Sep 7, 2013 | DIY
Laurence King Publishing (the same publishers of the incredibly useful DIY Couture by Rose Martin) recently were gracious enough to send me a copy of their newest sewing book, Sweet Dress Book: 23 Dresses of Pattern Arrangement
by Yoshiko Tsukiori. 
Translated from the Japanese, this pattern book features 23 tutorials for making a variety of blouses, tops, dresses, cardigans, and even shorts – all engineered from a basic 6 patterns with different darts, flounces, and lengths to switch up the silhouettes. (more…)
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May 22, 2013 | DIY
Awhile ago I posted some photos of a dress I made for my Labor Day Party – which was nothing more than a sheet cut apart and sewn together artfully to make a finished dress.
I made it from a light chambray-colored sheet I found at my local Goodwill, cutting it apart in a way to utilize the finished hems. 
It’s breezy, nautical, and chic – a perfect way to end the Summer…or commemorate the START of Summer on Memorial Day!
So what I made it for Labor Day…I think it works equally well as a breezy dress no matter what the day – so I’m wearing it for my Memorial Day barbecue too!
Whether it’s Labor Day, Memorial Day, or any other day, this pretty dress with cascading ruffles can be customized to any style depending on your sheet and your use of trims; mine is a chambray sheet with striped grosgrain ribbon trim and rope ties; you could also do a white sheet with lacy trim and satin ties for a completely different look!
Any questions on the pattern/instructions – let me know! I’m happy to help:-)
Happy DIY’ing!
xoxo
Carly
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May 19, 2013 | DIY
Wow, that title looks weird when you write it out like that;-) But there’s really no other way to describe this!
Have you noticed that over the past year or so, there have been a ton of women’s tops that highlight the boobage area? Like this one, this one, or this one, for example. Perhaps Wildfox started it off with their double ice cream tees back in 2010. (I even made a similar DIY Ice Cream Applique Tee inspired by that very trend!)
However, I wanted to make something with stark contrast, that was a little slick and a little sweet at the same time. Sleepy eyelash eye masks have always been a favorite of mine, so I decided to re-create that effect onto a T-shirt, with some shiny vinyl PVC. It’s adorbs (and yes, highlights the chest area, LOL). And if you have a sewing machine, it’s so easy. Here’s how:
You Need: (more…)
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May 3, 2013 | DIY
What could be more Summery than beautiful photographs of must-visit vacation spots? And nothing can herald the coming of this season more than wearing said photos on your person: an apparel-fueled mental vacation, if you will.
Get A Life is a series of photo-printed tops for men, sold at Wal-Mart for very affordable prices (around $9 and up, and now available on eBay by the hundreds). Their pieces are made of a stretchy polyester, which makes them wonderfully-suited for women’s clothing (especially bodycon styles!). These T-shirts, since made for men, are already oversized (read: TONS of workable fabric!)…and very easily remade into something perfect for a woman…and perfect for fun in the sun. Here’s how:
You Need: (more…)
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Apr 1, 2013 | DIY
Declare your love for the Big Apple! Take that shirt showing genuine NYC pride and remake it into a stylish totebag. LOVE is in the details! Here’s how to make your own:
You Need:
I Love NY T Shirt (mine is a unisex Large) / White Thread
Tools: Tape Measure / Chalk / Sewing Machine Needle for knits / Scissors / Pin(s) / Serger /overlocker (optional)
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*This project I contributed to 
