Kenzie 05/25/2023

Final Capstone Reflection

The capstone is a unique and demanding challenge. In completing it, what did you learn
about the subject? Your skill set? Yourself?

Over the past semester I have learned so much about sewing and mastered many new
techniques that I had not previously attempted. I used boning for the first time which was
simply incorporating structure into the bodice. This was something completely new and I was
able to figure it out by watching YouTube videos and relying on the support of my textile’s
teacher. I have also been working with this silky fabric which is different from any other fabric I
have worked with in the past. Due to its silky texture, it sometimes slips through my machine
and causes bunching along the seam. This took a lot of practice and I had to adapt to this new
style of sewing. I also was able to learn a new hemming technique from the skirt as well as how
to attach an invisible zipper. These skills have taught me how easily I can incorporate different
skills into creating a final product such as a dress. I have developed as a problem solver and
researcher as I have worked through any complications throughout the process and been
satisfied with my final product in the end.

How is your project relevant to you the school or the community-at-large?

This project is relevant to me because it is one of my favourite hobbies and also a big
part of my day-to-day life. Although I may not be interested in pursuing a career of textiles or
fashion design, it is still something I imagine myself continuing and possibly making it a side job
and make a bit of money from it. I also use this unique skill to help out my friends and family
when they need something altered or mending anything. It is also something I have used to
make Christmas presents or gifts for people, therefore it is a very practical skill that I would like
to continue to evolve. My project connects to my community and school because now I have
provided a cheaper option for people that may not be able to afford a $700 dress, but rather a
dress that is under $100. This may leave room for spending a bit of extra money on accessories
such as purse, shoes, jewelry, nails, hair or even just saving some money. The grad season is
expensive enough when thinking about the cost of all these accessories or even the cost of
tickets and the other events throughout the year. I have documented my process and altered
my pattern throughout the way so that anyone could follow it. This is also a good solution for
people that have different body types because you can alter it and add fabric or take away
fabric in different places. For me I had to add a good amount of length to the skirt and make
some changes to the bodice by slimming it.

How did you demonstrate the six core competencies throughout this project?
 Critical thinking was a big part of this project because I needed to analyze certain
patterns to pick out different parts that I want to include in my dress. I also need to use my
developing and designing skills to be creative and problem solve when not all my ideas work
out the first time. I also had to logically analyze all the information on the pattern so that I could
follow the instructions and research on YouTube to better understand concepts that I didn’t
quite get.

Another core competency that connects to my project is creative thinking because this
project required me to come up with my own ideas and find create ways to solve problems. The
design that I chose for my dress was made up of small parts of different dresses that I liked the
look of. It was a mix of different styles that took a lot of creativity to design based on how I
would look in it. I made many drawings of different designs that I liked until I found one that I
loved.

Personal Awareness and responsibility were a part of my project because I needed to be

self-determined and stay motivated even though it was a long, difficult, and frustrating process.
Keeping myself on track and pushing through the harder parts was a challenge and that’s why it
required a fair amount of personal awareness. There were times when I doubted myself and
wanted to give up, but I was able to persevere and stay determined because I knew it was
important to complete it for myself.

For communication I needed to use my mentors to get some advice and help on some of
the more complicated concepts. I needed to collaborate and plan with my mentors to carry out
my project while listening to their ideas and sharing my own. This was affective because with
their wisdom, they were able to help me navigate some of the more difficult concepts and help
me work through any difficulties. I was able to learn from their ideas while still completing the
project all on my own.

Positive personal and cultural identity were displayed throughout my design because I
made my dress as a way to express myself. I usied my personal strengths and abilities to create
something that is meaningful to me and that expresses myself. Clothing and fashion is a big part
of the way people express their values and they often reflect who you are and how you feel in
the moment. I want to feel good at grad and having a dress that I am proud of and feel good in
will help achieve this desire.

For social responsibility I created a journal throughout my process that can be shared
with others so that they could follow my tips and struggles. This project could potentially be
replicated by anyone that chose to read my journal or could be changed to fit their individual
needs. It is a great way for other to also follow their self-expression and to be able to create
something they also feel good in.

What impact if any did your capstone have?

 At the moment my capstone technically hasn’t had any effect on anyone because I have
not published my journal or shared any of my knowledge and project yet. If I were to do this,
the impact would hopefully result in other people attempting to sew their own grad dress or
formal dress and then they would end up saving money. Hopefully it would inspire someone
with any textiles knowledge to attempt something as challenging as this.

Thinking about your process and your finished product, what are you most proud of?

Throughout my whole process I am most proud of my ability to persevere and follow

through all the way until the end. There were many times that I doubted my process and
became frustrated with new concepts but my ability to problem solve was something I was
most proud of. Specifically, when I was working through the design of the slit of my dress I
found it super complicated and it took me a super long to time to get it right. I was able to keep
working through it until I was happy with my design. I was also super proud of my problem
solving and designing skills. To be able to alter a complicated pattern especially on a formal
dress such as this was a difficult task and took countless hours of researching, communicating
with my mentors and thinking about what I can do.

What was a difficulty you encountered and how did you solve the problem?

As I explained in the last question there were many challenges that I had to overcome
but one of the trickiest ones was when I was working on the bodice. When I had pretty much
completed it, I noticed that there was a bit of gaping on the sides around my armpits. I wasn’t
sure exactly how this happened and tried many times to fix it, but nothing was working. I first
tried to move the straps around to try and tighten that spot. It worked a bit but didn’t
completely fix the problem. Then I tried making a dart on the side, but that actually made the
problem worse because now there was extra fabric in the front part. I was so stuck at this point
and didn’t know what to do so I ended up going to one of my mentors. I explained the problem
and she instantly had a solution. I took her ideas into account and the final result was exactly
what I was hoping for.

What was one thing about your project that you wish you could change? Why?

Overall, I am super happy about the final product that I have produced, but there are
two things I would change if I had the chance to do it over again. They both have to do with the
designing component because my style kind of changed since the time I started it. When I first
began designing it, I wanted this really flowy skirt and now that I’ve seen some other people’s
dresses, I wish I would have made mine a bit slimmer. The other thing I would have changed is
the overlap in the front that created the slip. I ended up overlapping it more than I wanted
because I was trying to be conservative, but now when I walk around with it my leg barely
peaks through it. I still love what I have created though and will not be changing anything at this
time.

What advice would you give to a student who will be completing their capstone project next
year?

My best pieces of advice for anyone starting this project are to get started on it as early
as you can and don’t pick something too complicated and pick something that you will actually
enjoy doing. If you choose to create something that is actually meaningful to you or that you
are passionate about, you can enjoy the process rather than thinking of it as a chore. Because
the project is so open ended you can pick something much simpler and focus your time on
perfecting it rather than trying to complete something super time consuming that you might
not get done in time. And my last piece of advice is to get started on it right away. Now because
you start the project near the beginning of the year, it may feel like you have all the time in the
world to complete it but that really is not true. It’s a good idea to keep yourself on a timeline
and follow that timeline so that you don’t fall behind.

What source from your research helped you the most? Or least?

My sources that helped me the most throughout this process were not anything on the
internet, but instead my textiles teacher and a family friend. These two people were so helpful
for me because they offered advice on many different concepts and helped me at times when I
was trying to problem solve. My aunt actually made her own wedding dress, and my textiles
teacher has made many formal dresses in her past. Therefore, they both had an extensive
amount of wisdom on this topic. I felt comfortable going to each of them when I was uncertain
of what to do or needed advice on certain things. I also used a bit of youtube to help me with
some new techniques when my mentors were unavailable, but ultimately my mentors were my
most beneficial source.

What is one thing about your approach to your project that you wish you could change?
Why?

One way I wish I could have approached this project differently is my strap designing
phase. I ended up leaving this part until the last minute which caused a bit of problems at the
end. I couldn’t decide in the beginning if I wanted to cross the straps or have them go straight
down or even if I wanted them to be doubled or thicker. I took some time researching on
Pinterest and drawing some different designs but could not quite make a decision. I left this all
the way to one of my last steps which meant that I had to stitch rip the seam so that I could put
my straps on. If I had approached this differently and started the straps earlier, I could have
made it much easier for myself.