DIY

Great Ideas to re-do that would be awesome!

Frozen rose in ice add a great touch for a romantic evening.

Adding gold string of light behind mirror piece or reflectors lights is always a win.

Great for Christmas if you use different color paper or different color lighting.

Making that flower that can be done with multiple style and materials.

Make your own Embellish Gems

Step 1: Paint a fresh layer over the gems

Step 2: Place lace over and hold for 1 minutes

step 3: If the sides aren't fully dry.. Apply another light coat on the rim and press down.

Step 4: Cut off the excess.

Step 5: Use it to stylize things!!!!

Step 6: Don't forget to share!!!

Make your own glitter pumps

Steps 1: Clean the shoe

Step 2: Paint the shoe on only one side with glue. 

Step 3: Apply the 1st layer or glitter. 

Step 4: Tilt off the excess.

Step 5: Continue on the other side.

Step 6: Work on the back end heel part.

Step 7: Go over the smaller details of the shoes depending on which type of shoes

you're doing. 

Step 8: Let it dry for 8-10 hours

Step 9: Wear it out and rock it!!

Step 10: Share this with your friends. 

Click on photos to see bigger views and yes it is downloadable.

French Pouf! Chiffon 
&Tulle Flower Accessory DIY

* French Pouf Accessory : Pin, Belt, Hair from Ban.do *

* Half a yard of chiffon fabric in color of choice.

* Half a yard of tulle {you'll use less}

* Scissors

* Matching thread & a needle

* I pin back

  

* Create Circles by folding the edges of your chiffon & tulle over about 3 inches {The original flower is 7" diameter so I made mine the same. If you want your flower smaller, then create smaller circles} and cutting half circles. They don't have to be perfect . . . note: we want the ends to fray a little to give it a little vintage romance. 

* I used about 28 chiffon circles {half of one yard of fabric} and between 10-14 tulle circles. 

* Fold your circles in half ...then in half again, but not perfectly. . . stitching in place one at a time then . . . 

* Run a stitch through each of them, forming a pseudo-circle.

 

* Continue overlapping circle/triangles of chiffon and tulle in between. You can pinch them and gather them a bit at the center/base with your stitches.

* Keep layering your circle pieces in until you can't really see spaces between them. 

* Keep your stitches to the center of the flower ...and some overlaying pieces can be stitched to each other instead of all they way down the base, but intersperse them. This is what the back should look like.

* Hand stich your pin backing to the center of the flower. You may choose to stitch or glue {if you must} a small circular piece of felt to the back then stitch or glue {if you must} your pin back to that. But I preferred to just stitch it directly to the flower.

  

  

...slide a few bobby pins through the pin back and your hair...

Have Fun!

DIY chaincord Bracelets Tutorials

Braid your bracelet tutorial

DIY: Cord and Chain Double Wrap Bracelet

The Braided Chain Bracelet tutorial that I posted back in August was so well loved, that I decided to do yet another bracelet tutorial. This one doesn't involve braiding, but it uses the same concept of incorporating some sort of thread/cord into chain.

I spotted CC Skye's Thompson Double Wrap Bracelet on CoutureCandy.com about a month ago - I loved how the leather cord adds a touch of badass to the chain. It's currently out of stock on CoutureCandy.com...but after doing a bit of searching, I found that it was roughly $224. I decided to make my own version that fit my personality a little better - not to mention, for way cheaper. The cord in the original version is sewn into the middle strip of fabric, but I decided to make this one a bit simpler.

Thompson Double Wrap Bracelet, $264 (CoutureCandy.com)

CC Skye - Thompson Double Wrap Bracelet (Polyvore.com/Zappos.com)  

Supplies:

- Curb chain (I used brass)

- At least 60 inches of cord (The original version used leather. I used black faux leather cord, which was a personal preference)

- Sewing thread, same color as your cord

- Sewing needle, jewelry clasp, jump rings, jewelry pliers

 

1) Measure a length of chain that will fit comfortably around your wrist. You'll need two strands.

2) Insert the cord through the topmost link in one of the strands.

 

3) Insert the cord through the next link, essentially wrapping the cord through the top of the link.

4) Pull it through, and bring it back up "behind" the chain and into the next link...

 

5) And keep on repeating. Easy enough! You're just weaving the cord in and out through the links. Be sure to keep your chain in one direction; this will make it easier for you to go along the chain with your cord. (I used a flash in the photographs from here on in, so you can see the black cord better!)

6) Keep on going...

 

7) When you've reached the end of the chain - don't cut it just yet! Insert it through the first link of your second chain.

8) And just keep on weaving the cord through the entire second strand, just as you did in the first few steps. You'll end up with something like this.

9) Thread a needle, and insert it into the cord in between the two chains.

10) And simply weave the needle/thread in and out of the two strands. You don't have to necessarily go through the cord...just under the cord. Go back and forth between sides; this way, you can attach the two strands together.

 

11) When you're all done, tie off your thread, tie off your cord, and seal it off with some clear nailpolish if you choose to do so. Attach your clasps and jump rings; maybe even some charms if you'd like.

I like the brass chain against the black faux leather cord, but of course you can use any color chain you'd like, with any color cord you'd like.

High End Cost: $224

S&P Cost: $6

DIY Braided Hex Nut Bracelet

We’re nuts for nuts. Is there a more versatile and inexpensive DIY component than a hex nut from the hardware store? You can imagine our excitement when we first discovered Philip Crangi’s Giles & Brother Hex Collection. Honestly, nuts braided into jewelry is WTF genius! With a few items that we always seem to have lying around, we tackled the technique and made our own spine-like braided hex nut wrap bracelet.

You’ll need:
- 3 strands of twine cut into one yard pieces
- 18 small brass hex nuts
- a bit of dexterity!

Gather the 3 strands of twine and tie a knot at the top, leaving about 2 inches of slack. Start braiding. At about an inch of the way down, you’ll begin braiding in the nuts. Before you braid the far left strand over the middle strand, thread on a nut, push it against the base of the braid, and crossover. Depending on the thickness of the twine, you can wrap tape around the bottom tips to prevent the twine from fraying. (Click images to enlarge)

Keep your thumb at the base of the braid, holding the nut in its place. Before you braid the far right strand over the middle, thread on another nut, push it against the base of the braid and crossover. Again, hold your thumb tightly against the base of the braid, keeping the nuts in place. Thread another nut onto the far left piece and crossover.

Repeat the steps, by threading the rest of the nuts to the outer pieces of twine before they are crossed over. Thread, cross, thread, cross. Finish the bracelet with another inch of braided twine and a knot.

The bracelet should wrap around your wrist at least two or three times. Trim it to your liking.
 

DIY Simple HEAD BAND

T-shirt braided necklaces tutorials

I love my necklace so much, I’ve been wanting to share it with you for sometime, but haven’t worked on the tutorial until just now. Here it is! I hope you like it.

Materials:

1 XXL or XXXL men’s t-shirt

Scissors and/or rotary cutter

Sewing machine and or needle & thread

Cut off the bottom hem of the shirt. Cut 9 2-inch strips out of the shirt.

 

Cut open one end of each strip. Stretch the jersey through your hands to allow the fabric to curl inside itself. Group strips into threes.

  

Sew coiled ends together. Secure the end to a stationary object (like a couch) with a safety pin. Start braiding. I find that a tight braid looks nice, but avoid pulling and stretching the fabric.

Once finished braiding, sew ends together to make three separate rings of fabric.

  

 

Cut a 5 x 7 inch square of fabric from the remainder of the shirt, fold it over the three braids and sew. Sew the tube as close to the braids as possible for a snug fit. Trim excess fabric. Turn right side out.

Voila! Your necklace is complete. Twist, and double over and you’re ready to rock and roll!

A PAIR & A SPARE: DIY GLITTER BOOTS

For those of you who have read my blog, you'll know that I have an insane addiction to anything glittery this season. In this project I'll show you how to make a pair of glitter finished boots, so that you too can get some glittery goodness in your life. This is an incredibly easy project with a hugely satisfying result. 

You Need: 

• A pair of boots. I used an inexpensive pair of camel ankle boots. 

• Glitter - I used gold but you can use any colour, black or silver would also be great. 

• Acrylic glue 

• A paint brush

• Spray on lacquer (find it amongst the spray paints in your local hardware store) 

How to: 

1. Firstly, clean the boots. 

2. Mix the glue and glitter together in a container. Keep adding glitter to the mix until you have a thick consistency. 

3. Avoiding the heel of the shoes, paint the shoes with the glitter glue.

4. Sprinkle the shoes with extra glitter to fully coat them so that no boot shows through. 

5. Once you are happy with the glitter and it has dried, spray the shoes with a coat of lacquer, as this will stop the glitter from falling off. You don't want to leave a trail when you walk! 

6.Let the lacquer dry overnight. 

And voila, your glitter boots are now ready. I told you it was an easy project didn't I? I'll be pairing these glittery lovelies with a laid back outfit of ripped denim mini shorts (refer to last weeks project), a slouchy sheer white singlet and black silk blazer.

DIY NEON NECKLACE

One thing I love about DIY projects is that they can be a continual work in progress. For me this is a (somewhat) sustainable answer to fast fashion - you can makeover an item a million times and get the satisfaction of having lots of different items, without the wastage. Two birds one stone as they say. This DIY necklace is an update to the white necklace project (seen here). A re-spray with neon spraypaint was all I needed to transform it into something entirely different. Hip hip horay for DIY!

You need:

Rhinestone necklace

Neon and white spray paint (non-toxic ofcourse)

How to:

1. Lay the necklace on some newspaper/magazine in a well ventilated area.

2. My necklace was obviously white from the previous project so I just re-sprayed with neon. Do yours white and then neon for the neon to pop. Do a number of light coats, letting it dry for a few minutes in between so that the spray doesn't pool on the surface.

3. Leave to dry overnight.

All done! I can see this necklace going though a number of other tranformations in the next couple of months.

DIY LOUIS VUITTON GOLD COLLAR

My addiction to collars is still raging, and this amazing gold one by Louis Vuitton caught my eye. I couldn't help but have a go at making my own version! I would love to be able to hand craft a metal collar, but unfortunately that's a major stretch of my DIY skills. So here's my basic (and way cheaper) version using leather and gold spray paint.

You Need:

Leather (I used a scrap from a skirt)

Scissors

Gold Spraypaint (make sure it's non-toxic as it will sit against your skin)

A Hook and eye.

How to: 

1. I used as the template a collar I had made previously here. I have put the original pattern of it below.

2. Cut the collar out.

3. This is what the cut out collar should look like.

4. Take your collar outside and prepare to spraypaint. I did an undercoat of white so the gold would pop.

5. Spray with gold spraypaint.

6. Finally, sew the hook and eye on the front edges of the collar as shown below.

Voila! All done.

DIY Burberry Tribal High Heels

I recently made my own version of the gorgeous bead embellished heels from the Burberry 2012 Resort collection. I crafted mine by creating beaded embellishments to go over my shoes. This DIY is such a simple way to update your wardrobe - you can even use chains or different coloured beads for a different look.

DIY:

You need - brown and red wooden beads and black string.

1. I strung the beads so that I had two red and two brown strings of beads for each shoe - about 15cm long each.

2. I then tied two of each color together, securing at each end with black string, and then tying that string together in a bow at the back of the shoe. Essentially you will have 'necklaces' of brown and red beads for each shoe.

Voila! The best bit about these embellishments is you can wear them with any shoes, they also look great on some black t-bar flats I have. Instant tribal wardrobe updater.

DIY FISHTAIL SKIRT | FREE PEOPLE COLLABORATION

In case you didn't see it over at the Free People website, here is the DIY Fishtail Skirt I made recently inspired by all the similar styles on the SS12 runways for their DIY feature (check it out here). It's such a simple project and a great way to spice up a tired maxi or midi skirt.

You need:

A thrifted skirt (I picked one with some subtle pleating but don't go with a fully pleated skirt as they are difficult to hem)

A pair of scissors

Needle and thread

An iron.

How to:

1. Below is obviously the way the skirt looked before I took my scissors to it. Put your skirt on and mark where you want the front, and shortest, part of the skirt to finish.

2. Take the skirt off and fold in half down the front middle of the skirt - so rather than the back and front lying against each other, it's the two sides that face each other - the way you might fold trousers before you put them on a coat hanger. Make sure the fold is directly in the middle of the front of the skirt.

3. Lay the skirt on the floor and cut out the front of the skirt - you want a semi straight line for the first 30cm of so to create the mini part of the skirt, then tapering down to the back and bottom of the skirt.

4. Try the skirt on to see if the cut out is big enough. I did this a few times, cutting more away to suit what I wanted it to look like. Take this slowly as it's always better to cut less than to cut too much.

5. Once you have a cut out that you like, fold over the edge of the skirt and iron. Fold it twice so the rough edge is covered if you need to - my skirt was a fabric that didn't fray so I skipped that step.

6. Sew a small stitch all the way around the hem.

7. Iron flat again.

Voila! All done. Now wasn't that simple? I absolutely love how this style moves around when you walk!

Now that I've tested the process I am going to make a few different coloured versions. I hope you like it and have a go yourself.

Wearing: Mango Boots, self designed silk singlet, DIY skirt.

DIY Cacharel Inspired Collared Midriff Top

As soon as I saw this image I fell in love with the gorgeous collared midriff top. I loved the fitted and rib grazing style. Only recently I worked out that it was by Cacharel - and decided I need to make a similar style in a bout of pre-holiday craftiness. Whilst I haven't jumped head first into the crop top craze for fear of not being able to pull it off, I found it easy to wear this style to death while I was on holidays in Thailand, and think I may have been converted!

The Inspiration

The DIY:You'll need a cotton/linen collared shirt (long or short sleeves, it doesn't matter), scissors, a sewing machine.

1. Cut the arms off the shirt - You can either cut from under the arms all the way to under the collar, or make the shoulders a touch wider like I did so you can wear a bra with straps. Make sure the shoulders are symmetrical.

2. Put the shirt on and mark with chalk where you want the bottom of the midriff crop to be - make sure to add an inch or so for the hemming. Cut the shirt straight across along your chosen length.

3. Now all you need to do is hem the crop and the shoulders. I used a sewing machine but you could easily hand sew. To make the shirt more fitted, I also put a number of darts in the back and front of the shirt, so that it was more fitted under the breast. Done!

 

So what do you think - to crop or not to crop?

DIY White Lace Cami Top Tutorial

White lace has absolutely entranced me this season - the RAFW catwalks were overflowing with the stuff and this editorial got me all warm inside. When I was at Sham Shui Po fabric market recently (check out my post here) I bought 3 metres of gorgeous white lace. The other metre I decided to use to make a little white cami. It was so easy!

DIY

You need - 1 metre of white lace, scissors, a sewing machine (can be handstitched though too!), tracing paper.

1. Fold the lace in half - this will be the length of the top. Pin the folded sides together.

2. Using a cotton top, trace out the shape for the cami onto the tracing paper 
(finally the bfs architectural paper makes itself useful!) Cut out the traced shape.

3. Lay and pin the trace over the lace. I only needed to do the shoulder area and then I just extrapolated out the body of the cami.

4. Cut around the pattern.

5. Cut out the neckline too.

6. Sew the top - along the two side seams and the top of the straps. You don't have to sew any hem along the edges or elsewhere because once you tidy the lace up it will have an nice raw edge. Turn the top inside out so the seams are on the inside and there you go - the hard part is over.

7. Finally - you need to tidy up the lace edges and neckline. Because the lace I used was round circles in a grid pattern I was able to create a symmetrical neckline but carefully cutting out the circles.

Voila! This is the final neckline. You could also make this top a crop style by simply cutting it shorter but I wanted to be able to wear it tucked in too. Might cut 3 inches at the bottom off and add buttons on the edge so you can either have it as a crop or a cami top... Versatility is key!

 

DIY [CARVEN INSPIRED] 

CUT OUT MINI DRESS

Taking a horrendous dress and turning it into something cute and wearable is what I love most about DIY, and all it takes is a little time and imagination. As some of you may know, I fell in love with the Carven SS12 collection, particularly the strategically placed cut outs on the dresses. I knew the triangular cut out was something I would have to try for myself.

Originally I wanted a dress with a bright print like the Carven fabrics, but was unable to find anything I liked. 

Transforming this dress took a little time but not that much skill, and all of it can be done by hand if you don't have a sewing machine.

How I did it:

1. I cut the dress short and hemmed it.

2. I took the dress in at the waist by about 4 inches by sewing two thick darts in the back along the existing seam lines.

3. I then created the triangle in the front by cutting an upside down T into the front centre of the dress. I then folded the flaps of the T up and out to create the triangular opening.

4. I secured these using small stitches and then sewed the raw egde of the bottom of the T over to hem it.

5. Finally, I cut the sleeves off the dress and hemmed the new armholes.

6. I then gave the dress a really good iron, focusing on the hemmed areas.

All done! This dress is sure to get plenty of wear. I'll be donning it with some sheer spotted tights once the weather starts cooling down a bit in Hong Kong. If you like this look but don't like the exposed skin, you can always sew some sheer lace over the opening which I think would be very cute.

I hope this sort of project inspires you to be a bit imaginative with things you see in thrift stores. There's a world of possibilities once you get to grips with taking the scissors to your clothes. Happy DIYing!

LBD #1: DIY Cut Out Back Minidress

This is the first DIY in the little black dress series. 

 

DIY:You'll need - a thrifted dress, scissors, chalk and a needle and thread. I used this dress, which is made out of a thick silk fabric, because I had it already, but you can also use a slinky jersey one for a more sexy look (like Rosie).

1. Put the dress on and get someone to draw the cut out bits on you. You want to draw on an upside down 'U' shape which keeps some fabric at the back of the neck so the dress retains its shape. (The bfs chalk marking was slightly lopsided but I managed to correct that once I took it off).

You also want to make the 'U' shape come around the front of the dress to form the side cut outs. Make sure to get these perfectly symetrical - I used the front seams as an indication.

2. Cut the dress out along the chalk line. Remember you want to be able to open and close the dress at the back of the neck so don't, whatever you do, cut it all out. As my dress had a zip down the back, I cut it out along with the fabric but I left a small length of extra zip, and then folded the two teeth of the zip over to create a new end to the zip.

3.Sew all the edges of the cut out fabric by rolling over and securing with small stitches. (Long on the inside and tiny on the outside).

4. Sew two sets of hook and eyes onto the back neck fastening to secure the dress. I also cut about a foot or so off the bottom of the dress too and re-hemmed it.

Voila! It turned out a little bit 'prettier' than my usual style but its really fun to wear. 

DIY - Denim Scalloped Shorts a la chloe!

Great DIY I found on the web, there aren't any instructions but it appears pretty damn straight forward. Seriously, all you need are a pair of scissors, some pins, a pen and bang - cute festival shorts!

 Update: made my own last night so will post this weekend. 

Make your own pearl collar

Pearls have always been a symbol of wisdom and class. Wearing them can instantly transform a look from casual to sophisticated, and when you combine that with a peter pan collar you get a major fashion breakthrough. We're updating two classic looks to create one modern piece of neck candy. Not to mention the insane amount of pearls seen on the Chanel runway yesterday. These collars compliment almost any look, wear it with a dress in the evening or a crew-neck sweater for an easy daytime look.Take off your geek chic training wheels and become a little wiser with this do it yourself pearl collar necklace. 

What you'll need:

1 piece of 81/2 x 11 creme piece of felt

2 yards of strung pearls.

glue gun or E600 adhesive

1 ft ribbon

scissors

1 piece of paper

pen

hole puncher

Step 1 - Fold your piece of paper in two. Sketch half of your collar from the folded side out. You can also print an image of your favorite peter pan collar and trace over half of it to make this part easier. Then cut out your paper collar and unfold it to reveal your stencil.

Step 2 - Place your paper stencil on the felt and trace around the edges. Then cut out your felt collar.

Step 3 - Place your adhesive around the outer edges of the collar.

Step 4 - Keeping the pearls strung, carefully place them in rows behind one another. You can cut the end of each strand and continue to use it as each row gets smaller.

Step 5 - Add in pearls where missing and let dry.

Step 6 - To turn your collar into a necklace punch holes at each end.

Step 7 - Thread one piece of ribbon through each hole and tie. 

Old Hollywood Glamour 
~ Lace Halter Bustier DIY

I love the idea of wearing a bustier on the outside rather than as an undergarment... I suppose Madonna gets all credit for such inspirations but with the added lace halter, it really feels more Old Hollywood Glamour than Like a Virgin. I ended up using a simple black satin bustier I had lying around found at a department store because it will look quite nice with a great pair of high waist pants or a pencil skirt. But the project would be equally great using a vintage bustier, & yet another excuse to go thrift store shopping! {Also note: Halloween is around the corner}

* Black Bustier

* Black Lace

* Black Satin Ribbon 

* Needle/Thread/Scissors

* Line your lace up with your bustier cups... make sure the pretty edge of the lace in on the outside closest to your arms. Decide how much lace you need by measuring or just eyeballing it and make sure to leave a little extra so the panels can overlap in the center.

* Cut two pieces of lace at least 12" long to be safe. One for each side. 

* Flip your bustier inside out. Lay your lace in one of the cups at an angle, lining up the pretty edge with the edge of your bustier.

* Carefully hand-stitch the lace to the inside of your bustier cup, right below the seamed edge... or about 1/4" down. Don't let your needle pierce the front of the bustier.

* It should look something like this lying flat.

* Try your garment on. Cross one panel of lace over the other and taking your ribbon, mark with a safety pin where your neck is... or, where you want your ribbon to tie. Cut your ribbon extra long to give you the option of tying it in the back or crossing it back around to the front as pictured.

* Readjust your lace to make sure it's crossed over neatly and with your needle and thread carefully hand-stitch the edges of your ribbon to your lace. You only need to stitch down the front -or from side to side. In my case, it was about 6 inches.

* Trim off the extra lace at the top... this is a personal decision.
If you want it longer, keep it longer. I cut mine down to about an inch and a half.

* Stitch your two panels together only at the center, not all the way up
{though I suppose you can if you wish}

* Trim the excess lace in the cups

Have Fun!

DIY Peter Pan Collar

We almost lost our marbles when we first spotted these scalloped white Louis Vuitton collars on the runway.  Crisp, feminine, and perfect for fall, who would have thought Neverland could look so chic? 

You’ll need:

2 scalloped edged collar pieces cut from white felt or rubber flannel (pattern downloadable here)

a single hole punch or leather rotary hole punch

1 yard of white ribbon

a needle and thread

hot glue gun

button 

Using the pattern template, cut out the two collar pieces. Create small holes between each scallop, using the hole punch.

Overlap the two wider end pieces and push a button through the last two aligning holes. Sew the button in place from the backside.

Cut the ribbon into two half-yard lengths. Thread the ribbon through the last hole on the tapered end, place a drop of glue at the tip, and fold it closed.

Wrap the collar around your neck and tie it into a bow.

Your Louis Vuitton inspired peter pan collar is finished!

DIY Miu Miu Jeweled Heels

You can always rely on Miu Miu for sensational sparkly shoes. And you can always rely on us to show you how to DIY your own pair. Inspired by a pair of jeweled heeled sandals from seasons past, we repurposed some rhinestones leftover from a previous project to create a new and easy tutorial – just in time for that New Year’s Eve party you RSVP’d to!

You’ll need:

a pair of heeled shoes

40-50 large and medium (10-15 mm) multi-shaped rhinestones

30-40 small (3-6 mm) round rhinestones

E-6000 glue

tweezers

small dish or container

toothpick

flat nose pliers (optional)

I used pre-set rhinestones, leftover from our Miu Miu sneaker tutorial. With flat nose pliers, I pried the prongs open to release the crystal rhinestones. Skip this step if you’re using loose, flat back rhinestones.

Squeeze some glue into a small dish or container. Pick up one of the larger rhinestones with the tweezers, dip the backside into the glue.

Press the stone into the top of the center of the heel. Add several other large stones around the top, gradually working your way down to the middle of the heel with smaller stones. Go back and add small round stones in bare spots. There is no right or wrong way to creating the pattern – have fun with it!

A tip: the smaller round stones will require the tiniest bit of glue. Dip a toothpick into the glue, dab it onto the backside of the stone and apply to the shoe.

Repeat the same steps on the other shoe . . .

And you’re bejeweled!

Headband Refashion

Our headband had a flower that was starting to look a little tired and worn so we made it new again! This braided ribbon could embellish many things--- a hair clip would be cute too! These headbands would make great handmade gifts for little girls to make each other!

Woven Ribbon Headband

Gather a headband and about 4 1/2 yards of ribbon. You can use any with --- I chose 1/4 inch. The braiding will be two toned if the ribbon is different on the front and back, another nice look!

Begin by finding the middle of the ribbon. In the middle of the ribbon make a loop crossing the left side over the right. (which way you start doesn't matter --- I am left handed)

Now bring the bottom ribbon up and make a loop and send it through the beginning loop that you just made by crossing the ribbon.

Pull the right side snug.

Now repeat for the other side, picking up the right side, making a loop and sending it up through the loop just made on the other side.

Pull the left side snug. Make a loop with the left side sending it through the loop made on the other side.

Pull right side snug.

Continue braiding until you have a piece long enough to cover the headband. Clip the end.

Bring the other side over and then trim. Fold ends under and hot glue.

Hot glue ribbon to headband.

Finished!

Felt Flower Scarf Tutorial

Really, my goodness, I didn't expect so many people to be interested in it.

I'm happy to share this tutorial for you on how to make one of your own!

Materials needed:

1/2 yard of 72" Felt or Felted Wool (this measurement is to be safe... but you'll end up with some extra here for sure.)

Scissors

Needle and Coordinating Thread

*optional - Fast Grab Tacky Glue or Hot Glue

*optional - Small hook and eye

Let's get started shall we?

1. Cut everything out

Start by cutting your long scarf piece.

Mine was 42" long by 4 1/2" wide. You could certainly make it longer or shorter depending on how long you like to wear your scarves. (You'll just need to adjust the number of flowers you make.)

Now, cut a scallop around the edge of your long scarf piece. (This just adds to the fullness of your flowers.)

Next, circle cutting mania.

Each flower will have 6 circles. My largest was 5" and my smallest was 2". With small declining sizes for each of the circles in between.

DO NOT spend the time cutting out perfect circles. Just cut one for size, then hold it over your fabric and cut around it.

For a 42" scarf you will need 13 flowers. So, cut out 13 of each size.

Now scallop all of the circles.

If you like deep looking petals, cut deeper scallops. If you want a subtle look, cut shallow scallops. I like a mixture of both.

2. Assemble the Flowers

Stack your 5 largest circles. 

Take your knotted needle and thread and come up through the stack of circles just off-center. 

Now go back down through the stack about 1/2 inch away, on the other side of center. 

Pull very tightly, you will see this gathers your flower up.

Fold your flower in half with the gather, and make another stitch right over the one you just made, again pulling very tight. 

Now make an X. So you'll make another stitch at one of the unused sides of center, and go back down 1/2 inch or so away from that on the other side of center. 

Fold the flower in half with the gather and make another stitch directly over the one you just made. Pull very tight. Really, don't break your thread, but pull it very very tight to hold the gather in your flower. 

Tie a few strong knots, but do not cut your thread.

This is how your flower will look so far.

Take your smallest circle and gather it together. You can do this a number of ways, but an easy way is to just fold it in half, then fold it in half again.

Hold it in place where you want it on the center of your flower.

Now stitch up from the bottom and grab that center piece at it's point. Secure it with at second stitch. 

Pull very tight and tie a strong and secure knot.

Cut thread and your flower is complete!!

Now repeat 12 more times. :)

3. Scarf Making Time

Line up all of your flowers on your long scarf piece with the bottom layer of each flower overlapping a bit. This is what gives it the fullness. Don't be afraid to get them in there close together.

Get all 13 flowers set on just where you like them then pin only the bottom layer of each flower to the scarf.

Stitch a small, but tight circle through the bottom layer of the scarf and flower. Knot tightly. Cut the thread as you finish attaching each flower, and start new with the next flower. 

Continue until all 13 are attached.

** This step is also optional. I hate when scarves move all around when you're wearing them, or when they blow away in the wind.

SO, I put on the scarf, and placed a pin on each end of the scarf where I wanted them to match up. I wanted it to be one flower longer on one side.

Sew the hook on the longer side on the back of the scarf, and the eye, sort of tucked away beneath a flower, on the front of the shorter end of the scarf. 

* Rope Necklace DIY *

Rope Necklaces from Lizzie Fortunato Jewels {$300}

& Masai Twisted Rope Necklace {£230}

Two curtain tiebacks {$4.99} from your local fabric or craft store and ribbon.

. . . . .

At $4.99 per rope, you can afford to buy a handful of colors and mix them up! It's so easy ...use a sash or scarf instead of a ribbon closure or a chain even. {You could also wear it on your head!} Too easy for words. Have fun!

Pearl & Leather Necklace DIY

Flipping through the October 2011 InStyle Magazine, I came across Lauren Hutton's picks and found this delicate pearl necklace from Calypso Sea and loved the contrast of the raw leather with the pretty pearls. I went to my local bead shop to find some really great pearls but they were closed so I used the budget version from JoAnn's and it turned out just as nice. 

* Raw leather cording... I used very fine leather cord for this & bought two packs but didn't use it all.

* Pearls

* Bead reamer for plastic pearls or a pearl reamer for real pearls.

* Scissors

* Cut two strips of leather cord between 20"-30" depending on the length you want and tie a knot about an inch from each end. I didn't get fancy with a closure, I figured I'd just tie it around my neck. Cut three 9" strips and two 6" strips. Using your bead reamer to make the hole in your pearls larger if necessary, slide one on each end of your 5 strands and knot the ends.

* Find the center of your necklace and using one of your longer strands of pearls, create a half slipknot around your base necklace and pull it tight. {*there may be a proper term for this knot but I don't know it}

 

* Make a loop... slide under your base necklace... pull ends through and tighten. Knot your small strands on either side of your center long strand.

* Continue knotting your two longer strands on either end of the shorties.

I stopped at five but it would be pretty to go further up the sides as well in descending size.

I made earrings as well by knotting two shorter strands on a pair of medium gold hoops. 

Have Fun!

Leather Parton Fringe Earrings

* Leather scraps ...preferably on the thin side. I used colors I already had.
* Spray paint or acrylic paint. If you can't find the leather colors you want, you can paint it. Since my leather is already treated on one side, I painted the back {suede side} so the paint would stick. You can paint raw leathers on top but may have to abrade it a little first with a sander.
* Earring hooks or Ear Wire
* I added a bit of chain to mine ...you'll need your pliers & chain for that
* A Bead Reamer
or pointed tool to create a hole
* Scissors
* Earring templates ... 


* Print templates {or create your own} and cut them out. Turn leather over, place templates down and carefully trace around them.

* Carefully cut your shapes out of the leather. {I started w/pink but ended up liking the red better}.

* Flip leather over and spray paint the back side if you'd like to change your colors. Let dry. You can also use acrylic paint. {neither will stick to the treated side}

* Using your bead reamer {or other hole-creating device} puncture small holes at the tops of each of your leather shapes.

* Carefully cut from the bottom up creating your "fringe".

* Using your beading pliers, carefully open loop at the bottom of your earring wires.

* If you wish to add the chain, open the links to create 2 small chains equal in length.

* Layer on your leather fringed shapes one at a time making sure they are facing front and earring wire is facing back.

* Once you've added all your pieces to the earring wire loop, pinch it closed with your pliers.

* Trim off any excess or to slim them down a bit if they are uncomfortable.

  

 

Ruffle belt Tutorial

 

How to: Find the center point of your belt/ribbon and start there. We’d recommend cutting your belt longer than you think so you can accommodate for an off center finished product and/or for a big bow in the back. 

IF you are using 100% natural fiber fabric, you can actually singe the edges of your petals on the stove before you start. This seals the edge and stops your fabric from shedding threads. BUT we repeat, do not attempt this if you’re using synthetic fabric. 

Two words: Fire. Hazard.)
Stack 2 or 3 petals on top of each other (using a variety of fabrics and colors in each flower).
Twist the back of each flower so you catch the center of all 3 petals and lay it on your ribbon. Now tack it down with a few well placed stiches and repeat.
If you’re using a wider piece of ribbon like we did, you’ll need 2 flowers, side by side, per row. Working in one direction, add as many rows as you want to make the decorative part of your belt the right length. Once you have the general shape and length that you like, you can always go back in and add more flowers where you see fit.
This project is especially excellent because it requires little expertise in terms of sewing. As long as you’re familiar with a needle, thread, and a basic stitch, you
are completely qualified to pull this off.

Once you’ve filled your belt with the number of ruffles you like, that’s it! The underside won’t be pretty, but don’t worry. No one’s going to see it. For a more finished product you could always back your belt with a second piece of ribbon.

We can see this project working with just a little flower for your hip or with a full row to accent your entire waist. Totally depends on you!

 

For this project you will need the following:

-A piece of felt

-Fabric Glue

-Some sort of embelishment (beads, sequins, buttons)

-Scissors

-Tape measurer

-A wide paint brush

-A needle and thread 

DIY: Peter Pan Embellished Detachable Collar

1. So the first thing you need to do is measure the circumference of your neck. I measured mine to be ~15". Then I placed the tape measurer on a piece of white paper in the shape of my neck. It sorta looks like an alien head (ok, weird description but totally true). So the alien head circumference should be around 15".

2. Once you have the alien head down that measures out to be the circumference of your neck... you can draw out what shape you want your collar to look like. I chose the peter pan collar but you can try doing a scalloped collar, or maybe the pointy collar that we usually see. It's all up to you!
3. Ok, my sketch was not symmetric. So, if you aren't sure if what you traced out for your pattern is even on both sides... just half it down the middle and cut it out according to whatever shape you want so you can be sure it is even on both sides.

4. Now you can use this pattern .. I scotch taped it to a piece of felt and cut out my felt collar according to the stencil. Also I made a vertical cut at the top part because thats where I will add a button and slit to fasten the two pieces together. By the way, the felt that I used is a light blue gray color and made from recycled plastic bottles!

5. So for glue I used Aleene's fabric glue... I really think I have had this since highschool ... which was about 8 years ago. Am I sure my glue is still good? Nope... but I am too cheap to go back to the store and buy more.  Basically, just use your paint brush to spread the glue (this one dries clear so I don't have to worry about the color of the felt not showing up).

6. Then sprinkle your beads like glitter and use a scrap piece of paper to pressed down on it to make sure it sticks. And continue to do so but leave about an inch of space at the  top part of the collar. Warning, it is a slightly messy process and you are likely to get glue on your hands. And Aleene's glue smells like really bad cheese. Note to self: Spray lots of perfume on my collar.

  

7. I decided that I didn't like the ribbon idea of fastening the collar, so I decided I would go with a button. I would aso try on the collar to make sure you have a good idea of where to place the button and make the slit.

 

8. I added extra glue to the side of the slit to prevent extra tearing. But make sure you don't glue the two side of the slit together! Then the button can't go through.

9. Carefully add glue and sequins around the slit and ends

  

10. Tada! You have your own beaded detachable collar!
11. You can also add other embellishments. Here are some examples:

 

I've seen a lot of beaded and sequined clothing and accessories lately and I think this is a great compromise for me because it is affordable and versatile. I only spent 20 cents on felt. The beads were from a left over project when I beaded my dress and I already had glue and buttons! So not bad for wanting to add a little pizzaz to your wardrobe. Also, there will probably be some bead/embellishment shedding just due to the fact there may be pieces that did not get enough glue. But do not let this stop you from making one!

SEQUENCE STYLE PETER PAN COLLAR

 

 

Video tutorials on crafty DIY