Stellar Regeneration

Abstract

Stellar Regeneration was created using white second-and men's dress shirts as the main materials for the dress which were cut on the bias into ½” strips and naturally dyed with turmeric and with cochineal. The strips were cut against the bias grainline to reduce fraying. The strips were then woven by hand in a triaxial pattern to create a star-like pattern. The garment itself is an above-the-knee sheath-style dress with long wide sleeves. The only chemical necessary in the dyeing process was alum which is a fairly safe and the least toxic mordant when used appropriately (Mitra, 2015). Utilizing the strategy of upcycling, combined with a triaxial pattern hand weaving technique, the purpose of this design was to develop a sustainable garment through refashioning, using natural dyes, and adding significance to second-and men's dress shirts, while also creating a sheath dress with innovative surface designs.