DIY Shorts Part II: Dying and Studding

If you missed part I of my DIY short making process, check it out!

Onto the dying. This part is my favorite - if I could dye things all the time, I think I would. Thankfully because I am in a textiles class, I have access to some pretty sweet dyes. This time, I was smart and dyed sample denim pieces that I had bleached along with the shorts. This way, I could test how colors would turn out, and what I wanted to do. Here are some shots of my tests for pair one (I picked the orange), and pair two (I picked the rose pink). I simply didn't expect the speckled patterns to hold up, since I would not be able to soak them for several hours.

Though I Have written myself a formula, the first thing to do is mix several cups of warm water and urea powder, making urea water. Then I mix in the right amount of dye powder. Sorry for a bit of blur in these shots, but if you have no idea what I'm talking about, here's what I'm using:

After mixing the various powders and waters, I fill a small tub with it all, and make sure the shorts fit well. I agitate and shift them around for about 30 minutes (with rubber gloves! Though there is no doubt I still always get dye on my hands). After that time, I add in a warm water and dye activator mix, which will help the dye set, as well as fully cover the shorts so they can soak overnight and not miss any sections. The darker you want your shorts, the longer you let them sit. This orange pair sat for probably around 9/10 hours (overnight), and the second pair was dip dyed for about the same time.

Then what I do is I rinse them, stick them in a bag, and let them dry here at home. Since the dye never fully comes out with just the rinse, I stick them in the wash by themselves, and dry them in the dryer afterwards. I was lucky in that the dryer just destroyed my fringe on the orange pair, and it looked super awesome! When my other pair was finished, I got to sew my zipper on the front. Originally I planned to put extra fabric there, possibly white to match the side, but so far I have left it this way.

I finally put studs on my orange ones, and called them done. Unfortunately, I wore them to class, and they ripped in several places already. The bleach must have made this pair very weak. This was the first pair I ever bleached, and for some reason, they took hours, while my second pair only took a matter of about 20-40 minutes. I will painstakingly now remove the studs, and cut/bleach/dye a second pair, and hope that I have some stronger denim this time! I really loved the orange pair, they were my favorites.

Soon to come are additions on this third pair. I picked up some white shorts from the free table, and dip dyed them. I love seeing what colors are underneath the dye color itself. I am not sure what I want to do to these. Suggestions?

Printmaking - Intaglio

This semester, I needed to enroll in one last exploratory art class. I chose a Printmaking class with an Intaglio based process. We started this semester learning lots and lots of processes, finally to start the first real assignment last week. All we were told is "myth," the one word left open ended for us to choose any myth from any culture we wanted.

With my arbitrary classics background I've developed, naturally I stuck to Greek myths. I chose the myth of Persephone, and the drawing for my plate ended up pretty Grateful Dead looking. I'm not against this, of course! Below: the left is the copper plate with my drawing traced onto the ground with red oxide, and ready to be dry pointed. On the right is my original sketch / plan.

Stages one and two are below, as well as what blocking out looks like when it comes to acid biting. I have just finished the third and final today (not pictured here), but have left it to dry and will take a photograph later this week. In the end, I wish the last stage looked a little better. But you can be the judge for yourself once I post that!

News News News

Sorry for the lack of posting that's been going on, I've been having an awful time lately with sewing machines breaking and papers, etc. I have been waiting in the mail for some studs, which is why I haven't made the final post on my (almost) finished shorts. But the good news is, I have several other pairs I have picked up from the school's free clothing table, so there will be more to come this semester!

As for my senior project, I am well on my way on the third dress out of four. In the coming month, I will be shooting my portraits, finally! Those pictures will definitely be on here come the end of this semester. And I will actually finally explain this project, and what's been keeping me so busy.

For better news - I have a job this summer! I will be joining my friend and old professor Kyle Ford for his last gig at Skidmore College, assisting his summer photography classes. We will be having lots of fashion and digital printing adventures, according to the schedule. Applications go out soon, but I'm pretty certain I'm already in. Super pumped to be up here for a few more months!

DIY - Embellishing Shorts

While waiting for my studs to come for my other shorts, I busied myself making these. I'm taking a trip to Santa Fe this coming spring break, and wanted something a little southwestern.

I cut them from some old black jeans (I could have sworn they fit a little looser). I found a scarf with tassels at the free table the other day, and cut the ends off to sew them onto the bottoms. I also had some patterned fabric I placed on one side.

Stay tuned for more DIY. My studs shipment should be here soon!