Trash Bag Dresses

In my freshman level course I am required to teach some very basic sewing skills. To start this unit (which I save for nearly the end of the year due to testing) I have the students create trash bag dresses. To begin we watch an episode of Project Runway, to help the students understand what I am after. Fashion made from unusual materials.  

I provide black and white trash bags and clear packing tape. Any other materials, the students will be required to provide them for themselves. I used to only allow 4 trash bags- they could choose how many of each color, but only 4 total. Well, I still have trash bags I bought 6 years ago, so this year I allowed students to have as many as they would like. They still only used 6 at most.  Students work in groups of 3 or 4.  One of the group members is the model. The remaining group members create the dress on the student. I usually give students 3-4 days to work on their project. On Friday, we have a runway show. Depending on what’s happening in the school, I sometimes invite any teacher to bring down her class to watch the event or we keep it a small affair and only present in front of the class. There is music and pictures to help the event feel more “real.”

The kids always really enjoy this project. I enjoy seeing where the kids take it. Sometimes they really blow me away!