My good friend Beth Prokop of the Artisan Sewing and Fashion Academy first introduced me to Art in Motion through her newsletter - and then encouraged me to participate. The event was also being supported by Dr. ChaCha N. Hudson of The Sewcial Cafe, one of its directors and someone I knew from her role as a judge at Project G Street.

Preparing three runway looks offered me the opportunity to design for three people with bodies different from my own. The categories - Upcycling, Celebrity Couture, and Signature - would lead me from secondhand curtains to formal menswear and a highly personal tailored ensemble.

This first article follows the Upcycling look, created for my mother from an unexpected Goodwill find.

During my mother's most recent visit, we decided to explore the new Goodwill in Germantown. We were not expecting to find anything in particular, but we came across three curtain panels in coordinating shades of silver and gray. One was a shower curtain; the original purposes of the other two were less obvious, but we liked the look and feel of the textiles together.

We immediately knew the embossed floral fabric should become a bog jacket. When we placed it beside the ombre dotted shower curtain, the two appeared to make a natural pairing.

I had previously made a bog jacket successfully and still had the instructions for the Bog Jacket with Hood Expansion. I then looked for a similarly resource-conscious trouser design and selected the Birgitta Helmersson Zero Waste Block Pant. Together, the patterns allowed me to combine repurposed textiles with fabric-efficient construction.

Before cutting into the shower curtain, I used the third, double-sided curtain to test the trouser pattern. The mockup was successful enough that it no longer felt like a mockup. My mother and I both liked the trousers, so I kept them for the finished look and left the shower curtain intact for another project.

The trousers required only one adjustment: shortening the waist elastic by a few inches. That small change was enough to achieve a comfortable fit.

I would have only one fitting with my mother before completing the ensemble. During that fitting, I shortened both the jacket hem and the sleeves. Adjusting the jacket's proportions allowed it to meet the trousers at a more flattering point while leaving the front pleating detail visible.

What began as an experiment with three secondhand curtains became a polished and surprisingly elegant outfit. The jacket and trousers are comfortable, cohesive, and sophisticated - proof that an upcycled garment does not need to look improvised. With thoughtful fabric selection and attention to proportion, reclaimed household textiles can become clothing that looks completely intentional.

PHOTO PLACEMENT  FINISHED UPCYCLING LOOK TO ADD
Suggested caption: The completed bog jacket and Zero Waste Block Pant modeled by my mother.
Placement note: Add after the final fitting or when runway photographs are available.

Art in Motion  A Runway for Creativity will take place on Friday, October 9, 2026, as part of Artspiration Frederick in Frederick, Maryland. The event combines a fashion competition, live auction, and fundraiser. Visit the Art in Motion event website for current information.

Coming next: the Celebrity Couture look and the story behind a luminous blue dinner jacket made for my husband.

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