dresses and being (it seemed) genuinely happy with the results they were presented and wore down the runway. They all 'sold' their looks regardless of fit, quality, style ...

OK. Otherwise, oh! hot messes!

I didn't understand how Logan's use of the wedding dress was closer to the challenge than Epperson's. Logan's blouse had the same type of ruffles Louise was eliminated for last week, and the pants were .

I thought Irina's dress was perfect and perfectly predictable. If I tore apart my first wedding dress, that is the sort of pattern/design I would come up with. Where is the edge-y creativity?

Gordana was my pick for 1st place. She had a concept and the results didn't look like they had roots in a wedding dress. In many challenges, she seems like the supporting character. It was good to see her win.

Epperson's design was #2 for me. I was surprised he was in the worst group. He seems always honest, is happy when his clients faces light up, and he did memorable designs (the dress for his model, Matar, and the wild-west-cowboy-story challenge). I will miss him.

I've have been wondering how to do something like this ... the instructions and photos are so clear. I think I can! Thank you!

Thank you. Very funny.

I just bought a new iron -- the old one didn't have automatic shut-off ( ... left it on overnight, introduced error due to periodic low-voltage in my husband's deep-sky photography ... he wasn't happy.)

I am still getting used to the new iron. It doesn't stay on as long as I'd like, doesn't seem as hot when it is on, sputters steam when I'd rather it didn't, and doesn't have an on/off switch. I end up dancing with it to turn it on. I have not however, read the entire manual carefully, so I blame myself.

As a kid, my mother's iron weighed a ton. I'm thinking I'll go looking for a rock today ... if you have instructions, please share. Again, thank you.

Agreed. The color palette looked like it was black, grey, and white. Not blue. I am going to use this as justification for upgrading the TV, why not?

OK. I am addicted to Project Runway ... but, IMO, it is first and foremost ‘reality TV’. The meltdowns are part and parcel of the package. How much time is consumed by meltdowns each week?

For me, the critique is the most important segment. We get a close up of the work and the designers’ defense of their work. It provides insight into how someone present (like Michael Kors or Nina Garcia) is reacting to the design.

IMO, the segment of shopping at Mood is an advertisement. The interesting part of the Mood shopping is the time crunch. How do they all find fabric and get measured? What supplies, if any, does Project Runway supply in the workroom?

The runway portion of the show is way too fast. I suspect it hides a whole parade of horribles -- poor construction, fit, workmanship. I am expecting a model to throw a shoe on the runway walk one of these episodes.

I look for design ideas and not strict execution (ala Malvin and Ra’Mon). And I’m sorry to see Louise go … to me, she had a LeeAnn kind of vibe (previous season) …

Regarding the guest judges, it seems they are overly critical when they needn't be or too lavish with praise. Feels like they're competing for a permanent seat on the show.

I thought Epperson won this competition. Especially with Tim G.'s comment "Annie, get your Gunn ... "

I will miss Ra'mon -- his creativity (fer crying out loud, he designed and crafted _two_ stunning outfits in the team competition) and his beautiful attitude and respect for others and himself. OK. I will miss Ra'mon.

I tire of Nicholas and his conceit and criticism. He may have won, but, meh.

I was in awe of all of the designers just for working with, and creating a garment out of paper. Althea's design was incredible.

Judith, thank you for your working with paper inventory as I hadn't thought of paper's wearing properties. For now, I'm going to limit myself to using paper for patterns.

I wish I was adventurous enough to try hand dying ... your coat is gorgeous!

This jacket is just beautiful! And the memories will make the wearing even more special. And the button treatment is perfect. And the fur collar is so chic.

I was also disappointed that Qristyl took Tim Gunn's advice. Since she had been dinged on the previous episode for not being strong enough (as a partner with Epperson), I wondered if the comment was made to see how much she would back down. From the brief glimpse we had of Qristyl's first dress, it looked edgier and more interesting than I expected. She should have stuck with her original idea. She definitely brought a different point-of-view to the show. I will miss her.

I agree that Epperson's design was the best. Catching him with a tear in his eye was a little much, but ...

As far as Althea's design -- meh.

How did you do the decorative edge stitch? It's perfect.

Take away the lace chaps and I think Nicholas' dress would have stood on its own. As the dress with chaps seemed to be edging into Frederick's of Hollywood territory, I give Gordana Gehlhausen (Nicholas' teammate) major points for going along with it. Also, she did beautiful weaving/macrame on the swimsuit top. She was, IMO, the most supportive teammate of a design she wouldn't design or buy.

I don't know who won -- I don't have much occasion for surf-wear. Ra'mon looked so tired at the end, I'm glad he won.

Good-bye Mitchell.

IMO, Shirin flat out won. Back in the day, I would have worn that outfit in a minute.

In only two episodes, it was clear to me, the completely obtuse, that Malvin is 'concept'. Based on his description of chicken-egg, I would have worn his outfit just on principle. I will miss him.

I am addicted to watching the development of relationships between the designers and watching their particular aesthetics and strengths in design emerge.

Mitchell should go home. I tire of him.

Gorgeous! Great design -- the smocking looks grown up. Um, I want one ...

Beautiful! Beautiful outfit, beautiful girl. The grosgrain ribbon really pops. The hat is perfect!

What a great project! I appreciate the details in your post - 91 steps to get to beautiful results. Love it!