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navy blue & white striped skirt DIY

i originally ordered a navy blue & white knit fabric to make

anthropologie's expanding universe tank. however, when i received the fabric,

it was a lot thicker than i'd thought so i decided to make a skirt instead. 

i should've looked closer because on the fabric info,

it says it has 20% stretch which isn't a lot. 

can you tell this is only my second time purchasing fabric online? 

 i guess i still have a lot to learn in the sewists' world. :)

*picture shown of the back of the skirt

-you'll need: 1/2 yard of striped knit fabric(i purchased mine here),

scissors, matching thread, pins

-estimated time: 30-45 mins.

-project cost: very low(mine was $4 w/ free shipping)

-skill level: a beginner

1. wrap the fabric around you and see if it'll go around your whole hip/waist area.

(if it doesn't, then you'll need to cut two pieces, but this is how i did it.)

2. place the fabric a few inches higher than you'd wear it

and roughly mark with your fingers the length you want it + extra1-1/2 inches.

3. keeping place with your finger where that line is, cut across the fabric all the way.

4. fold about 2" inward to the wrong side of the fabric and pin it across.

(this will be where your waist will be).

5. fold it in half.  the red lines are to show you where the darts will be.
(the darts will only be in the back and not the front).

6. make the darts by sewing along the red lines shown in the picture.

(you can have the line be more angled as you want but make sure it ends as gradual in the end).

the darts should look similar to this.

7. cut the top 1/2 of the edge so it's a little rounder like this to resemble a pencil skirt.

8. sew along the edge.

9. hem the bottom of the skirt.

and you're done!

(excuse my butt shot but it was necessary in order to show the darts ^ ^)

and i know it's the middle of summer but i just got these sheepskin boots c/o aukoala

and they're the softest and the best quality ugg boots i've seen! 

these boots are going to help the loooong, cold winter in ut be more endurable, that's for sure.

this skirt only cost me $4.

buy a similar skirt at alice + olivia for $165 or make one for $4. 

the choice is yours. ;)

banana republic braided top DIY...but fail.

inspiration: a top from banana republic

(which i started just liking about a year ago.

i always thought it was too old and boring but now i love that store!

either my style's changed or i'm now old hahaha)

anyway...so this was my inspiration BUT it didn't end up looking like this.

because? i couldn't figure out how to do those dang braid things! haha

it looks like just two loop braids but i cannot figure it out!

(unless i make seperate loop for every one of them)

do any of you know how?

so this is my version.  i just stuck with a traditional braid

got a plain light blue shirt

cut 3 strips from the bottom of the shirt since it was extra long

pinned the top and started braiding.  i did it very very loose.

then using liquid stitch(oh how i love thee!), i glued the braids onto the neckline

and there you have it.

(can you tell i despise ironing?)

vintage bowtie skirt DIY

before i start my tutorial, could i ask you to please take 2 secs. to vote for me for top 25 moms with style?  today is the last day(ends at 5 p.m PST) and i'm only 70(*update: now only 12!) votes away from rank 12th! thank you! ♥

inspiration: vintage bowtie skirt

at a thrift store i found a long skirt

 i cut the botton of the skirt to the right length and

 altered the hips and the thighs part.

and with the bottom part i cut off, i made the bowtie.

cut 2 layers of fabric into a rectangle

sew around the edges, leaving a 2" opening

using the 2" opening, flip it to right side out

fold a small fabric and sew one side closed

flip it right side out and fold it in half and sew it closed.

then flip it right side again

pull the big rectangle 1/2 way through the small rectangle

see the little 2" opening from the bowtie we haven't closed?

(right side top)

i used liquid stitch to close the seam

the bowtie looks like this

then with a one-side flat safety pin, i sewed it to the back of the bowtie

then safety pin it to the middle of the skirt and there you have a bowtie skirt!

J.Crew lace stripe tissue tee

to read my 3 reasons to start sewing, read here.

i'm a part the knock-off series over at kojodesigns for this tutorial for today. 

inspiration: J.Crew lace stripe tissue tee $58

in my closet I found this shirt from my last DIY

you'll need: matching thread, 1.5-2 yards of lace(jo ann's), pins or liquid stitch

1. lay the lace on the shirt to know the width and cut the lace in four pieces.

2. try the shirt on.  it always looks different when it's worn than lying flat on a flat surface.
(for ex.: you sew the stripes on straight across only to try it on and find out it's not due to your body stretching certain parts) 

then using pins or liquid stitch, put the lace in 4 horizontal stripes.

3. take the shirt off and sew it across.

after:

i saved over $55!

*p.s: please keep voting for me everyday until May 5th for

the Top 25 Moms with Style, i started at the bottom low

but as of now i'm on top 13! thank you and keep voting! ♥

Anthro DIY Marjorelle Necklace

My inspiration:

a marjorelle necklace from anthropologie.

gold rope(wal mart $1.20), epoxy, gold chain clasp, 10mm jump ring gold, 2 gold earring clasps(all from jo ann's for .77 cents each kind), 2 flower rings(baker's $8.00 each), one gold flower(from a necklace I had).

I took out the rings from the flowers and epoxied it onto the gold rope. Then I put clear tape around the ends of the rope from unraveling and then used the clasps, and the jump ring to connect it to the end of the rope on both sides.

and TA-DA!

it took me about 15 minutes to make for under $20 bucks. I saved over $40!

inspiration: squeezebox top from anthropologie $48

picture from an anthropologie review blog.

i think i literally gasped when i saw this top online.  i instantly fell in love and knew i had to have it!

i bought 2 white shirts, one in xs which is my size and one in large.  i got the large shirt in round neck for more fabric while i got the xs in a scoopneck.

you'll need:

2 shirts

scissors

matching thread

pins

estimated time: 1-2 hrs.

project cost: very reasonable(mine was $8 for both shirts)

skill level: advanced beginner to intermediate

1. take the large shirt and cut it into two pieces, a front and the back piece.

2. cut the arms and the neckline off so it's closest to a rectangle shape.

3. take one of the piece and begin making the pleates.

4. (instruction written above)

5.

6.

and then with the bottom pleated part

7.

8.

9.

10.

11. oopsie, mispelling. it should be "along" instead of "aling". ;)

12.

13.

14.

15.

and you're finished!  TA-DA!!!

I saved over $40!

J.Crew sequin rows silk tee DIY

inspiration: J.Crew sequin rows silk tee in 2 colors $118

project time: 45 mins. per top

skill level: a confident beginner

project budget: $6-7 per top

you'll need:

3/4 yard of silk/satin fabric (hobby lobby $2.99 per yard)

2 spools of sequin trim for the brown top (1.99 each)

1 spool of sequin trim for the cream top (4.99)

scissors

matching thread

liquid stitch

fray check

(you can't even tell i photoshopped this photo huh? man, i impress myself with my mad photoshop skills!)

directions:

1. cut the fabric.  i didn't use a pattern, i just traced it while looking at my inspiration.

*you'll need to keep in mind that the fabric doesn't stretch. at all.  so make sure it's wide enough.

2.

3.

4. use fray check on the seam of the sleeves.  when it's dry, cut a tiny bit of the fabric around the whole sleeves so it gives a clean, finished edge.

5. put liquid stitch on the shirt horizontally.  then put the sequin trim on top of it and press.  cut off the excess trim.

6. keep continuing.  for the cream top i used 6 rows of sequins and for the brown, 8 rows of sequin trim.

viola! and you're done my dear!

after:

i saved over $110!

Anthropologie uninterrupted ruffles tank DIY

my inspiration: uninterrupted ruffles tank from anthropologie.

 original price: $58.

and i got this picture from some random blog i googled to show you how it looks on. 

i hope she doesn't mind.

from my closet:

a white cotton top from GAP i got years ago.

white lace ribbon from wal mart for around $2.

1. i cut the ribbons by roughly estimating how long it should be by looking at the inspiration.
2. using stitch length 5 i sewed the tip edge of the ruffles and gently ruffled it.  for a ruffle tutorial clickhere.
3. i pinned the ruffles like the picture above.
4. then sew!

the after:

i saved over $60!

*and i just wanted to mention that this was the very 1st project i've done EVER where i didn't mess up and didn't need to use the seam ripper! WOO HOO, HOORAY, HALLEJUAH!!! when i realized this when i got done, i seriously grinned so big.  you would think by how much i sew i would be a better seamstress but no.  but i hope this is the first of many more to come with no mess-ups!

BCBG Maxazria knotted panel dress DIY

Hi everyone! And if you're visiting from Sew Much Ado, welcome!

I'm a guest blogger for their Copycat Challenge

and it sounds so fun, I just might enter one too!

(not this one I'm posting right now of course. :)

but I hope everyone had a great weekend! besides listening to christmas music on the radio(yes! they started playing it a few days ago! i'm so happy about it!) mine was filled with my daughter's 3rd b-day party planning, stressing, staying up late baking/sewing/crafting for the party, and celebrating the special day and can I just tell you I'm SO glad it's over? Her 1st and 2nd birthday she was so young that we didn't need to have any entertainment really, just great food and mingling but now that she's older and there actually needs to be entertainment, games, prizes, etc., it was so stressful! Do you other mothers stress about planning birthday parties too?

so i came up with a simple solution. my husband's going to plan the whole party for my other daughter's birthday in march. genius right?

anyway, here is my inspiration:

BCBG Maxazria knotted panel dress

(i came across this store this past may when i went to vegas to celebrate weaning my baby. my friends wanted to go in and once i stepped inside i was like, "whoa, look at this! look at this! WHAT STORE IS THIS???" and my friends were surprised i've never heard of this store! which comes as no surprise however since i've never heard of chanel, dolce and gabanna, louis vuitton, etc., until i was 20 yrs.old and went to korea. where have i been all my life right? in the bubble of course. anyway, i loved almost everything in the store. except for the price tag... )

eh hem, moving on from my tangent...

in my closet i found

a gray sweater dress

and i bought a yard of gray silky fabric from walmart for $1.50

i wish i found a gray ribbon to work with instead but i couldn't

find a light gray thick ribbon anywhere. so i had to go with plan b.

1. cut the fabric in 5 strips, about 5.5" wide and however length you'd like it to be.2. sew the right sides together(which means the side you want it to show touches each other on both sides and you can't see it but is on the inside when sewing like this) *and yes, i have the most ghetto sewing machine due to my girls drawing on it with a permanent marker.3. flip it inside out. i didn't need a safety pin since the strip was wide enough for my fingers to go in and pull.)it looks like this.4. iron it flat.5. safety pin the strips along the neckline. *after many trial and error, this was the only way that worked for me. i tried sewing the neckline first,then the strips vertically,but it would bunch up, it wouldn't come out straight, so after many attempts and unstitching many times, i felt like giving up for the night but then i thought of you(yes you!) and so i continued and finished! aren't you proud of me?

6. let the strips hang straight down and with liquid stitch glue the strips down to about 2" below your belly button. leave about 1" space on the very top of the strips so you can sew it easily later on.7. take the safety pins out and safety pin again, this time so the neckline is clean and the strips below are straight and unwrinkled.it should look like this.8. tie 5 knots.9. cut all the strips the same length in a straight horizontal line.10. use fray check on the ends of the strips. *i knotted first then cut since i wanted some knots bigger than the others but still the same length. and after:i wish i had the strips a little longer like the original dress but i had to match the other strips to the length of the strip on the shoulder. oh well.(keep in mind the strips are on the right side just like the inspiration dress but since it's taken through the mirror, it's shown the opposite way.)i like it without the knots too. (w/o the wrinkles of course.;) i saved over $200!