Each year, Threads sets a design theme for the members of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals. In 2019, we asked the competitors to express the idea that, just as caterpillars transform into butterflies, change is good. The garments and ensembles they created had to be wearable in at least two ways. Any piece that was taken off one view had to be included in the alternate view, and the transformation had to be made on the runway.

The ASDP members devised many intriguing approaches to execute these metamorphoses, including making garments that are reversible, have interchangeable parts, are layered, or can be worn short or long. To assess the entries, Threads Editorial Director Sarah McFarland and Senior Technical Editor Carol J. Fresia were joined by previous challenge winner Susan Widawski and guest judge and Threads contributor Rhonda Buss. The judges selected four exemplary looks for awards, and the audience voted for an additional piece, based on the runway show presented at the ASDP annual conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Enjoy these multifaceted winning looks.

Best Overall

Patty Robison, Vintage Sari Transformation Dress

Patty, a custom designer from Bellingham, Washington, was inspired by a 6-yard length of sari silk from her stash. Her goal was to create three dresses with completely different silhouettes, each showcasing the lovely textile in a different way.

The first dress is a knee-length balloon dress, sleeveless with a ruffled neckline. The volume is controlled at the front waist by bias-tube ties; this gives the back a cape-like style. A boning hoop floats inside the dress and supports the hem. For the second dress, the elasticized neckline is lowered to high-hip level, creating a classic full-skirted effect, and revealing the bodice of a form-fitting dress with a laced back and wide band at the waist. Finally, the…