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"Iowa Winter"
Ice Princess is a garment created using many different medias. Dyeing, bleaching, over-dyeing, digital textile printing, and laser cutting were all used to create this garment. Pictures were taken of icicles hanging off of tree branches in the middle of the winter. The photographs were then turned into a textile design using Adobe Suites. The garment was flat patterned and draped and then digitized into Opti-tex. The icicle pattern was printed on cotton sateen. Cotton sateen was then dyed by hand using pigment dyes, some digital printed panels were over-dyed. Icicles and snowflakes were cut and engraved out of acrylic using a laser cutter and sewn by hand onto the garment. The inside of the garment is also digitally printed and dyed. The garment represents the beauty of an Iowa winter.
"Geometric"
Geometric is an evening dress for the 'funky' gal. It has been laser cut and digitally printed. The garment was flat patterned and digitized into Opt-tex. The engineered textile design was created on Adobe Suites and digitally printed onto Belgian Linen. The double jersey knit peplum and top and back bode was laser cut using the same geometric shapes. A layer of netting was sewn under the peplum to add extra volume. Horse hair was used in the hem to add shape. Rhinestones were sewn onto the knit front and back bodice to add a little 'bling'. Geometric is meant to be unique and fun.
Webbed is an evening gown created from draping and flat pattern making. The dress is a princess seamed, converted sweetheart, strapless dress with a small train. The is made of red sateen with a knit webbed overlay.
"Webbed"
"Scaled"
Creating a unique take on the wetsuit, the goal for Scaled was to create something unique yet wearable. Neoprene was used to replicate a wetsuit, the garment that would be worn to view the Clown Triggerfish in the Mediterranean Sea. The bright yellow paired with the grey and black was used to replicate the colors found on the Clown Triggerfish. This unique garment was cut entirely with a Trotec laser cutter and engraver. The ensemble was flat patterned and digitized into Optitex PDS. In Adobe Illustrator different scale patterns were created for the skirt front and back and sleeves. The skirt yoke’s pattern replicated the Clown Triggerfish’s head pattern. These pieces were all engraved and cut out with the Trotec laser cutter. The engraving of the garment took 22 hours. The bodice front was created in Adobe Illustrator and 5 panel pieces of a pointed fish scale and 4 panel pieces of a curved fish scale was created. The pieces were then also cut out using the Trotec laser cutter. The bodice back consists of the same style lines as the front but instead has the fish scale patterned engraved. The skirt yoke seam was then beaded entirely around the skirt to replicate the rock found in the ocean. Seven fish scale shapes were hand beaded and hand stitched to the bodice front and the bodice back to show multiple ways to replicate the same fish-scale shape.
"Slither"
The partner to 'Scaled', Slither is also inspired by the Clown Triggerfish. The bright yellow paired with the grey and black was used to replicate the colors found on the Clown Triggerfish. This unique garment was cut entirely with a Trotec laser cutter and engraver. The ensemble was flat patterned and digitized into Optitex PDS. In Adobe Illustrator different scale patterns were created for the skirt front and back and sleeves. The skirt yoke’s pattern replicated the Clown Triggerfish’s head pattern. These pieces were all engraved and cut out with the Trotec laser cutter. The dress fabric texture was sewn by machine. The neoprene overlay was laser cut and engraved, with its pieces being attached to the dress side. The back of the dress was layered with netting and pom poms, to replicate a fishnet.
"All Around the World I & II"
All Around the World is an experimental, wearable art; piece intended to mix an educational, non-fashionable element (the globe) with an experimental design garment. All Around the World was created from Japanese patternmaking techniques. All pattern pieces were flat patterned and then digitized into Optitex PDS. The fabric was digitally printed using the Mimaki TX2 1600 printer. In All Around the World I the water background was created using the paint tool and many different textures and filters to create a wave-like effect. The bodice and continent shapes were creating by painting on watercolor paper using acrylic red, blue, and white paints. The painting was then scanned into Adobe Photoshop where colors were adjusted. The bodice is an engineered print while the skirt continent shapes were applied as an appliqué. The sleeves consist of 10 different pattern pieces each, 5 pieces for the bodice, and 24 panels for the skirt. The skirt was lined with thick interfacing and flat aluminum wire was inserted in between the topstitching of each skirt panel to allow for flexibility and to hold the shape. The shape of the sleeves mimics the mountains while the bodice mimics the flat plain. The shape of the skirt is to mimic the shape of the globe and can be bent into different positions to replicate natural disasters such as tsunamis and hurricanes. In All Around the World II using reverse applique the continents were given a 3D shape. The skirt panels were engineered that when they weave over one another they world map lines us seamlessly.
"Peeling Back the Layers"
Peeling Back the Layers was created as a sustainable garment. It consists of digital textile printing, an environmentally friendly process, and natural dyeing. Garment pieces were initially draped and digitized into Optitex PDS 11. From there the pieces were exported to Adobe Photoshop where 2 textile designs, one in color and one in black and white, were created from a sliced onion. The pattern pieces were digitally printed on silk charmeuse using a Mimaki TX2 1600 textile printer. Old Maine, a restaurant in Ames, Iowa, graciously saved their onion skins from their kitchen for 2 months. Almost 10lbs of purple onion skins and alum were then boiled in a giant canning pot for 2 hours. The skins were drained from the solution and a purple dye bath remained. The black and white pattern pieces were then overdyed in the onion skin dye bath. The dye bath created a beautiful gold color. An overlay cape of solid ivory silk was dyed as well.
"D.A.T.S. Delivers"
DATS Delivers is a wearable art garment created to exemplify DATS (Digital Apparel Textile Studio) at Iowa State University. The garment integrates all the steps and technology needed to digitally print textiles with the Mimaki TX2-1600 digital textile printer. DATS Delivers integrates a new approach of teaching the digital textile printing process. The process started with draping 8 sweetheart neckline strapless pieces, 3 paneled, half-circle, skirt pieces, 4 extruding bust pieces, and 44 geometric shaped panel pieces. The 44 panel pieces were created in 3 different sizes with the intentions to be inserted into the 3 different panels of the underskirt. Using Optitex PDS Digitizing table, all pattern pieces were digitized into Optitex PDS 11 software. The pieces were then exported into Adobe Illustrator and then Adobe Photoshop where the textile designs were created. A photograph of lava in rock formation under a microscope created the initial bodice textile design. From there 16 different print patterns and 8 gradient patterns were created for the skirt panels. To top it off decorative stitching, sequins, beads, and buttons were sewn on to add surface design.
SImple and Sweet is a custom prom dress created entirely from the client's wishes. This boho, sweet, and simple ivory dress features a delicate, crocheted, lace bodice, beautiful, lightweight, ivory chiffon skirt, and an open crossed strap back.
Simple & Sweet
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