Petland Capers...

I love to be creative, and given the chance to use the "usual in "unusual" ways is like crack for me.  When the unconventional challenge of the season was announced, I was reved up like a cat chasing a laser pointer.

I thought it was kind of cheating, when Tim gave everyone the heads up and told them the judges don't like to see the designers use fabric items to make the garments.  However, Bert is just an old dog who doesn't want to learn any new tricks and grumbles away about how he won't make "ugly" clothes, and ignores Tim's advice and starts humming an immunity song.  Hmmmmm.

Back to the challenge, the designers had $300 to spend at a pet supply store, 30 minutes to choose and buy items, and I am guessing about 12 hours to do the work.  My hubby is very supportive of me doing the challenges, but $300 on pet supplies!  He would have a fit.  So, I worked on keeping mine scaled down to $100.  I looked for items I might actually be able to manipulate into a "fabric" for sewing.  I decided to look for food bags that had good color.  We have two cats, and I thought if I got cat food I wouldn't feel too bad about spending the money. I also decided some dog rope chews could be taken apart and used in some way.  I also grabbed some doggy poo bags, and some puppy training pads.  Little did I know that Heidi would have strong feelings about pee pads.

Here's proof of the 30 minutes and my stash of supplies:

Ohhh I wanted to get these, but unlike Bert the Weenie, I refused to lower myself to taking the easy way out:

My supplies:

This challenge was hard for me to finish in one day.  My Queen of Domecity duties were in high demand and critter stuff had to wait.  Once I got to work I fiddled around with the bags and training pads.  I found I could take apart the trainer pads and get a nice gauzy material, which I made into a beautiful collar.  Then I started in on draping a top to go with the collar.  I used the trainer pads whole for the body of the shirt. and then wanted to do something more unconventional for the skirt.

The designers got to use muslin for under structure.  However, I wanted to see if I could "make" a sew-able fabric.  After thinking, wine always helps with this, and fiddling around a bit I decided on using the bags from the kitty food and the dismantled doggie toy to use for fabric.  I ripped things apart and started to "weave" my fabric.  I used it to make a simple pencil skirt.  I was able to sew darts in my fabric and waist pleats.

I then decided I needed something to bring the two pieces together.  A belt!  I was done in less than 10 hours.  Here's the result:

I think I would have moved on.  I didn't use fabric items.  I didn't just drop the training pads on some muslin.  I MADE fabric.  The outfit, while maybe not something you'd see on the rack at Nordies, could be worn and not be heckled.  Yea, successful again.

Now once I had finished, the prize is getting to watch the show.  :-)  I thought Julie should have won.  Her jacket/dress was interesting and something you could wear.  How did she get passed over?  I will be watching her and Laura.  Laura almost had a terrible "cone skirt" but thankful her good taste (common sense says ass hanging out from under skirt is not a good thing) stepped in and she went to work on a paper skirt and top woven from leashes.

Well, time to clean up my mess.  Until next time...