Pattern Meets Paint: plain denim to wearable art.

Splatter & Stitch: A Pollock-Inspired Skirt. Love it when the fabric becomes the canvas and fashion is the masterpiece.

There’s something magical about starting with a blank canvas—and for me, that canvas is a soft white denim I’ve been saving for just the right Rosie Skirt.

The fabric has the perfect balance: structured yet soft, crisp and ready for transformation.

With this new skirt project, I wanted to play with paint—the kind of bold, expressive splatter that feels alive. So before a single stitch touched the fabric, I laid out the yoke panels and square circle skirt and gave them a Pollock-inspired treatment with black and bronze fabric paint. The result? A spontaneous, high-energy pattern that dances across the white denim, chaotic in the best way. No two splashes alike—just like the skirt itself.

Once the paint dried, the real personality started coming together. I pulled out a child’s leopard-print kitty T-shirt that I’ve been saving as a playful motif, and I couldn’t resist a few rhinestone designs for sparkle.

A trip to Hobby Lobby added even more layers: a bronzy-brown velvet ribbon for the hem and a matching black velvet trim to balance it out. Those luxe textures against the splattered paint create such a dynamic contrast.

For the yoke, scraps dictated creativity. I pieced it together in one of my corset-inspired styles and used the same velvet ribbon to accent the seams—a little challenge turned into a design opportunity. I also found the same ribbon in black that was perfect for the trim around the hip seam.

And then—pockets! I’ve been dreaming of sneaking a secret pocket into the yoke seam, just big enough for my cell phone. This skirt is the perfect test case, and I love that it makes the design even more functional.

In the end, this Rosie Skirt became an explosion of paint, play, and personality. It’s not just something I made—it’s something that couldn’t exist anywhere else. Obviously not off the rack, and absolutely, unmistakably me.

Take a look in your fabric stash and don't be afraid to throw a little paint at a piece!

You just might find a piece of art hidden in there!

For more Skirt Art - check out my YouTube channel - playlist - "Sew Shawnelle"

https://www.youtube.com/c/FutureFashionDesigners

Future Fashion Designers Sewing Academy in N.C. opened in 2010 to inspire the next generation of fashion designers.  Learn to sew, it never goes out of style!

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