Project #4

This time I am sharing pictures of the garment I plan to transform before I actually make the changes. Not sure exactly why I'm moved to approach it this way, this time...perhaps I like the idea of leaving you in suspense, or maybe I just want you to think about how you might alter this simple piece of clothing. I wonder if it might convince you to alter something of your own, or at least entertain the idea...

I have included a few key shots, focusing on areas I plan to change...however, once I begin the alterations the plan could easily change. To be honest, I have a tendency to become too attached to an initial idea, I need to learn to run with creative energy...

stay tuned...

Project #3

This time I took a slightly different approach. I decided to make my next adjustment while in Illinois for a work trip. Armed with some very cool handmade buttons, a gift from my brother (all the way from Chile no less) I made my way to the nearest Target.  With little more than a sewing kit commandeered from my hotel (scissors not included) I searched through the aisles to find my next victim.  To keep up appearances and justify an extended stay in the change room I picked up several items and headed to the fitting room.  I took only a few pics before and after as I was keenly aware of how suspicious my chirpy little camera could sound to anyone else in the change room. My apologies for the less than stellar photos.

I quickly sewed the button on to the dress. Not my best hand sewing but not to worry, this is strictly decoration. After packing my sewing kit away I took the 'after' pics, once again cursing the noisy device.  I then gathered all of the clothes to return them to the rack and carefully placed the altered dress in the middle of the group. I casually left my change room and dropped the garments off with the sales girl, cheerfully informing her that "nothing fit quite right, too bad -such cute dresses!" I doubt she was paying enough attention to me to detect the sarcasm.

Alteration number two as it turns out, was a much more obvious 'adjustment'.  When I set out to purchase the next garment to transform I had denim on my mind. I  had planned to embroider a small image on one of the back pockets of a pair of jeans. When I arrived at the store however, a whole new idea came to mind. I have a collection of small pieces of scrap fabric covered in test prints from my gocco printing days. The orange owl print has been on my mind lately.  Always a sucker for the blue/orange color combo, I quickly purchased the blue stripped shorts.

When I returned to the store with the altered shorts I was a little nervous -if the sales person was familiar with the product at all she would surely notice something was amiss. Luckily however, she didn't flip the shorts over to inspect the back.  The return was made based on the assumption that they didn't fit, no questions asked (*sigh of relief*).  Attempt #2, success!

Side project.

Being a creative person is tricky.  When you're lucky the ideas come at what can be a frantic pace, leaving you scrambling to find the time and energy to indulge them all. And then there are those times when you couldn't come up with an interesting idea if your life depended on it.  Lately I have been idling among the latter.  In order to reboot my creative self I have taken on this little project to help me think about my work from a different perspective.

The project: Purchase a garment from a large chain store and alter it in some small way - change the buttons, shorten a hem, etc., then return the altered item to the store.  The idea of transforming something from common into a one in a million garment is a pretty riveting concept to me.

My first attempt was timid but this project isn't about being ballsy.  I purchased a dress this morning from a store at my local mall. The bodice had three decorative (as in not functional) black buttons sewn at the center front.  I removed the middle button and replaced it with a white flower shaped button of a similar size.  I promptly returned the dress this afternoon, easily, with no hassle from the sales clerk.