Blue Measure is a striking sculptural artwork that transforms the functional into the fashionable, reimagining a 1960s-style shift dress entirely from vintage sewing pattern paper. This piece cleverly appropriates the overlooked elements found on the reverse of pattern envelopes—the measurement guides, gridded rulers, and technical instructions that typically end up discarded once a garment is cut.
The dress silhouette is unmistakably mod, featuring the straight, boxy torso and short sleeves characteristic of sixties fashion. The bodice displays measurement markings and blue measurement tape that were sometimes put on the back of the pattern envelope. The shoulders are adorned with measuring tape trim showing increments from 12 to 31 inches, while the hemline features a similar graduated scale.
What elevates this work beyond mere novelty is its wit and attention to detail. The waist tie and decorative "dot" accent on the chest are ingeniously crafted from the printed instructions and numerical tables found on pattern envelopes—the very numbers meant to guide garment creation become the garment's embellishment, their utilitarian purpose transformed into pure ornament.
Blue Measure is both homage and deconstruction, celebrating the domestic art of dressmaking while questioning the boundary between blueprint and finished product. The piece invites viewers to consider the beauty in process, the poetry in planning, and the creative potential hidden in the most mundane materials.
Blue Measure is a striking sculptural artwork that transforms the functional into the fashionable, reimagining a 1960s-style shift dress entirely from vintage sewing pattern paper. This piece cleverly appropriates the overlooked elements found on the reverse of pattern envelopes—the measurement guides, gridded rulers, and technical instructions that typically end up discarded once a garment is cut.
The dress silhouette is unmistakably mod, featuring the straight, boxy torso and short sleeves characteristic of sixties fashion. The bodice displays measurement markings and blue measurement tape that were sometimes put on the back of the pattern envelope. The shoulders are adorned with measuring tape trim showing increments from 12 to 31 inches, while the hemline features a similar graduated scale.
What elevates this work beyond mere novelty is its wit and attention to detail. The waist tie and decorative "dot" accent on the chest are ingeniously crafted from the printed instructions and numerical tables found on pattern envelopes—the very numbers meant to guide garment creation become the garment's embellishment, their utilitarian purpose transformed into pure ornament.
Blue Measure is both homage and deconstruction, celebrating the domestic art of dressmaking while questioning the boundary between blueprint and finished product. The piece invites viewers to consider the beauty in process, the poetry in planning, and the creative potential hidden in the most mundane materials.
Dimensions: 28cm x 23xm x 6cm Materials: Vintage sewing pattern paper, dyes, archival mounting
Care: Keep away from direct sunlight to preserve the vibrant colors
