This project aims to investigate methods for developing a size-adjustable clothing system tailored for newborns aged 3 to 9 months, allowing the garments to adapt to the child's growth during this period. When dealing with the apparel industry's target demographic of children, obtaining accurate body measurements and anthropometric data is more challenging compared to adults. Specifically, infants undergo significant growth during their first two years, as indicated by the WHO Child Growth Standards. Consequently, the research process commenced with an analysis of anthropometric data sourced from the ASTM Standard Tables of Body Measurements for Children and Infants. Based on this analysis, it became evident that infants aged 3 to 9 months experience substantial growth in both vertical and girth measurements. In response, the researcher developed a romper pattern that could accommodate varying sizes in both height and width. This size-adjusting mechanism is concealed within a series of pleats, with each pleat displaying a corresponding size label. These pleats can be securely fastened at the desired size using buttons and buttonholes. Additionally, a distinct collar style was designed for each age range, providing a customizable accessory element. This romper was crafted from organic cotton fabric, ensuring both comfort and sustainability.

This design concept is part of an ongoing qualitative research project that aims to explore strategies for designing transformable clothing in order to actively involve consumers in the design process. By engaging users, the objective is to establish an emotional connection and raise awareness of sustainable fashion. The study follows participatory design research method, drawing not only from the researcher's design development ideas but also from the input obtained through focus group sessions conducted prior to the final design product development. One key aspect of this design is its ability to engage users in creating a 2D to 3D garment following guidelines and without requiring any construction knowledge, including patternmaking or sewing. This innovative approach enables users to actively participate in the design process, regardless of their expertise in traditional garment construction techniques. The 2D to 3D apparel design in this research relates to the transition of the 2D flat textile into a 3D garment. Users by following matched surface embellishments placed next to appropriate closures can form the 3D garment. The garment is made of lilac-blue Italian creped wool. The construction of the garment involved the application of various couture techniques in sewing the garment and applying surface embellishments.

Materials:
Dress fabric and lining fabric 100%polyester
Invisible zipper, Interfacing, thread.

Techniques:
Pattern and fabric cutting
Machine sewn and hand finishing.
Creating and attaching ruffle
Inserting lining and zipper

Inspiration:
This dress was inspired by the elegance and class associated with ‘Ladies Day’ at the races. When choosing the dress pattern, it was important that it reflected the sophistication and stylishness of fashion seen at the races. The fabric was also carefully chosen with grace and elegance in mind.

Alignment to Congress theme:
This classic fitted dress with a contemporary oversized ruffle, aligns with the congress theme both in combining styles and technologies. The traditional dress making techniques embedded in the core teachings of Home Economics were employed and combined with contemporary fabrics and fashion design. The dress pattern was purchased from an independent fashion designer on the website ‘Etsy’ rather than purchasing in the traditional way, offering an opportunity to combine the skills of the past with the technologies of the future. This pattern was downloaded and printed with two clicks of a mouse and without leaving the room. The future is online. I feel this dress intertwines the past with the future.

This assignment consisted of developing an original textile product that included the use of different techniques for construction and development. This cushion cover depicts a bumble bee approaching a lavender plant. Each lavender stem was made using a combination of a range of different techniques. These techniques included hand embroidery, (satin stitch, chain stitch, back stitch, stem stitch, and cross stitch), machine embroidery and texturing (machine couching, the addition of beading and appliqué). These were used to create texture and show the variety in appearance of the stems in a lavender plant/ or the range of varieties of lavender plants, different techniques were layered to add dimension to the piece. An initial design layout was hand draw to assist in this and guide the layering of techniques.

The materials used included cotton, embroidery thread, ribbon, plastic/glass beads and acrylic yarn. Where possible the materials used were scrap materials or what was to hand, focusing on up-cycling.

Completing this piece developed my skills in textiles but also my skills in the teaching of textiles. As a student this assignment supported by understanding and has expanded my knowledge and development of techniques for teaching textiles at second level.

o The "Journey to Kinetic Art" project began with two guiding questions: Where can we find kinetic art in our everyday lives, and how can we integrate kinetic art with fashion? This design project aimed to harmoniously juxtapose kinetic art and fashion by drawing inspiration from two kinetic elements in our daily lives: flowering and pinwheels. These two motifs encapsulate the transformative and motion-centric nature of kinetic art. The design journey included four phases: 1) Ideation, where print motifs are developed based on the time-lapse videos of flowering; 2) Patternmaking, employing draping techniques and emphasizing femininity with curved lines; 3) Digital textile printing, modifying the scale of the print design and printed onto a 100% silk charmeuse fabric; and 4) Assembly, sewing the dress and adding an outer tulle skirt. Ornaments of pinwheels and flower petals, which represent the essence of kinetic art, were attached to the tulle skirt. The ornaments utilized disposed PET bottles and leftover fabrics to promote sustainability. Overall components included in the design project successfully juxtaposed the essence of kinetic art and fashion through a comprehensive design process.

The primary objective of this design scholarship project, "Hidden Treasure," was to explore optimal methods of achieving zero-waste fashion through experimental design research to minimize textile waste produced from the patternmaking process. This project specifically utilized the zero-waste patternmaking technique and the traditional Korean repurposing practice ‘Jogakgo’ through three phases: 1) design ideation, 2) zero-waste patternmaking, and 3) pattern assembly. After three phases of design process, two garments were crafted: a 'Baeja', a traditional Korean vest, and a 'Jogakbo' wrap skirt. Both Korean-inspired garments were created with repurposed fabrics, and applied size adjustability to the design. Hidden Treasure fulfilled the objectives of the design scholarship project by making valuable contributions to the field of sustainable design research. The overall design of the garment effectively integrated historical elements with contemporary aesthetics, making it suitable for wearers spanning different generations, which would positively impact the environment and can significantly prolong the lifespan of the garment. This would involve examining the challenges and opportunities of incorporating additive repurposing and zero-waste patternmaking techniques within larger manufacturing processes, supply chains, and consumer behavior. By addressing these areas, the fashion industry is anticipated to become more sustainable and responsible in the future.

*Materials: polyester organdy, TPU
*Techniques: digital printing & 3D printing on textiles
*Inspiration: This design reinterprets the Joseon dynasty's traditional hat, Yu Gun (儒巾), and Fenghuang (鳳凰, a Chinese phoenix), symbolizing precious and auspiciousness, as contemporary women's dress.
Yu Gun, one of the official hats worn by Confucian scholars, is made by making a bag shape with rectangular hemp cloth and folding both sides, then tilting the upper seam back and pulling both ears out. The Fenghuang pattern was mainly used for the queen's court dress in Joseon, and later, it was worn by noble women to pray for birth, prosperity, and comfort. Recently, as K-pop artists such as BTS and Blackpink wear stage costumes inspired by traditional motifs, the popularity of those fashion are soaring among Korean Gen Z.
To implant traditional aesthetics into our modern life, the phoenix images were reborn and applied by digital and 3D printing on the dress conceived by a zero-waste hat construction. Moreover, the dress is made of transparent organza to reveal the beauty of superimposing, one of Korea's representative aesthetics.
* Alignment to Congress theme: This design attempts to fuse tradition into modern dress via up-to-date technology to align with the theme.

Inspiration
Efface is inspired by the film Terminator 2 and the human persistence to survive out of resistance. The film inspired this jacket through the refusal to give up hope on materials that would be eliminated. Thus, this garment utilizes small pieces of scrap fabric stitched together to form a larger recycled textile to solve a textile waste issue created in traditional pattern making/cutting.

Materials
The jacket is constructed from small scrap fabrics that were organized by type and color and then pieced together to form a textile. The fabric scraps consisted mainly of denims and leathers.

Techniques
The fabric scraps were pinned to a water-soluble material in pattern shapes and stitched in a 2” grid pattern using a straight stitch. The water-soluble material was washed off and the resulting textile was dried and assembled into the jacket.

Alignment to Congress Theme
The global fashion industry contributes 92 billion tons of waste to landfills every year as well as producing more and more unrecyclable and nonrenewable petroleum-based textiles. Apparel designers must chart a new future by transforming the industry and showing that resources are available to create new textiles if they aren’t viewed as trash or waste material.

Inspiration
The apparel industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions and 20% of global wastewater. On average, the apparel industry wastes about 15% of fabric due to pattern cutting waste. The purpose of these designs is to provide a durable, functional, and environmentally friendly alternative to the current workwear apparel on the market. The look is inspired by classic American workwear modernized using zero-waste construction methods to reduce effects of fabric production and waste on the environment.

Techniques
This look combines traditional patternmaking with zero-waste patternmaking techniques. The combination of techniques facilitates grading to create a sustainable look with the possibility of mass production for the workwear market.

Materials
Cotton denim and canvas fabrics were used in the design. Fabric scraps were used for smaller applications like pockets and hammer loops and contributed to the uniqueness of the workwear.

Alignment to Congress Theme
Zero waste design has not worked or has not been tried in a mass-produced market. Discovering a new and innovative technique for pattern creating has the potential to reduce textile consumption and waste and connects with the Congress theme of transforming the past for a more positive future.

Inspiration
The purpose behind Tuile is to encourage and inspire people to slow down and appreciate the beauty that is all around them. There is aesthetic beauty in a flower growing through a crack in the sidewalk or an old building being reclaimed by moss and vines that pierces the soul when viewed.

Techniques
The garments were created using complex and organized patternmaking. The idea was to take the inspiration of brick and stone walls and generalize the imagery through basic silhouettes for men’s jackets and pants.

Materials
The main aesthetic focus of the design was contrast. Cotton twill, cotton plain and basketweave canvas, and bamboo linen blend basketweave fabrics were used in colors that could be found in geodes and stones. These different colors, weaves, textures, and sheens created contrast and were cut into shapes that were arranged to emphasize their differences but play off one another to bring balance.

Alignment to Congress Theme
Tuile aligns with the conference theme by combining traditional garment shapes with a sustainable pieced textile design. The complex and time-consuming patternmaking and construction of this design is in contrast to contemporary mass production of fast fashion, and promotes sustainable living through slow fashion.

Inspiration
Apocalyptic Solitary Traveler was inspired by the effects climate change that have been done to the Earth including increased pollution and devastating forest fires. This apparel design is an avant-garde approach to what a traveler would look like in a post-apocalyptic society from climate change impacts.

Techniques
The construction of this activist design involved patternmaking, draping, textile design, and surface design to convey the theme of a climate-related apocalypse. Graphics of burning forests, endangered polar bears, devastating storms, fire fighters, Chernobyl, and biohazard symbols were created in Adobe Photoshop and screen printed by hand with plastisol ink. The trousers were heavily distressed with a blowtorch to symbolize the effects of fires during our potential future environmental apocalypse.

Materials
The materials used included cotton fleece, jersey, and canvas and all were hand-dyed in natural earth tones of brown, tan, and gray to reflect the distressing times. The custom-woven plaid skirt was designed in Photoshop and woven from a medium-weight cotton/rayon blend plain-weave fabric.

Alignment to Congress Theme
This activist design aligns with the Congress theme by using apparel design to bring attention to the impacts of climate change inspiring viewers to make sustainable changes in their everyday lives.

Responsibly processing textile waste is a challenge for both the apparel industry and the consumer. Childrenswear, in particular, is a category of apparel in which the wearer cycles through garments relatively quickly due to growth and high levels of activity/play. Oftentimes ‘play’ can lead to staining and holes that may result in garment discard. In order to bring awareness of textile waste within families, children will be involved in the creative process to fabricate a wall hanging using repurposed materials and fiber art techniques. Materials and techniques planned include: Nuno and needle-felting using wool fibers, silk fabric, and cotton from prior projects and macramé and weaving techniques using created ‘t-shirt yarn’ from collected damaged knit childrenswear (particularly leggings). An abstract, colorful, nature landscape for the wall hanging is expected. This creative textile artwork aligns with the Congress theme, ‘Bridging the Past - Charting the Future’ as the purpose of this scholarship is to instill creative joy within children as well as bring awareness to the role that clothing play in a sustainable future. This wall art also demonstrates ways in which family members can come together to beautify their space, using materials within their home or community, to cultivate togetherness.

Inspiration
Fashion today transcends 'human-centeredness,' embracing integration with the environment and humans, emphasizing sustainability. This design aims to balance durability and disposability, showcasing their potential coexistence. The chosen material ensures zero waste, reshaping consumer perspectives and contributing significantly to environmental impact reduction. Inspired by advanced biodegradable textiles with living organisms, such as algae and bacteria, this design is a synthesis of innovation influenced by Scarlett Yang and Natsai Chieza's groundbreaking work.
Materials
To develop the textile, algae and agar-agar powder will be selected as binder materials for their biodegradable nature. Four distinct raw ingredients (e.g., yellow onion peels, beets, red cabbages, and mushrooms) will be chosen to create colors for the biodegradable textile design, utilizing natural dye extracted from vegetables.
Techniques
I will initiate the process by crafting the biodegradable textile using binder materials and raw ingredients sourced from vegetables. Intricate surface details will be carved using laser-cutting equipment. For the garment design, Modaris (Lectra) will be employed to create a flat pattern, followed by the precise cutting of all pattern pieces using the Speedy 400 Laser Cutter. This ensures fused cutting edges to prevent fraying and unraveling of the fabric.

Materials
This multi-piece ensemble includes various materials, all of which will be either upcycled or recycled textiles. The foundation garment will be constructed with discarded 100% polyester bridal scraps collected from a bridal alterations studio. The crocheted portions will be created by upcycling white and cream 100% cotton t-shirts.

Techniques
The foundation garments will be created by layering and draping various bridal scrap fabrics on a dress form until a desired silhouette is achieved. The layers of materials will be quilted together with decorative thread. Upcycled t-shirts will be cut into strips to produce t-shirt yarn that will then be crocheted into chains and partial cylinders. The crochet pieces will be draped and attached to the exterior of the foundation garments.

Inspiration
This ensemble is inspired by the 15-17 millions tons of textile waste generated each year (EPA 2020). Visually, this ensemble is inspired by the great barrier reef, namely coral bleaching, a by- product of pollutants that are actively depleting the reef. The white undergarment represents coral bleaching, while the colorful crocheted exterior reflects the beauty of the great barrier reef.

Alignment to Congress Theme
This design aligns with textile craft, fashion and design, and sustainable and responsible living.

Updating an old pattern can make a garment functional and fashionable. This Traditional Aran Sweater was created to illustrate that even though “Home Economics (is) in a Time of Transformation” many of the skills from the past are continuing into the future. Knitting is an important craft which has roots in Home Economics and it is important that this is continued and not lost when transitioning into the future. Home Economics skills are important skills which can be tweaked or updated to keep them fresh. Many patterns have been passed down from generation to generation. Similar to Aran patterns, it is important that Home Economist’s share their knowledge and skills so that they are continued into the future. A Celtic Aran pattern was used as a basis for this sweater however, the pattern was adapted. Adaptions include- a longer rib on the front and back, one large cable added onto the back, one smaller cables added onto both sleeves as well as lengthening the rib. My inspiration for this garment was from the traditional Aran fishermen’s sweaters and Vogue’s on trend Winter 2023 cable knit sweater. Inspiration for the longer rib was from Chloé’s and Alexandra McQueen’s collection.

Inspiration/Alignment to theme:
Adaptive apparel is inclusive for people with physical disabilities. Similarly, gender-affirming garments improve the well-being of people with diverse gender identities. The intersectionality of physical disability and gender identity is understudied, however, clothing that is inclusive of disability and affirming of gender need not be mutually exclusive. Inclusive Affirmation is an adjustable calf-length dress for trans women who use wheelchairs. By addressing the intersectionality of marginalized identities, this design demonstrates the ways in which clothing and textile design, both traditional home economics subjects, can progressively improve the well-being of an underserved population.

Materials/Techniques:
To address the diverse body sizes that people with disabilities and trans women may experience, Inclusive Affirmation utilizes ties at the neckline, shoulder straps, underbust, waist, hips, and knee. Ties are fed through a channel; as the wearer ties the dress to fit their own body, each section of the dress gathers to create a customized and adjustable fit. Analyzing the therapeutic benefits of color and print design, the custom-printed fabric evokes body positivity using a calming muted color palette, and a feminine meandering floral motif. Addressing the gap in adaptive and gender-affirming apparel allows for a holistic approach to apparel design.

Inspiration/Alignment to theme:

Thanks to the Morrill Land-Grant Acts of 1862, home economics shortly thereafter transformed from ‘women’s housework’ to a diverse collection of scientific fields of study. Crazy Quilt (Trail)Blazer is a love letter to the homemaking women of the past, and the educated and fashionable women-in-STEM of the present and future.

Having gained popularity in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, crazy quilts demonstrated the high level of craft that women of the time could achieve with even the most basic materials. As we reflect on the history of home economics, we can pay tribute to these women by recognizing the craft of crazy quilting. In the present day, apparel and fashion design studies faculty at land-grant universities are comprised of highly educated and professional women who use clothing and science to achieve large-scale humanitarian goals… all while doing so in style!

Materials/Techniques:

Found materials will be used to create a crazy quilt textile, which will then serve as the main body fabric for the blazer design. The blazer will feature a corset-style midriff, further paying homage to women of the early 20th century. The color story for the design will vary based on found materials.

Built from the accumulation of billions of fossilized sea creatures, limstone forms on ancient seabeds. Where covered by land in later millennia, the porous limestone becomes the limbs and branches of extensive underground waterways stretching across entire regions and known as aquifers. "Secrets in Limestone", an 8"x52" dye painted silk banner, is a surface design response to the geological visualization of the aquifer which feeds the Texas Hill Country the San Marcos River. Scientific diagrams present a picture of knowledge of deep earth features that belies the role that imagination necessarily plays in the face of the limits of the penetration of sensor equipment. Beyond the boundary of scientific knowledge lies a realm of mystery only glimpsed from inside deep caves. The Serti technique, chosen for this piece, reduces water pollution from batik by the use of a rice based resist which can be removed after the dye is steam set. The goal of "Secrets in Limestone" is to remind viewers of the role of deep earth water in sustaining human life and the damage of overuse and waste. While alternative energy may find a path around 'peak oil', there is no way for humans to survive 'peak water'.

This design is part of a seven-piece collection contributing to existing research on textile sustainability, specifically slow fashion and repurposing. Seven categories of traditional textile techniques were identified resulting in three phases of research; 1) researching the eight traditional textile crafts to understand their historical usage and associated meanings, 2) identifying and individually interviewing collaborators with expertise in each of the techniques regarding their experiences with the technique, 3) collaborating with the participants to design and construct seven garments paying homage to each of the techniques while also incorporating repurposing.

Materials: The asymmetrical collar is needlepointed using purple, green and gold embroidery floss on a needlepointing canvas. The rest of the coat is made from deconstructed wool/wool blend second-hand garments. The shirt dress underneath consists of repurposed men’s dress shirts.

Techniques: Needlepoint, repurposing, draping for pattern-making

Inspiration: Inspiration came from the interviews with the collaborators, their stories and experiences, and also the historical research about the technique.

Alignment to Theme: This collection directly relates to the theme of Bridging the Past- Charting the Future as the purpose of the collection is to connect with the past through traditional textile techniques in order to preserve our future.

Display type: Dress form/mannequin

Inspiration
The idea is that to step into a world where everyday objects find new purpose, and where the spirit of recycling and home economics comes to life through the medium of used tea towels and textiles. The artwork blends the tactile beauty of hand-sewn and painted elements to create a captivating landscape of fields that tells a heartfelt story of sustainability and conscious living.

There is a painted face at center that radiates determination and wisdom, symbolizing the power of individual actions in shaping a sustainable future.

The landscape that surrounds the central figure is a patchwork of vibrant fields, each one constructed from repurposed fabrics that once served utilitarian purposes in home economics lessons. These fields represent the interconnectedness of our lives and the environment, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices in our everyday choices. They also evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminding us of the invaluable lessons learned in home economics classes, where resourcefulness and practical skills were cultivated.

Materials
Used tea towels and textiles from home economics lessons, used garn and textiles

Techniques
Sewing and Embroidery, Patchwork, Painting on textile, Appliqué, Collage, Texturing, Mixed Media, Layering

Display: a hook on a wall

The main focus of Tainted dress is the painted landfill. This landfill painting focuses on the big problem of overconsumption and waste generation in developed nations such as the United States. The contrasting bright yellow and dark brown colors make a powerful design statement. The linen dress was created first and then painted on using special fabric paint. I consider this piece impactful and significant because it addresses central issues related to environmental sustainability and marginalization. Society considers these issues significant because they affect the well-being of families around the world and especially in the least developed nations as they don’t have the financial resources to fight environmental pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that less than 15% of discarded textiles are recycled in the United States. Textile waste is commonly dumped outside of the United States, polluting less developed nations. The major problem posed by textiles in landfills relates to the dyes and specialty chemicals that are on the textiles when they arrive in the landfill. These dyes and chemicals leach out of the garments over time, making their way into the bodies of water used to nourish humans, animals, and crops every day (Nimkar, 2018).

Materials; This unisized, multi-functional 3-tier bib overall dress was made by reusing donated pre-production fabric samples and buttons.

Techniques; Pre-production fabric samples were a peach and white linen/rayon blend secured with eyelets. Four fabric weaves were available. Samples were disassembled, eyelets removed, ironed, and machine hemstitched together using alternating weaves. Hemstitching secured the fabrics together while also serving as a seam finish. A drawstring waist allows for a uni-sized garment (size 0 to 16). The 3 tiers, secured with buttons, allow it to transform from a long dress to a mid-length or mini dress. This loose-fit style was chosen due to samples not being on grain. All dress materials, except thread, were recycled or reused from pre-production donations. Thereby allowing the production cost to be almost entirely labor and, therefore, cost-effective for production.
Inspiration: Textile reuse and recycling is a sustainable way to keep textiles from entering our landfills. Unused pre-consumer fabrics and materials are an underused resource in our industry. When manufacturers can donate fabrics and materials, recycling and reusing them becomes a new challenge to our industry.

Alignment to Congress Theme: Transformative and uni-sized dress aids our apparel industry’s sustainability trend.

Mannequin Display:
Materials:
• Artistic 100% cotton fabric
• Black Satin
• Black lining
• Interfacing
• Invisible zip

Techniques:
Redrafting and modifying patterns
French seams and hems
Facing

Inspiration:
My dress is inspired by fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who was a visionary in the world of fashion. Her designs married art and fashion along with many other of her groundbreaking influences on the fashion we see today. I was inspired by the fabric, I found a lovely burnt orange, hot pink, black and autumnal coloured fabric. It reminded me of a sunset burning through the sky and falling behind hills. This fabric deserved to be worn and shown. I wanted the emphasis to be the fabric, so I matched with a high quality satin fabric in black on top, and also created a border on the wrap, and elongated it down the leg to gain more attention to the patterned fabric.

Alignment to the Congress 2024:
The theme resonates change and momentum to develop and progress Home Economics into our modern day world. In doing so, I feel it is important to acknowledge the powerful and progressive woman of the past, to which inspire future generations to continue advancing.

Mannequin Display

MATERIALS:
Original drafted pattern
Jeans and denim jackets from charity shops
Fabric dye
Curtain linings removed from curtains got in a charity shop
Zip
Bias binding
Embroidery thread

TECHNIQUES:
Flat seams
Overlocking
Top stitching
Hemming
Binding
Fabric Dyeing
Covered zip
Applique with embroidery finish

INSPIRATION:
Earlier this year, on the 13th of April, Fashion lost an Icon. Mary Quant passed away at the age of 93. She will be forever memorialized as the visionary who gave the world the miniskirt, her designs defined the style of the 1960s, and her name was synonymous with the “Mod” style adopted by the youth of the day. One of her most recognisable designs was her use of paneling to create a monochrome block shift dress. Yves Saint Laurent then created “The Mondrian dress”, using similar techniques and adding colour. A piece of wearable art.

ALIGNMENT TO CONGRESS THEME:
I’m going to take inspiration from this historic design using upcycled dyed denim as a nod to the memory of Ms. Quant’s timeless pattern block and hemline but also a nod to sustainability in fashion going forward.

Materials; Using preloved white- and gold-coloured fabrics this crazy patchwork quilted wall hanging is pieced together to represent the past, present, and future of a family as seen through the fabrics of their lives.
Inspiration: The patchwork represents the interworking of the family members’ lives incorporating fabrics from significant events including christenings, first communions, graduations, and weddings and evokes memories of happy times.
Techniques: The craft of crazy patchwork is a journey which is as much about the process as the finished piece as it encourages mindfulness and creativity in its making and mirrors the families’ journey from past to present.
Alignment to Congress theme: Patchworking and quilting fabrics to reuse them in functional and decorative pieces is responsible and sustainable repurposing of post-consumer textiles which otherwise would likely find their way to landfill or incineration. (Fletcher 2016). This white worked patchwork wall hanging has extended the lifetime of preloved textiles and demonstrates how art and craft can promote a better future for textiles and a mindful application of the goal of eliminating textile waste.

Materials
“Say Yes to FCS!” is a digitally printed Frankie Welch inspired wrap dress, scarf, and tote bag that used 100% cotton fabric and grosgrain ribbon.
Techniques
An 8”x8” textile design was created using Procreate software on an iPad tablet with Apple pencil. The design was digitally printed on fabric to create a modernized Frankie Welch wrap dress (e.g., raised hemline and no zipper for donning and doffing), 6” x 36” scarf, and 13”x 16” tote bag with 1.5” navy grosgrain ribbon handles. This builds on previous scholarship (Rolling, 2022), and the bag was created to store both the dress and scarf.
Inspiration
The inspiration for this design came from a classroom assignment to promote “Why FCS?” (FCS Educators, 2023) connected with a fieldtrip to a Frankie Welch exhibit on the theme “Americana” since Frankie was an FCS educator who used her textile designs as advertisements (Frankie Welch’s Americana, 2023). The textile design references FCS and Americana themes (e.g., hands symbolize helping outreach to people, dollar signs represent generosity and prosperity, patriotic AAFCS colors, etc.).
Alignment to Congress Theme
This design fits the theme of building upon past FCS fashion educator and designer Frankie Welch’s work for future student designs.

Materials
SunnyWave Scutes is a sustainable design that transforms post-consumer technical swimsuit fabric waste into a multipurpose protective bucket hat which transforms into a crossbody bag.
Techniques
As a bucket hat, this product provides protection from harmful Ultraviolet rays and rain for outdoor activities. Using the hat’s chinstrap strings as purse handles, this product can easily convert into a crossbody bag by turning the hat upside down for carrying items inside. As such, this product promotes multi-purpose functionality.
Inspiration
Swimming is the fourth most popular recreational sport in the United States, and expensive specialized technical swimsuits worn for swimming competitions only retain performance features for up to 12 races (USA Swimming, 2023). These swimsuits are made from water-repellent, non-biodegradable, and synthetic fabrics that have a short lifespan before ending up in landfills. Thus, SunnyWave Scutes is a creative scholarship product design that offers a solution to this problem.
Alignment to Congress Theme
This design aligns with the theme of transformation by taking something previously used in the past, such as swimwear, to create a new design for future use. This design advances upon other upcycled creative scholarship crossbody bags using wedding dresses (Rolling & Martindale, 2022) and t-shirts (Rolling, 2022).

This “1950’s Summer in Paris” dress takes inspiration from the timeless elegance of Christian Dior’s 1950s designs and reinterprets it for the modern age. At the heart of this creation lies the ethos of sustainability. By using sustainably sourced fabrics and embracing a retro style aesthetic, the elegance of the past is fused with the transformative vision of the future therefore allowing it to align with the theme of the 25th World Congress of Home Economics’ “Home Economics in a Time of Transformation: Bridging the Past - Charting the Future,”.

The design process involved in creating this promotes the development of garment design and construction skills that encourage individuals to create custom-made, high-value clothing. This dress is a symbol of Slow Fashion, a commitment to quality, and an embrace of longevity over disposability. In an era where sustainable living is paramount, this dress is a testament to how a more sustainable approach to fashion can play a progressive role in shaping a more positive human experience and addressing global issues concerning sustainable and healthy everyday living.

It’s not just a dress; it’s a narrative that can be worn for generations, bridging the past with the promise of a sustainable future.

Inspiration: Two ways designers are trying to reduce the millions of tons of textile waste each year, 1) upcycling, the act of recreating fashions from used, worn or discarded clothing and 2) designing garments with longer emotional value and personal connection to self and design to keep consumers from discarding clothing prematurely.

Materials and Techniques: Quilts are sometimes called a fabric hug. So having bags of scraps remain after piecing a memorial quilt for a friend from her late husband’s clothes, a combination of the above designing concepts merged into a memorial quilted cape - wearable and functional hug.

The cape was designed with a simple mid-century modern aesthetic who whose layout and color balance of the patchwork are similar to that of the memorial quilt pieced by designer. Clothes were of various construction and fiber content. Knitted and stretchy fabrics were first stabilized with lightweight interfacing prior to cutting. All were assembled by simple machine stitching. The cape and quilt will be machine quilted with wool batting and a second-hand sheet as the backing.

Pete’s Comforting Hug connects directly to the themes of Sustainable and Responsible Living and Family and Social Studies to align with the 2024 IFHE Congress.