Organised Chaos
Tara Guni
Tipperary County Council
-
Tara began by cutting the jeans below the crotch to create the top of her skirt.
She harvested any leftover denim to use for the top. She created the top by sewing panels of denim together with a sewing machine, making use of the seams to create a symmetrical pattern on the front.
The shape of the top is fitted with darts sewn into the bust and the raw edges have been hemmed and reinforced with denim strips on the inside. Tara inserted a zip from an old dress at the back of the top and decided to leave it long so it could be harvested and used again.
Tara cut the colourful tops she collected into strips to add to the bottom of the skirt. Each strip was gathered at the top and attached to the denim with a zig zag stitch.
The skirt is finished with bee and butterfly details, harvested from a scrap of curtain fabric and hand stitch to the skirt.
There is also a detachable bead embellishment down one side of the skirt, made by combining pieces from different second hand jewellery.
The top makes use of a delicate button placket harvested from one of the blouses used in the skirt, closing with a button at the back.
Tara used the strip with loops as a trim added to the front of the top and attached beads to each loop to create this detailed feature. The halter strap was also a textured piece taken from one of the blouses used, and was machine stitched to the top.
-
The accessories with this outfit include a hair tie, made using leftover fabric and beads and a beaded necklace and earrings that tie the whole piece together.
Tara wanted to test her sewing skills by creating a wearable outfit from second hand clothing - as textile waste is such an important problem.
She visited a local charity shop with her Granny and picked out clothes with fabrics she was drawn to, including jeans and various colourful shirts/blouses. She also used her mother’s old torn shirt, and a scrap of curtain fabric found at home.
The outfit is also embellished with second hand jewellery from a charity shop. Tara was inspired by modern looks online and also drew inspiration from the styles and colours worn by Zara Larson.
