Meet Kaitlyn

This is Kaitlyn. She is 17 and a senior in high school. Her sister, my friend Jessica, asked me a while back about meeting with her and helping her create a line of clothing using only recycled fabrics. We hit it off right away, and I'm teaching her how to sew! She's learning how to use a sewing machine and basic garment construction.

I was so excited when her sister asked me if I would be willing to meet with her. We first met and had coffee, discussing her ideas, her goals, and what she was looking to get out of her project. She decided she would be be presenting about 15 pieces in a fashion show in the spring and it is her big "senior project." Two weeks ago we went thrifting together. We found some great clothes. Her theme is Aztec, native American meets chic city girl I think. Yellow, turqouise, browns, and tans.

She wants to go into fashion design and this will be her portfolio that should get her into a great program! She recently found out a representative from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) will be at her show. I love that she's is using only recycled fabric! It's basically what I need to be doing, if I had time to sew at home of course.

As I help her with each article of clothing, I will be photographing and blogging about it! The most amazing part of this whole thing, she is great at sewing!

This is our first project/lesson. She got a yellow linen dress at Salvation Army. It fit her perfectly but needed some updating. Sunday night she came over (with lattes!) and we got to work. We started with the neckline. She wanted a square neckline in the front and a deep V in the back. We shortened the dress by about 5 inches. Using turquoise cotton from a t-shirt and a brown printed shirt, both purchased at Salvo, we created a bib applique, and the added trim.

The bib on the front.

Adding interfacing by using the scrap material from cutting off 4" from the bottom.

Changing out the white zipper for a vintage brown invisible zipper but making it an exposed zipped for added color.

The end of day one!

Day 2. After mastering her first zipper!

Tacking down the back after attaching the zipper.
Notice out the brown trim on the right was once the button holes on the shirt!

Sneaking a picture with Stella.

Clementine keeping an eye on what's happening.

After!

The back is beautiful!

She was so excited to finish this! We had a day break between the first and second day of sewing. She texted me that yesterday that it was all she could think about, finishing the dress. For her first piece of clothing ever, I think she did a great job! I can't wait for next Monday, when we tackle this piece: a tan linen floor length dress that will become a high waisted skirt and a top!