Page 93 of Darn Knit All

She burst out laughing, slapping her hand against mine. “Now the hard part.”

I caught her up, cupping her face. “It’s only three pieces, Mai. Just remember that. Just three steps stand between you and winning.”

I kissed her gently, then pushed her away with a grin, slapping her on the ass. “Let’s get to it, Ms. Winner.”

I used an iPad to sketch out patterns that would tie each piece together, while Mai went to pull fabrics and fixtures.

The patterns had to be meaningful, something that reflected us.

An idea formed, taking shape.

“Activewear first,” she said, pinning an outline to a crimson fabric. “Then the suit, and we’ll finish strong with the dress. We need the time to layer it.”

“How do you like these?” I asked Mai, showing her the concept.

For the three pieces, I’d pulled together different sketches oforigamicranes.

“What’s the meaning?” Mai asked, tracing her finger over the screen of the iPad.

“This might be cliched, but I feel like these represent us.”

I watched as Mai’s breath caught. “Paper,” she murmured. She glanced up. “That’s you.”

I nodded.

“And the crane?”

“You told me cranes are symbols of happiness, loyalty and strength.” I touched a hand to her hip. “That’s you.”

She swallowed. “Theo….”

I took the iPad back from her, tapping my finger against the screen. “What do you think? Too corny?”

“Absolutely.” She bumped her hip into mine. “I love it. You should hit print.”

Breathing out a sigh of relief, I nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

The hours flew by in a blur of cutting, stitching, and fittings. We moved in tandem, shifting without asking, pivoting when something didn’t work, adjusting and cutting, and reworking each and every piece until we were satisfied with the results.

“Time!” Michelle called from the stage. “Designers, submit your first piece.”

Our activewear had come together perfectly—a crimson-and-black two-piece that was both stylish, functional, and accessible. We embroidered the origami pattern in the red fabric, subtly adding depth and interest.

I glanced around at the other teams. Gretchen and Jodie had submitted a dynamic yellow-and-black jumpsuit, while Keeley and Jude had created a sleek tulip pant with a braided jacket in an off-cream color.

The judges gushed over the other two teams before coming to us.

I gripped Mai’s sweaty hand, offering support.

“Mai and Theo,” Michelle announced. “Let’s see your first piece.”

Mai took a deep breath and stepped forward, our model following her. As she described the adaptable features and inclusive vision behind the activewear, the judges’ eyes widened, and I saw them exchange impressed glances.

“This is extraordinary work,” Minerva praised. “Combining high fashion with real-world accessibility—I adore your effort. Brava!”

The points were assigned and at the end of round one we were locked in a two-way battle for first with Jude and Keeley.

“Yes,” I hissed, shaking Mai back and forth. “We’ve got this.”

---