This project of the upcycle has been an interesting challenge thus far. I’ve thrown around ideas about many different types of materials and designs and haven’t felt content with any one idea. I then started thinking about who I am and what materials would make sense from a standpoint of what I already have and I fell upon the idea of an old retired climbing rope I’ve hung onto. As it has been an item I have relied upon through the years but has reached an age that it should be removed from service, I began thinking of other things I could turn it into and therefore save myself from simply tossing it. I feel this is the exact purpose of this assignment – to use what would otherwise be considered trash or unusable and turn it into something that can once again bring joy to those who come in contact with it. Knowing the durability and strength that the rope still has, I began thinking of projects I could make out of it that would still take advantage of its material qualities, and not necessarily just an item to look at. I also thought it would be an interesting twist if I were to use rope in ways climbers are traditionally trained not to, therefore creating a twist on the original purpose of the rope itself. This idea led me to thoughts of chairs, rugs, and other items in the home where the finished product would be stood upon, sat on, or used in ways a climbing rope is not intended to be. I began to do some research on what others have done to draw inspiration for my product and found lots of ideas for items to create. Some of these are shown below, as well as an image of the rope I shall be using for my project. I have not fully committed to a certain object yet but I’m super excited to get to work and see where the project goes!