Textile Design: Upcycling Clothes with Experimental Techniques

Textile Design: Upcycling Clothes with Experimental Techniques

“Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of the course. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey and I hope you’ve had as much fun as I have! It's now time to work on your project. This could mean finishing the garment you started by completing the course tasks or making a brand new project! Either way, I strongly suggest you take the time to gather inspiration and make a unique project of your own. You can do this by exploring a concept that empowers you. The way you see the world will inspire those around you and you can convey a message through the clothing you design. This course is a space for you to experiment, think outside the box, be critical, and use your voice to change the narrative. Make sure to keep track of your progress with different pictures of each step. It'd be great if you could also explain the choices you've made along the way and tell us if you have any doubts. This will help me understand your creative process and guide you better if you need advice. Here are the main steps to follow: Finding Inspiration Define your theme, do research, and create a concept board. To start off, think about what is the message behind your piece? What do you want to communicate with this piece of clothing? Define your theme, do research and find images that represent it. You can collect them all on a Pinterest board. Gathering Your Equipment Get the tools and materials needed to work on your project. Based on your theme, research, and concept board, gather the everyday objects that represent your theme. Remember to think outside the box and be resourceful and curious. You can find these objects in nature, the street, your own home, or a store close to you.

Sketching the Initial Design Once you have gathered your tools and materials, it is important to sketch an initial composition before designing your garment. The Trial Stage Next, create your own sample gallery by gathering different fabrics and colors. Experiment with bleach by alternating the time and concentration. Then, play with the Shibori technique and practice printing with bleach. Before working on your project, experiment with this technique until you get the results you want. You can do this by using old clothing or getting fabric scraps. Patterning the Garment Create patterns on your garment by using the Shibori Technique. It's time to add texture! Choose the pattern(s) you like the most. Remember to select the placement wisely, as the next step is printing with bleach. Printmaking with Bleach Now that you have created the initial patterns and textures, use your chosen objects as stamps and stencils to create a composition through your garment. Once you're happy with your composition and have applied the bleach, the final step is to embellish your garment with the selected objects. You will use your chosen objects to add a 3D texture that interacts with the surface design you have created. You can add these elements in strategic places such as the collar, cuffs, pockets, or wherever you think it's best! And that's all! But before saying goodbye, I would like to give you some final tips:

• The more research you do about your concept the more impact your design will have.

• Take into consideration the power of color since it conveys different feelings and emotions.

• Remember, safety first: when working with bleach it’s important to be in a well-ventilated area. Also, use a mask, gloves, and glasses to protect yourself, and old clothes or an apron to prevent damaging your clothes.

• The best fabrics that work with bleach are 100% cotton. If you are not sure of the composition of your garment, you can first try in an inside corner before bleaching the whole piece.

• Above all, I encourage you to think outside the box and experiment with these techniques to express yourself. You will be amazed at the possibilities. Remember that there is no right or wrong. Experiment, be playful, and have fun! Choose the techniques that convey your message best!

I can't wait to see your creation in the forum. I will try my best to respond as soon as I can. In the meantime, don't forget to comment on other students’ work and interact with the community. This will give you new ideas for future projects. See you in the forum! ”

Partial transcription of the video

“ Final Project Congratulations on making it to the end of this course. It's great that you took the time to experiment and explore. You learned everything needed to rework garments with bleach and unconventional objects. Before you explore these techniques, I'll give some tips that will help you with this and future projects. First, make this project your own by exploring a concept that inspires and empowers you. Second, research about it. The more you learn about your theme, the more impactful your design will be. Third, take into consideration the power of color. It conveys different fee...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Textile Design: Upcycling Clothes with Experimental Techniques

• Level: Beginner
• 100% positive reviews (43)
• 2302 students
• 4 units
• 14 lessons (1h 43m)
• 10 downloads

• Category

  Craft, Design, Fashion

• Areas

  Fashion Design, Textile Design, Textile Dyeing, Upcycling