Jun 3, 2010 | DIY
Pillowcases come in a variety of prints that work just as well for pieces clothing. Plus, they have just enough fabric (and are roughly the same shape) as a cute little A-line mini-skirt – and can be transformed easily, with just a couple seams. (You can of course also transform them into dresses and skirts for small children.) And now there’s no need to worry when you have a lone pillowcase and can’t find its mate.
Take Exhibit A, a dot-printed piece that I pulled out of my 48-lb. haul of clothing I sourced at my local Goodwill Outlet. I was drawn to it because of the fabulous print – and I could only find one of them, so I had no intention of using it as a pillowcase…thus I thought it would work great as a skirt! The whole process took me maybe 30 minutes – a quick-sew project to be sure!
How to Make an Elastic-Banded Mini-Skirt from a Pillowcase
You Need:
*a standard-size (or larger!) pillowcase
*2″ wide piece of black elastic
*tape measure
*marking chalk
*pins
*fabric scissors
*thread and machine needle for wovens
*iron & ironing board
How To:
1. Turn pillowcase inside out and cut off all the sewn seams, leaving two large rectangles.
2. Turn rectangles sideways and fold in half. Cut edge on a slight A-line angle to the top. (I know in the photo above the fabric isn’t folded in half – but you should probably do that to ensure the right and left sides of each piece are at exactly the same angle.)
3. Unfold your pieces. Measure 1/2″ in from the angled edges of one of the pieces, and cut. This piece will become the back of the skirt.
4. Pin back to front of the skirt at the angled sides, and sew together.
5. Wrap piece of elastic at your natural waist (or where you want to wear the skirt). Make sure it is taut on your waist – not so tight you can’t breathe – but fairly tight. Overlap ends by 1/2″ and cut.
6. Sew piece of elastic in a circle on your machine with a 1/2″ seam allowance. (I used a straight stitch, then flattened each end and zigzagged over it to further secure it.)
7. Place elastic band over pillowcase top, overlapping about 1/2″. Match pillowcase skirt center front to center of elastic band, and skirt center back to the seam you sewed in Step 6). Pin the two sides as well.
8. Sew pillowcase to elastic band using a stretch stitch on your machine, with the elastic on the top and the fabric below being thread through by the machine’s feed dogs. Stretch the elastic between the pins so the pillowcase “gathers” naturally to the elastic.
9. Try on the skirt, mark where you want your hem to fall, and turn the hem (about 1″). Sew a 3/4″ hem on the bottom.
10. Iron to set the hem and remove any creases.
And that’s it! And the great thing is, the waist is elastic, so you can wear it belted higher up with a wide belt…or wear it lower near your hips for a different look. Hope you have as much fun making yours as I did mine!
Happy DIY’ing!
xoxo
Carly
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Apr 7, 2010 | DIY
Inspired by the original DIY’er, Martin Margiela, I’ve dipped into my overflowing stash of mismatched buttons to craft a fabulously avant-garde-style t-shirt. I’m using an old shirt that I was considering discarding because of a couple tiny stains on the front. But that’s what DIY’s for! Cover up stains, patching, pilling, or a design you don’t like…or add interest to an otherwsie boring piece. There’s a ton of great art and photos out on the internet – or you can create your own image and use it as a template for button placement. I chose monochromatic buttons so that the image would appear “pixellated” when standing from afar – and though I chose to make an eye (in my own homage to Salvador Dali), you could make anything your heart desires.
You Need:
t-shirt*large number of buttons in various sizes and shapes (preferably in shades of black, white, and gray) // Jewel-It Embellishing Glue (or other glue for affixing plastic embellishments to fabric) // piece of cardboard or t-shirt board
Optional:
printout, drawing, or photo // tape // sewing machine & needle for knits // hand-sewing needle // thread matching buttons
How To:
Prep Time
1. Pre-wash t-shirt if it hasn’t been washed already. Place cardboard or t-shirt board inside t-shirt to flatten front.2. (Optional) If you are using a piece of artwork as a template, slide it inside your tee, just on top of the board. Secure with tape.
Decorate
3. Now’s the time to channel your inner artiste! Place tee on a flat surface and start covering it with buttons. Start with the black outlines, then place the brightest white buttons on the brightest white parts of the eye. (You’ll probably spend a lot of time squinting at your picture.) Stand back every few minutes to see if you like the effect, and adjust your placement as necessary.
Make it Permanent
4. When you’re pleased with your button artwork, now you need to take each button off and affix it to the t-shirt. For the larger buttons add a daub of glue to its back; for the smaller dot glue onto the shirt itself. If you plan to go back and sew your buttons for more security – be careful you don’t get any glue in the buttonholes. (If you are using shanked buttons, you’ll have to hand-sew them on to the shirt.)
5. After you’ve glued all your buttons down, allow the glue to dry per the instructions.
6. (Optional) Remove board from tee, and proceed to sew all the buttons down to the front of your shirt. (Drop the sewing machine’s feed dogs, and zigzag into 2 holes of each button – which should be secure to hold it on and allow you to machine-wash your shirt.)7. Wear and enjoy all the extra attention. (If you have chosen not to sew your buttons down, follow the washing instructions on the glue. Some glues are not fast when put in the wash, so be careful when choosing!)
Pair with black and white pieces to make your monochromatic look. Here’s looking at you, kid!
Thanks for reading – and if you have any questions, ask them in the Comments section below and I’ll do my best to help you out!
xoxox
Carly J. Cais
as posted on Threadbanger
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Mar 31, 2010 | DIY
The temperature’s rising, but maybe you’ve tired of the ol’ tanktop-and-jeans ensemble. Maybe you want a go-to summer dress but still want it to be comfortable for when it gets really hot. Revamp a tanktop with the addition of an old men’s tee,** and live in soft-washed cotton comfort all summer.
**I’ve adapted this recon from the book Kakkoii Kuchuuru Rimeiku [“Cool Couture Remake”], by Hiroko Yamase [Bunka Publishing, 2009]. The book is in Japanese, and I’ve converted the sizing to Western sizing, and changed the methodology here and there. Hope you like it!
You Need:
*1 tanktop that fits you well
*1 men’s t-shirt (preferably XL)
*thread matching t-shirt
*fabric scissors
and…
*marking chalk
*pins
*measuring tape
Optional:
*velvet or satin ribbon (1″ – 1.5″ wide)
*pronged studs, sew-on jewels, hotfix nailheads, or fancy trim
How To:
Prep Time
1. Wash and dry both your tanktop and t-shirt if they haven’t been washed before. Turn the t-shirt inside out and cut off the label at the back of the neck. (not pictured) Cut off the shoulder seams all the way to the sleeve seams.
Start Sewing
2. Sew the ends of the t-shirt’s sleeves closed, just inside the sleeve cuffs. These will become pockets.
3. Fold down about 1/2″ along the slit shoulders (the raw edges) of the t-shirt, all the way around, front to back, neck ribbing to neck ribbing. Stitch down, creating a 3/8″ hem.
4. Turn the t-shirt right side out, tucking the sewn sleeves inside. Fold in half and mark the center front and center back at the neck ribbing. Do the same with the tanktop.
5. Measure 4″ straight down from the mark you made on both the front and the back of your tanktop. Make another mark at each point.
6. Place the tanktop inside the t-shirt. Line up the center front of your t-shirt on top of the mark you made on the center front of the tanktop. Pin in place.
7. Pin the neck ribbing of the t-shirt to the front of the tanktop, following the natural curve of the t-shirt’s neck. (I folded the edges of the t-shirt under about 1/2″ again, since I liked the way that looked.)
8. Repeat Step 6) and Step 7) to pin the back of the t-shirt onto the back of the tanktop.
9. Stitch the t-shirt to the tanktop, following the lines of the neck-ribbing of the t-shirt. Sew TWO lines of stitching to secure: one line at the very top of the neck-ribbing, and one line at the point where the ribbing connects to the t-shirt. Do for both front and back of your piece.
Embellish It! (Optional)
9. Use a piece of ribbon as a tie for the waist, stitching at the back to secure. (not pictured)
10. Add studs, hotfix embellishments, sew-on jewels, or fancy trim to the the tanktop neck, the t-shirt ribbing, or the hem of the garment to doll your piece up.
You’re finished!
Without the belt, hands in pockets.
Belted with a velvet ribbon.
Tip: If you feel the weight of the t-shirt distorts the tank too much, sewing the sides of the tee to the tank will help eliminate the “pulling.”
Wear with some espadrille wedges and a cool pair of shades for a chic casual look as the mercury rises.
I’d love to hear your feedback everyone!
xoxox
Carly
for Threadbanger Blog Projects
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Mar 22, 2010 | DIY
*Forever21 coat (similar here)
*Forever21 DIY-studded cardigan
*Target striped 3/4-length sleeve shirt (similar here)
*silver horseshoe-stamped necklace I won from Lucky Magazine
*Forever21 rhinestone two-finger ring (similar here)
*Forever21 gold chain ring (similar here)
*H&M zipper skirt
*self-made leggings
*unknown wedge-heel booties (something kinda similar here)
So I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’ve been MIA for the last couple days, and what on earth I’ve been doing. In the meantime…
Spring has finally arrived here in Portland, and the weather has been beautiful.
It’s been time to break out the ol’ lawnmower…
Run for your life!
Find leprechaun gold on St. Patrick’s Day…
Walk the dog…
I refuse to be walked. Oh, and may the Force be with you.
And watch the plum blossoms fall, like light pink snow, on the front lawn.
I, meanwhile, have been sick.
We got off the plane 2 Mondays ago, and I felt a tickle in my throat. “I’m just dehydrated,” I thought…
And guzzled tons of water Tuesday, but felt increasingly worse. “I’m just jetlagged,” I thought, and endeavored to catch up on tons of sleep, guzzled more water…
But by Thursday it was evident I had a head cold. I sprung a 101-degree fever, had a runny nose, and unbelievable body aches and pains (and it wasn’t from dragging all our luggage around!)
By Sunday last week it felt like the cold was on its way out, so Monday morning I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen in awhile, and we hung out and talked for about 3 hours, me sucking on Halls and downing honeyed green tea the whole time.
I felt an annoying tickle in my throat again, but still had sinus pressure and a runny nose from the cold that was on its way out. So I drank TONS of water, tea, and guzzled probably half a honeybear of honey.
Last Tuesday came, and I had no voice.
No voice whatsoever.
I could only speak in a raspy whisper, and in a squeak here and there. At some points I couldn’t even whisper at all – my mouth was forming the words, but it was like there was no sound passing my lips.
I haven’t had laryngitis this bad in at least 15 years, so it was a shock to say the least.
I read on the Internet (that most reliable source of information) that the best cure for laryngitis is to let the virus run its course, get plenty of rest, and not use your voice. Easier said than done when you have a 4-year-old.;-) And salt gargles, which I’ve been doing.
So, since my blogging routine is usually wait for Lil Tot to fall asleep around 8:30 PM, then sneak out of bed so as not to wake him, head for my computer, and blog for the next 4 hours, this was totally ruined by the get plenty of rest suggestion, and I’ve been sleeping 10-12 hours per day (!) since Tuesday in a desperate attempt to get my voice back.
Friday I finally got a trim, since I’m growing my hair out it’s kind of in that shapeless, can’t-do-anything-with-it stage.
It really did feel like the First Day of Spring, with the warm weather, and the sunshine. So I broke out my fave blue coat, the one for some reason complete strangers like to complement me on when I wear it.
It has a lovely, striped satin lining. To think it was only $39 on sale at F21!
(no longer available, tho you can get something at Alloy where I’ve linked above.)
So these are my showing-off-my-new-hair-and-my-newfound-finally-not-just-a-whisper-voice (more like heavy-smoker, husky-phone-sex-old-lady-voice) photos.
Useful padlock bag from Aldo that was around $40. Waaay better than a Paddington!
I also wanted to share my studded cardi that I made a little while ago. A great way to dress up a regular black boyfriend lightweight cardigan, silver studs around the edge elevate it from casual to something much, much better. (And these cardigans been all over Vivi magazine for the past couple months if you happen to have caught a glimpse of them!) Interestingly enough, I couldn’t find any for sale in the U.S. and a reasonable price. (And Forever21 hasn’t done a knockoff, something I’m a little surprised at still. Doing a quick search for a studded cardi at ShopStyle will produce a couple similar ones…but at a couple hundred dollars each. I mean, come on.)
So a quick little DIY for ya:
———————–
How To Make a Studded Cardigan
You Need:
*boyfriend cardigan (like this one from Target)
*1 (gross) packet of 7mm Square Hotfix Nailheads (silver) from i-kandi.com
*Hotfix Applicator tool
*piece of scrap cardboard
Why heatset studs instead of pronged? Because they are far, far lighter…and easier to set on a lightweight knit such as this.
Place the cardboard directly underneath the front of your sweater. (You may have to shift the sweater placement as you affix studs around the neckline.) I just placed them about 1.5″ apart along the front edges of the cardigan, and along the top edges of the pockets. (You use the large flat attachment for the applicator tool, press down lightly onto the nailhead you have already placed on your sweater, and hold for about 15 seconds. Repeat for each stud, all the way around the neckline, and on the top of the pockets.) I love the finished effect!
Pretty simple, eh? (And yes, my cardboard is from an IKEA box. I do love IKEA.;-)
————————
I didn’t realize until after I’d received my cardigan in the mail that the particular one I’d ordered had a detachable scarf with the cardigan’s pockets on it. (Don’t ask why I didn’t realize this; I’m an idiot.) I sewed the scarf down onto the cardigan and added the studs; now faced with the problem of the cardigan no longer being able to button and the back of the neck rolling absurdly because of the extra material from the scarf…surgery on this cardigan needs to be attempted soon. I just haven’t bothered with it just yet.
Here you can see the little scarf-piece I haven’t dealt with yet.
I also can’t believe I found these boots last week at the Buffalo Exchange for $15. I’ve concluded that the person who sold them to the Buffalo Exchange must have been legally insane…because you’d have to be ker-azyto willingly give up this cute little pair. I was actually looking for a pair to DIY my own lace-up Ann Demuelemeesters…and I found these instead. They are adorable, right down to the little fold-over at the top, and surprisingly comfortable. The only clue to their origin is the stamping in the footbed…which could read “F21” or “F24” depending on how you look at them. Does anyone recognize them from a Forever21?
Friday I went to bed praying that I would not sound like a 3-packs-a-day-smoker for this networking event I was aching to go to on Saturday, since I am in the market for a full-time J-O-B and refuse to work at Burger King. (apologies all who work at Burger King.)
So I am currently massively behind on everything from housework to going through my mail to answering email (only 53 new messages this morning, thank god) to posting here to formspringing. Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Will get to everything slowly as my voice finally seems to be coming back, just as slowly, unfortunately…and now Lil Tot has now caught whatever I had.
Plus…okay, another reason I’ve been reticent to take/post outfit photos…or really do anything…is that I’ve gained 7 pounds while in Hawaii.
Can you see it in my face? (I put on weight in my face first, #$%@ing genetics.)
I honestly don’t know how it happened. I thought I was being careful, but obviously too much time spent with my computer while others were frolicking on the beach, too many giving in to decadent food and dinners and full buffet breakfasts….ugh. I’m pretty annoyed with myself since I usually only swing about 3 pounds above my usual set-point throughout the given month…but this…puts me right back where I was last year, before beginning the hell that was P90X.
Funny how a slightly higher number on the scale can totally defeat your willpower to do anything, isn’t it? Nevertheless, I am glad Spring is here! (even tho my garden obviously hasn’t realized it yet LOL)
Anyway, thank you all so much for commenting during my lapse, and asking questions and giving me feedback…as well as entering my Cold Plasma Giveaway…which I’ll be announcing the winner to tomorrow!
You guys are the best.:-)
xoxoxo
Carly
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1 man’s button-down shirt (sized larger than you are; doesn’t matter what size) / thread matching topstitching in shirt
(As you can see, I also added 2 bust darts to make the feminine fit even better; you might need to do the same depending on the size of your bust and how you “fill out” the bust area of the top. I do also need to press the armscye seams and remove the yellow chalk lines…I was just so excited to be done and couldn’t wait to take the photo…;-)
Happy DIY’ing!
