Sadly, I was not one of the finalists this time, though that doesn’t make me any less proud of the work I did. There were a lot of really good entries and I know the judging was really hard. Big congrats to my classmates for all of the effort put in, and HUGE congrats to…… Continue reading Congrats to the winners of the Unconventional Design Challenge
Yesterday I spent the day hanging out with an amazing team of people from Fibershed and Apparel Arts for the Re:Fashion workshop in Oakland, CA. Attendees learned mending, embroidery and eco-printing techniques to turn lifeless old, and sometimes beloved, garments into new ones. I took the opportunity to learn a bit of Boro style Sashiko…… Continue reading Re:Fashion
When walking through museums and galleries, I often hear people commenting on how “tiny” people “back then” really were. Often times this observation is based on just a few examples available on display. While the individual whose clothes are displayed was perhaps “tiny” it also means that she, or he, was wealthy or at least…… Continue reading “Waist” and Waste
Over the last few years I have been really excited to see an uptick and renewed interest in what I call the “mending trend”. Whether it is commentary on the current political climate, a response to the environmental impact that “fast fashion” has on both our planet and it’s population, or just a omnipresent sense…… Continue reading The Mending Trend
In this case I am talking about those little gadgets I keep in my drafting and sewing kit that make my life easier, make me more efficient, and help the whole experience be more pleasurable. I’ve included links below to where you can find these, if you are interested. These are, of course, in addition…… Continue reading It’s the little things in life
I’m done and fairly happy with my entry for the Unconventional Fashion Challenge. The process of creating it was really reminiscent of the painting process for me, probably due to the familiar materials I was using more than anything else. I started out planning for one thing, made some unexpected discoveries, adjusted due to some…… Continue reading Ode to my first love… painting (a.k.a my Unconventional Fashion Challenge entry)
After seeing the competition pieces turned in by my classmates, I honestly debated whether to even spend the time finishing up my dress. They’re just all SO GOOD. But here I am, down to the last long evening. I have no good reason, aside from self-doubt to give up. Since self-doubt is not a good…… Continue reading Down to the final hour
I never thought I would be destroying the one thing that once gave me so much joy. Paintbrushes. I will always love painting, especially painting in oils—there is something so relaxing and free about it. So, in a kind of farewell to that part of my past, I spent the last two weeks sawing paintbrushes…… Continue reading The Unconventional Materials Challenge, part 3—Paintbrushes
I’ve recently discovered a new fashion and history podcast and I thought I would share my discovery. “Dressed” explores the rich and sometimes complex history behind the clothes we wear. The hosts, April Calahan, a curator and instructor at FIT, and Cassidy Zachary, a fashion historian and costume designer, present a different topic each week, from…… Continue reading Dressed… a podcast for those who love the history of fashion.
So, I’ve spent the last week assembling my paper dress. The watercolor paper is surprisingly tough to work with, and I had to reach back into the depths (a few times) to recall information from my bookbinding class in college. I would hug that teacher if I could! In contrast, the rice paper works up…… Continue reading The Unconventional Materials Challenge, part 2
refashioning history 