✨ Post 13 – Portfolio: Chaos, Craft & Chamkis

This semester in Aesthetics of Design has been a whirlwind of yarn tangles, mirror glue mishaps, late-night sewing marathons, and a lot of “wait, is this how you use a hot glue gun?”moments. But somewhere between uncertainty and ambition, I found myself building two very real, very personal projects that I’m genuinely proud of.

💡 Upcycling Project: From Dumpster Find to Dorm Treasure

This one started with an abandoned lamp sitting sadly in the “free stuff” zone of my apartment complex. At first, I ignored it. Then, I obsessed over it. Eventually, I adopted it.

I was inspired by Scandinavian interior design, especially the more colorful, expressive side of it that’s become popular in 2024. My space already had cozy textures, pops of color, and wood elements—this lamp was going to tie it all together.

The process? Absolute chaos.

– The lamp didn’t work.
– Its base was oddly shaped and definitely not yarn-friendly.
– I ran out of yarn mid-project.
– Hot glue got everywhere (including my soul).

But by the end, it stood tall—wrapped in stripes of color, quirky in all the right ways, and glowing with newfound purpose. It may not be showroom-perfect, but it’s very me, and that’s what I love most about it.

 

 

👗 Final Project: A Mirror Work Dream, Reimagined

For my main project, I knew I wanted to make something deeply personal—something that reflected me. I landed on Rajasthani mirror work, a traditional embroidery technique I grew up wearing during festivals back in India. But this wasn’t just nostalgia—it was a challenge to modernize it into a *wearable*, *casual*, yet elegant outfit.

So I created a two-piece co-ord set: a sleeveless velvet top and a structured cotton satin skirt, hand-embellished with acrylic chamki mirrors and real glass mirrors. Every part of it had meaning:

– The velvet brought in the plush, traditional feel of Indian festive wear.
– The skirt was modern, crisp, and balanced the softness of the top.
– The mirror work? Oh, that took hours. Some stitched by hand, some glued (because time is a villain), but all placed with love.
– The back? A surprise lace-up bow closure that added a delicate finish and adjustable fit!

This was also the first time I designed, patterned, and sewed an entire outfit myself—with help from my mom (who shipped all the materials from Chennai), and my aunt (who let me set up a mini sewing studio at her place in Denver).

The best part? I ended up gifting it to someone close to me. Seeing her wear it was the proudest moment of my semester.

 💬 Final Reflections & Things I’ve Learned

Aside from learning how to sew an actual outfit and glue yarn onto a non-cooperative surface, this class taught me something else: how to see design in everything.The way we critique, the way we think through aesthetics, the way we combine form and function—it’s stuck with me.

Now every time I see a presentation, I start internally critiquing it. (I promise it’s friendly critique! The kind where you think, “hmm… maybe that slide could use more white space.”)

And while I didn’t expect to fall in love with hands-on design, here I am—ready to take it into my future work, maybe with fewer yarn burns next time.

Highlights I’m Proud Of:

• Turning trash into treasure—literally

• Learning to sew a wearable outfit from scratch

• Reconnecting with cultural traditions in a new country

• Keeping up with every blog post, critique, and deadline

• Developing a sharper eye for aesthetic detail and storytelling

Thank you again to Professor Jean  for your guidance and encouragement. This class has been one of the most creatively satisfying things I’ve done at CU Boulder 💛

📌 Upcycle Project – https://www.aesdes.org/2025/02/18/scandanavian-lamp/
📌 Final Project–https://www.aesdes.org/2025/04/22/final-report-part-2-stitching-stories-and-sparkle/