DIY Bleach Tie Dye Last summer, we were obsessed with shibori indigo tie dying. No, really . . . we just about dyed anything white in sight. So when Free People asked us to include a DIY in their guest blogger series, we knew a new tie dye project was absolutely in order. To make a grid-like pattern, fold the shirt like an accordion and bind it between two pieces of wood or other flat shaped objects. Before you start bleaching, make sure you are wearing gloves and working outdoors or in a well ventilated area. The rusty brown color will slowly fade into a beautiful lighter shade as it begins to set. Your reverse bleach tie dye shirt is ready to wear! (top image from here, rest of images by HonestlyWTF)
DIY Woven Chain Bracelet Chain link bracelets, with colorful threads woven through them, have been popping up here and there. We adore Aurèlie Bidermann‘s Do Brazil bracelets and thought it was about time we graduate to the ultimate “grown-up” friendship bracelet. With a curb chain bracelet and some embroidery thread, we’ll teach you how to make your own woven chain bracelet. And one for your bestie too, of course. You’ll need:a curb link braceletembroidery threadtwo bobby pinsa pair of scissors Cut 2 sets of 15 strands of embroidery thread, with each strand measuring four times the length of the bracelet. Lay the second color (blue) over the first color (coral). Repeat the steps until you reach the end of the bracelet. (top images from here and here, rest of images by Honestly…WTF) DIY Peter Pan Collar We almost lost our marbles when we first spotted these scalloped white Louis Vuitton collars on the runway. And so when Lucky Magazine asked us to create a tutorial for their November issue, DIYing Peter Pan collars was an absolute no-brainer. 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 punch1 yard of white ribbona needle and threadhot glue gunbutton Using the pattern template, cut out the two collar pieces. Overlap the two wider end pieces and push a button through the last two aligning holes. Cut the ribbon into two half-yard lengths. Wrap the collar around your neck and tie it into a bow. Your Louis Vuitton inspired peter pan collar is finished! Don’t forget to pick up a copy of the November issue of Lucky Magazine – on newstands now! (top image via FGR, rest of images by HonestlyWTF)
DIY Chanel Pearl Hairpins This week’s DIY, requested by a reader, was inspired by the abundant and delightful use of pearls in Chanel‘s Spring 2012 Collection. Though I’m usually not the biggest fan of pearls, I actually fell in love with the way Karl affixed them along the back of necks and pushed oversized ones into loose updos. His modern interpretation of the underwater gem just goes to show that pearls can be worn any day, at any age! With a few easy steps, you’ll be able to whip up a handful of pearl hairpins as fast as you can say “Sally sold seashells by the seashore” 10 times. You’ll need:8mm – 12mm half drilled crystal ‘faux’ pearls20 – 22 gauge wirebobby pinswire cutterflat nose plierssuper glue Start by cutting off a 5 inch piece of wire. Put a few drops of super glue onto the tip of the folded part and insert it into the pearl. Allow it to dry completely. Continue to wrap tightly 5-6 times. Now, secure the pearl by wrapping the other side around the bottom half of the pin.
DIY Turban We’ve recently received several requests for a turban DIY and so, your wish is our command . . . Before you start, tie your hair in a bun or ponytail. Fold a large square scarf in half into a triangle. Lay the scarf on your head with the center point of the triangle facing forward and the sides hanging down each of your shoulders. Once you’ve twisted the ends twice into a knot, bring both sides together to the back of your head and tie it tight. Voila, you’ve just made a turban! (top image from here, rest of images by Honestly…WTF) DIY Miu Miu Sneakers Do you remember the last time you Sharpie-d or embellished a pair of sneakers? For us, it had been far too long so when we saw Miu Miu‘s latest glittery sneakers for fall, we were anxious to bling out our own pair using a pair of classic Vans as our canvas. But honestly, what fun is it unless you can DIY a pair too? Leave a comment and we’ll select a reader, at random, to choose their own pair of DIYable Vans. More details after the jump! You’ll need: Start by taping the edges of the shoes, covering the rubber soles. Add one part course glitter to two parts Mod Podge into a small plastic cup or tray. Stir the mixture thoroughly with a paintbrush. Remove the tape. Sport your new Miu Miu inspired glittery sneakers with or without laces! Don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to DIY your own pair of Canvas Authentic or Slip-On Vans! (top image by Bruce Weber via Tumblr, rest of images by HonestlyWTF)
DIY Elbow Patch While perusing Pinterest one evening, I came across an intriguing tutorial on the wonderful art of needle felting. I had to learn more – especially after realizing it entailed repeatedly stabbing a needle up and down into a piece of fabric or sweater. A satisfying stress reliever that results in something wearable? You’ll need: With the sweater on, place a piece of tape about half an inch below the elbow. Align and center the bottom of the cookie cutter along the top of the tape. Fill the cutter, spreading out the wool fibers evenly. At the base of all felting needles are tiny, sharp burrs, which grab and interlock the wool fibers. Continue stabbing away until the surface is flat and even. Remove the cutter and use the tip of the needle to reign in any stray fibers, if necessary. Patch up any bare or uneven spots by adding more wool roving where needed. Carefully peel the sweater away from the foam. To smooth and set the patch, spritz with water and press with an iron on the wool setting.
DIY Découpage Floral Bag When H&M asked us to DIY a boho-inspired item for their summer issue, découpage was the first thing that came to mind. Honestly, does it get any better than customizing a simple handbag with a brilliant floral print? However you create it, it’ll be satisfying to know that you’ve designed yourself a one of a kind bag! You’ll need:a handbagcotton fabric with a large floral patternpainter’s tapeMod Podgecraft paint2 small plastic dishes2 brushesscissors Start by taping off the edges and hardware of the handbag. Squeeze a dollop of colored craft paint into a small disposable container. Allow the first layer to dry completely. While the paint dries, carefully cut out a handful of flowers from the fabric. Arrange them onto the painted section of the bag. Remove the painter’s tape when the Mod Podge has dried clear and your floral handbag is complete! (all images by HonestlyWTF)
DIY Shibori Today marks HonestlyWTF’s four year anniversary. Four years! To celebrate, we’re revisiting the very first tutorial we ever featured on the site: shibori tie dye. Lauren and I first discovered shibori after discovering an old photo on the web. The idea of recreating an ancient Japanese dyeing technique inspired us to spend an entire weekend experimenting with our favorite deep blue, indigo. After dyeing just about every white article of clothing in sight, our blue stained fingers excitedly uploaded the tutorial – we couldn’t wait to share it with our 30 readers. You’ll need:an indigo dye kitnatural fiber clothing or fabric2 5 gallon bucketsrubber glovessmall wood squaresrubber bandstwinea PVC pipea long wooden sticka drop clothrubber glovesscissors When choosing fabric or clothing, it’s important that made of natural fibers. Itajime shibori is known as the shape-resist technique. Fold it again in the other direction – again, like an accordion. Wrap the twine around the fabric.
DIY Luv Aj Handpiece When the lovely Amanda Thomas of Luv Aj offered to show us how to DIY her signature handpiece, we were ecstatic! Not only are we huge fans of her jewelry, we’ve been dying to adorn ourselves with this ring and bracelet combination. Thank you for the awesome tutorial, Amanda! xx This season, the best seller in the entire collection was the Polished Pyrite Handpiece. You’ll need: Now that you have all you need, let’s get cracking. Now for the bracelet portion- everyone’s wrist is a little different so you can ball park the length. So now we need to attach all the smaller chains together: Open up one of the smaller jump rings and loop the shorter piece of chain and connect the jump ring on both ends. Don’t close the jump ring yet though, we need to add the two longer strands of the thin chain to the same jump ring. Grab the thick chain you cut for the bracelet portion and find the middle. Repeat the same step on the other side. Voila!
DIY Tie Dye Denim Whether it be shibori or with bleach, warm weather brings out our utmost desire for tie dying – especially when it comes to bleaching as working outdoors for this project is a necessity. Inspired by Isabel Marant‘s tie dyed sweatshirts, shirts and jeans, we grabbed our favorite denim shirt and a bottle of Clorox for one of our favorite summertime projects. You’ll need:a denim shirtbleachrubber bandsrubber glovesplastic container If the shirt hasn’t already been pre-washed, run it through the washing machine first. Start binding the sleeves first. After the sleeves are tied, crumple the body of the shirt. Pour 3 quarts of bleach and 3 quarts of water into a plastic container. Let the shirt sit for approximately 15-20 minutes. Throw it in the dyer and your denim tie dye shirt is ready to wear! (Paige Paloma Leggings $299, Madewell Denim Shirt $78; all images by HonestlyWTF)
Style Scrapbook: DIY "OMBRE DENIM SHIRT" December 29, 2011 in Uncategorized by Andy I FINALLY got around to do this DIY but since I didn’t want to ruin one of my favorite denim shirts, I went and bought a cheap one at a small store and luckily, the operation was successful!. …This DIY is as simple as they come so if you are feeling adventurous, here is what you need and the step by step: *Special fabric bleach in powder (if you can’t find it, use normal bleach) *Gold buttons (make sure they are the same size as the buttons you are replacing) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
DIY Ombré Denim Dip dyed ombré denim has been popping up here and there and not only do we love the look, it’s super easy to do yourself! We’ve combined Tory Burch‘s dip dyed jeans and Miss Unkon‘s ombré 501s as inspiration for a pink infused DIY that could be done in a jiffy. Start by rinsing your shorts with water. A bottle of RIT liquid dye amounts to 1 cup; you’ll dye your shorts with the lightest shade first and darkest shade last. Ring out the excess dye and add another 1/3 cup of dye to your bucket. It’s that easy: ombré dip dyed denim shorts!