In this course, I learned how to take creative action to reduce my carbon footprint by exploring ways of restyling, reusing or upcycling found fashions. I brought in pre-owned garments, and then deconstruct, drape and reconstructed them by adding or subtracting elements. Utilizing both apparel and textile design approaches, I was able to transform common clothing into textured, layered, dimensional and sophisticated fashion. Techniques explored include fabric sewing and hand manipulation techniques, such as pleating, gathering and tucking; surface embellishment techniques such as applique, beading, embroidery and felting; and textile design techniques such as canning, stenciling, block printing, and basic screenprinting.
Deconstruction to Reconstruction: Concept 1
Images of drape ideas with found recycled fabric.
Fabrics are plaid silk: 100%, purple multi shirred cotton: 99% spandex 1%, maroon 3-d shibori: poly 100%, red crinkled/broom stick shibori: rayon 65% poly 35%, and teal tweed: poly 100%.
Images: Drape ideas with found recycled fabric and details of the process in my sketchbook.
Deconstruction to Reconstruction: Concept Continued
After playing with each of the fabrics, I settled on this one drape. I was interested in the detail of the gathers at the neckline. In each of the fabric folds, contrasting fabrics came through to add volume and interest. Geometric shapes were pulled over the bust to contrast/constrain the organic flounce. Folds at the waistline were added to draw the eye downwards and to mimic the gathers at the neckline. Shirred cotton fabric cut into hard geometric shapes were added to give a more tailored silhouette, but also allows the body to move.
Documented each tuck and ruffle. Unpinned everything for the next step in the dye removal process.
Documented each tuck and ruffle. Unpinned everything for the next step in the dye removal process.
Deconstruction to Reconstruction: Dye / felt testing
Dye Process Test: Rinsed the silk fabrics and sewed long basting stitches to gather the fabric. Then bound the gathered fabric with waxed dental floss to resist the dye remover in random sections of the fabric.
Brought water to a boil, lowered the heat and added the RIT solution. Added the bundles counting the seconds and documented the color change. Washed each bundle in cool soapy water, untied the bundles, and repeated the wash process.
Top image: .05, 1, and 2 seconds in color removing RIT dye.
Middle image from left to right: Original, 2 seconds, 1 second, 1/2 second.
Bottom image: Felted the silk fabric with a mixture of lime green, neon orange, and fluorescent yellow wool roving from wrong side of fabric to add texture.
Besides the directional change with pleats and tucks, the roving could act as a subtle way to further engage the viewer for a closer look, rest, then continue down the folds again.
Brought water to a boil, lowered the heat and added the RIT solution. Added the bundles counting the seconds and documented the color change. Washed each bundle in cool soapy water, untied the bundles, and repeated the wash process.
Top image: .05, 1, and 2 seconds in color removing RIT dye.
Middle image from left to right: Original, 2 seconds, 1 second, 1/2 second.
Bottom image: Felted the silk fabric with a mixture of lime green, neon orange, and fluorescent yellow wool roving from wrong side of fabric to add texture.
Besides the directional change with pleats and tucks, the roving could act as a subtle way to further engage the viewer for a closer look, rest, then continue down the folds again.
Deconstruction to Reconstruction: dyeing process
Dyeing Process: Sewed long straight stitches (basting stitch) down the pattern of the silk fabric from one end to the other. Gathered the material and knotted each of the threads. Bound each fabric bundles with waxed dental floss to resist the dye removal. Set each bundles in the bath for a two seconds, removed and laundered each to stop the dye removal process. Removed all the floss and stitches. Felted the silk from the wrong side to give texture. Draped on the form and marked for sewing. Machine and hand sewn for construction.
Deconstruction to Reconstruction: Final Project
Final Project: Finished garment constructed from altered recycled fabrics with the processes of Shibori dye removal, appliqué, and felted with wool roving. Three–Quarter and Back view.
Final Project: Detail of bust, neckline, and waist.
