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The idea for this activity is for each participant to make a garment of their own design using old clothes and a secret ingredient. Bubblewrap!
This fun idea will especially appeal to younger teenage girls.
A large open space with at least two large tables will be needed, and having a couple of adults on hand to help and supervise is a good idea.
Begin by bringing together the following items
- at least two large sheets of plain white paper
- lots of brown paper to make a basic dressmaking patterns
- pens or pencils
- measuring tape
- several pairs of scissors
- bubble wrap with small bubbles
- decorations to sandwich between layers of bubblewrap, for example, confetti, small lengths of lace or ribbon, buttons, coloured cellophane (red is particularly good)
- old clothes
- an iron
- needles and thread.
Measure up each of the designer and make a basic pattern for a poncho-style garmet. The pattern should be in one long piece with a neck hole cut in the middle.
Once the pattern has been made and the designer is happy with it place it on the bubble wrap and cut out two of the shape.
Place one of the bubble wrap shapes on the table and then let the designer take over. Have them decorate it with confetti, button, ribbon, lace etc. Encourage them to be as imaginative as possible. When they are satisfied with the design, carefully place the second piece of bubble wrap on top and then sandwich the whole thing between large sheets of clean white paper.
Spread out an old blanket or towel on an old table. Take the sandwiched fabric to the old table and with the iron on its coolest setting run it over the bubble wrap sandwich to fuse together the two pieces.
Make sure the bubblewrap has had plenty of time to cool down before removing the white paper.
Once the designers have made their bubblewrap ponchos they can leave the garment as it is, use a belt to tie it together or sew on a couple of lengths of ribbon on each side edge so that the sides can be tied together.
If the designers are feeling ambitious they could make a simple belt and the ties using the same method.
The designers could also raid the old clothes to add features to their ponchos eg fringing around the bottom. The designers could also use the old clothes to complete their outfit, matching a skirt or pants with their poncho, and include accessories.
Of course, all of this designing frenzy wouldn’t be complete without a fashion show at the end.
