CAFTAN Featured: Oscar de la Renta Caftan Oscar de la Renta shows us how to relax with this 2009 caftan style. The sheer striped silk print is so feminine and the flat braid trim makes this style ultra luxe. Can you just imagine lounging around in this? (You’ll definitely want to sew one up as no pattern is required.) This is a classic piece that belongs in any collection of beautiful, fine clothing. You will need: Fashion fabric, 45″ [114cm] wideFlat braid trim, 2″ [5cm] wideCoordinating thread12 half-ball buttons, line 20 [12.5 mm dia.] Measure from the nape of your neck down to the desired length: purchase twice this amount of 45″ [114cm] wide fashion fabric and four and a half times this amount of 2″ [50mm] wide flat braid trim . Cut the fabric into two equal lengths. Reduce the width of both pieces to 35″ [89cm]. From the excess cut-away material, cut two rectangles, each measuring 10″ wide x 40″ long [25.5cm x 102cm]. Choose one length of fabric to be the front of the caftan. Like this:
Circle Tree Modern Art ~ Crafts by Amanda You might remember when I was participating in Crafting with the Stars and had to come up with a brand inspired knock off. While ultimately I chose to make my French Fruit Wall Art, my star partner, Amy of Mod Podge Rocks had sent me quite a few brand name ideas to choose from. One of them was this cool “big sur pillow cover” from West Elm. I knew right away I wanted to make something from it, but wasn’t quite sure what. Recently we painted my teenage daughter’s room using two different shades of purple. I found a great deal at Michael’s on the canvas and used the little sample buckets of paint that we had purchased before painting her walls. I also used some gray to add a third color element. Originally i was going to create a pattern, cutting it on freezer paper with my Silhouette machine, then stenciling it on. Circle Tree Modern Art You will need 2 pieces of 16″x20″ wood framed canvas Acrylic paint: dark purple, purple, gray and black Pencil Paintbrushes
NAUTICAL HALTER Featured: Selma dress In many cases, discover your fabric as inspiration and the theme for the piece begins there. There are so many design ideas you can do with patterned fashion fabric and a bit of elastic. Take for instance, the Selma dress with an elasticized bodice and striking rope trim makes for a nautical style and fun back by Christopher Deane. Come across your own themed fabric and try this dress draft for summer. You will need: approx. 2 ½ yds. [2.3m] of fashion fabric, 45″ [114 cm] wide (depends on desired length)shirring elastic thread.4 yds. [3.6m] of cording, 1/2″ [12mm] diameterCoordinating thread X = bust measurement (measure just under the arms around the fullest part of the chest). Finished length = measure vertically from the armpit to the desired hemline . This is a patternless design (simple block draft). Cut 1 front, cut 1 back, cut 4 bra cups and cut 4 loop carriers (1-1/2” [4 cm] wide strips). 1. 3. Design Note: The fit of this style is not a snug one. 4. 5. 6. 8.
Welcome to Lost Crafts... Golden goddess gown - a side tie infinity dress that is smokin' hot Measurement instructions edited 6/14/09 Four knit rectangles + elastic + thread + sewing machine + 2 hours = one fabulous knit tube dress. Front views Back views That’s right. You can sew a fabulous knit tube dress in two hours. Fabric and notions: Approximately 2 yards of 60” wide knit fabric.The wrong side of the fabric will show with the tie variations, so keep that in mind when you choose your fabric. Thank you to the Anonymous (Jun) for asking for clarification on this step. Take your measurements: Measure around the fullest part of your bust. Cut your dress: Find a large flat surface to cut out your dress.Fold your fabric in half, wrong sides together, and lay on a large flat surface.I used the floor in my sewing room, much to the delight of my little helper Sophia, who promptly plopped herself on the fabric and refused to budget. Measure, mark and cut your rectangle. Cut your ties: Cut two rectangles that measure 6”(w) x 50” (l). Sew your dress: Done!
Gift Ideas for poor creative souls (6) You know how it goes, a friend calls you and invites you to dinner at the last minute. OMG! What gift can you take?! You scrabble around the cupboards trying to find a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine but find that most of the chocolates have been eaten and the wine has gone. I thought this was a wonderful idea. Supplies : Patterned paper-one 12 x 12" sheet. These directions will give you one flower. 1. 4. 5. Tip: For single sided paper. 6. Note: Florist tape is stretchy, just play with it and pull gently but firmly as you move down the stem. 7. Note, you will have to play around with the height of the petals, and where on the petal you start your tape. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. For tutorials on how to market yourself online, go here.
ISLAND FLOUNCER Courtesy: Vogue A flirty flouncer has that button-to-hem flippancy and shows lots of sun-kissed shoulder. A very easy sundress draft to get you in that tantalizing “island-in-the-sun” attitude. You will need: Approx. 2 – 2 ¼ yds [1.8 - 2m] of fashion fabric, 45″ [114 cm] wide2.5 yds. [2.3 m] of pre-cut interfacing, 1″ [2.5 cm] wide1 pkg. of single fold bias tape, ½” [12.5 mm] wide1 yd of elastic, 3/8″ [10 mm] wide8 buttons, line 20; ½” [12.5 mm] diameterCoordinating threadKraft paper Bust = measure around the fullest part of chest just under the arms. Hip = measure around the fullest part of the seat about 9″ [23 cm] below the natural waist. Back waist length = distance from nape of neck to natural waistline. This pattern is drafted by height. Make a SQUARE template with length and width equal to your Back Waist Length. On the kraft paper, square lines from X at 90 degrees. The line squared down from X is the length. Along the length line of the paper, set up A-B-C as shown. 1. 2. 3. 4. Like this:
Fractal Papercraft Jan20 This post combines two of my hobbies, making things out of paper (papercrafting) and exploring and building fractals. For those of you that are not familiar with fractals, they are objects that have repeating patterns at different sizes. In other words when you zoom in on a part of the object it looks like a smaller copy of the entire object. Here are 3 different fractals that I have built out of paper. Sierpinski Tetrahedron (Tetrix). 3D fractal tree. Koch Surface.
The Convertible “Infinity” Dress: How it almost defeated me, and what you need to make one I made this thing. It’s pretty cool. It’s a convertible dress that’s basically a circle and two straps, so it’s really easy, inexpensive, and crazy versatile. It’s been around forever and everyone seems to love it (in fact, part of the reason I’m posting this is to answer some questions for people I’ve run into), and I can hardly believe how close I came to not making it at all. I first found the instructions at a blog called rostitchery, and then I came across a second set at Cut Out + Keep. So I bought some material, spread it out in the living room, cut out my pieces, and… …stopped. I didn’t understand the next step. Turn the skirt inside out? And what’s this about making them overlap each other? There’s, like, a band of fabric involved? What? I figured I was just being thick. So I folded up my circle and my straps and I put it all back in the bag it came in. And I went upstairs to watch TV. I was wearing my new dress after about half an hour. Select a stretchy knit with spandex in it.
Some of my clothes I've made.. Tut for apron dress pg 4 & seminole patchwk pg 5 Ok.. a couple of people have aksed me about the scrap apron dress and it's SUPER easy.. and so fantastic. It looks like a dress from the front.. but you can be wearing shorts underneath if it's hot (or a skirt.. or pants.. ) It's SOO versitile!!so here's a quick tut of the apron for ya... Really the whole this is almost just a big rectangle.. The top is a simple rectangle of fabric. For the one I have on.. the top is made of a soft white eyelet, and it's lined with a soft muslin. I make straps out of scrap fabric.. For the measurments of the top.. For the length of the top, I usully go about 2 inches above my waistline.. or an inch or so below my bustline. I then pin the lining to the fabric, inside out. Fold each 2inch strip in half and iron. ), then depending on the length of your top, another half way down on each side, so that the ends are pointing out. For the skirt of this apron top.. piece together a large panel of scraps. Voila!! I hope this helps..
Boho Maxi Dress: a tutorial This dress is an incredibly easy make. By now you may have realized that I'm all about the simple projects. I'm far from being a master seamstress, I just work with what I know and try to learn as I go. I've never actually owned a maxi dress before, but now I might be hooked. They're so comfy and they have the added benefit of hiding my neglected, less-than-hairless legs. Want to make one too?? Materials: 1 4/5 yd Extra Stretchy Jersey Knit (60"wide) (You want a lightweight knit. 1/3 yd Trim Fabric Dye I know that there are many of you out there who have a fear of sewing with knit. A couple of things to keep in mind when sewing with knit... Let the material go at it's own pace when feeding through the machineUse a zig zag stitch or a stretch stitch. Tutorial: Fold your panel of fabric in half along the 60" side. Because it was so huge, it was difficult to get a decent pic of this step...so I drew up this nice little chart instead. Sew everywhere you see the white dashed line. Dye: You'll need:
Grey Knit Dress » LauPre I sewed up this little light weight knit dress last night, and I’m really happy with it! (observant eyes may notice it’s the same fabric I used for the top in my last post) It has a fun, flowy skirt with an interesting uneven hem. I was working without a pattern and freehanded some shapes to see how it would look in a skirt. The front is a modified half circle skirt shape with the edges cut to match the pieces along the back. Oh yeah, and I’m currently blonde