While many students spend their time exploring malls and department stores for their outfits, juniors Ellora Horan, Rowan Kelly, and Aisling Muldowney spend their time crocheting, sewing, or knitting their own clothes. Together, they have made everything from sweaters and tank tops to their homecoming dresses.
For them, the creative process of making their own dresses is a way to exercise their existing love for crafting while also creating things of essential use.
“I’ve always liked making things,” Horan said. “I think it’s cool to make something yourself instead of buying it in the store.”
The added advantage of making their own clothes is that Horan, Kelly, and Muldowney have something that celebrates their individuality — a one of a kind outfit that no one else has or can wear.
“I get to make something that’s really unique and personalized to what I want because you can always get a dress online, but if you make your own, you can pick the fabric, you can pick the pattern, and no one else is ever gonna have that dress so it’s extra special,” Kelly said.
For homecoming in November, the group came together and decided to make their own dresses. Since it was the first time a few of them had ever sewn their own outfits, the process was initially difficult as they tried to learn on the fly. Despite the daunting learning curve, they leaned on each other to make the dresses of their dreams.
“We’re all at different levels in terms of sewing, and we all have different experiences and different things that we know more about, so it’s really great to help each other out while also having fun with it,” Kelly said.
Sewing demands precision and has a small margin for error, which can make the process stressful. Horan said the most important thing is to be open to making mistakes and to enjoy the process.
“I think it can be frustrating, especially when you make a mistake, because you have to go back and redo it,” Horan said. “It’s a long process so you have to be patient.”
Along with the time it takes to create the dress, there is a considerable amount of time dedicated to preparing. From finding inspiration to selecting the perfect material, there’s a lot that goes into making an outfit.
“If I have an event or something that I want to make, I’ll look on Pinterest and then once I find something that I really like, I’ll find a pattern online, and go to buy the supplies,” Kelly said. “Then I use stuff that I already have…and I sort of plan it out, and then I get to make it.”
Not only do they help each other out but they take their creative outlook on life to add a new twist to a holiday tradition.
“We all do different things in our friend group, like some people sew, some people crochet, or knit or do other things, so part of our secret santa was to buy part of your gift but also make something so it’s more personalized. You don’t have to spend as much money, and it shows your dedication because you have to put a lot of time into it,” Horan said.
For Kelly, this activity has not only been a good way to strengthen friendships, and relieve stress but also teach important life skills like time management, collaboration, and creativity.
“I have definitely learned a lot throughout this process, and I know that I’ll take the things that I learned into future projects,” Kelly said.
