Beach Pouch DIY

Remember how, back in November, I posted about destashing?

That I claimed to have a list of project ideas to work on?

Well, my friends, I finally used some of that fabric, and made this cute stripy pouch with an embroidered nautical design. 

Summer might be months away, but dreaming of those warm and dry days is a nice way to forget about the grey skies and damp air, don't you think?!

There are a zillion and one zipper pouch tutorials out there, but here's another. ;)

You'll need:

Stripy fabric

Neutral fabric*

Fabric for lining (I used thin polycotton)

5"-6" Zip (mine was old and a weird size)

Embroidery thread

Sewing thread

Optional: thin ribbon

Tools:

Sewing needles

Sewing machine

Zipper foot

Ruler

Scissors/rotary cutter

Dressmaking pins

Optional: pinking shears

*I used some loose-woven neutral fabric, but it was a total pain in the butt to sew. I could have done with some interfacing on it! Lesson: take care in your fabric choices!

Okay, on with the tutorial!

DIY Boot Covers

Recently I've been sewing cosplays for a future event, and realised, "Hey, if I take photos whilst I make this, I can post a tutorial!" Radical idea, huh? ;)

So after a long (long long long) break, you lovely readers of Unfortunately Oh are getting a new DIY! Thanks to everyone who stuck with the blog (and doubly thanks to everyone who followed me over to Doing A Thing, where I post about books, chocolate, cafes and...doing things!)

Without further ado, here it is: How To Make Boot Covers (or spats. Or even gaiters. I don't know. I'm going to keep calling them 'boot covers').

This is a great method for fancy dress or cosplay, to make existing footwear more appropriate to the costume. Plus, it doesn't damage your boots :) It's especially good if modifying cheap footwear isn't an option due to your shoe size or medical conditions that restrict the sorts of footwear you're able to wear.

You'll need:

For the pattern:

• Your boots/shoes
• (If applicable) the trousers you'll wear the boots over
• Cling film (plastic wrap!)
• Sticky tape or packing tape
• Marker pen
• Scissors
• A friend to help (optional)

For the boot covers:

• Pattern (see above!)
• Fabric
• Zip for each cover*
• Scissors
• Matching thread
• Elastic (approx 1/2" wide)
• Dressmakers pen/pencil/chalk
• Dressmaking pins
• Sewing machine (or a needle for hand-sewing and lots of patience)

* Either open or closed-ended zips, dependent on how long you intend the boot covers to be. In the past I've used open-ended ones the length of the covers, but this time I used shorter ones as I was making over-the-knee covers and didn't think I'd find zips that long!
Edit: Seriously use long zips. Zips that let you unzip the cover entirely, if possible. It makes these so much easier to get on/off!

Note: This is a LONG tutorial, though it's relatively easy to make these. So I've put in headings:

• Making the Pattern
• Making the Boot Covers
• Putting Them On
• Other Examples

You can click these to skip to the necessary section :)

Upcycled Festive Heart Decorations

Yesterday I made these Scandinavian-inspired heart decorations for our Christmas tree. They're very simple to make, and almost completely upcycled!

The method is so easy it's guessable, so I didn't make a proper tutorial, but here's a quick run down.

I used:
Template (from junk mail)
Fabric (old pillowcase)
Filling (from knackered old pillow)
Embroidery thread (from charity shop)

Using the template, I cut out hearts and sewed them right sides together, leaving a gap for turning.

Then I turned them so the right side of the fabric was facing outwards, and stuffed them with filling.

After sewing up the gap, I threaded a darning needle with 5-6 inch lengths of embroidery thread and pushed it through the top of the hearts, tying the ends in a knot to make a loop.

Here they are on our tree! Also seen here are several homemade items I've posted about in the past:
Recycled Magazine Garland
Tin Can Tea Light Holders
Felt Doves and Peace, Hope & Joy Stars Decorations

Refashioned Dress #2

Remember the far-too-costumey dress that I introduced as my 'next project'?

I finished it at the weekend. This is what it looks like now:

 And here's how I did it...

Next Project!

So, this is going to be my next refashion project!
I bought this dress at a kilo sale last year, but it is far too small on the ribs, and a little too costumey.

My main reason for buying was the fabric...however it spent a few months stored away, as I couldn't decide what to do with it!

Recently I was watching a new TV show, This Old Thing, which has a section where vintage clothes are transformed with a little nip and tuck, and I was inspired!

I've decided to do something similar to what I did with my retro floral dress (which I wear so much during the summer months!)

This time, I won't be able to use the bodice (it's too small!) so I'll keep that aside for future projects.
Instead, I'm going to:

• Cut off the bottom half of the skirt and rehem
• Make a new, sleeveless bodice from the bottom half of the skirt.
• Remove the white broderie anglais trim
• (Maybe) replace it with a flat trim

Overall it will hopefully have a similar shape to my floral dress, but I might play with the shape of the neckline a little. We shall see.

This won't happen yet as I've still got another project on (appearing soon on Doing A Thing) but after that, I'll be cutting and sewing like a madwoman!

Watch this space to see how I go :)

Costume Bits! (Tutorial Roundup)

Halloween is lurking ever closer!
Whilst I have no full costume tutorials on this blog, I do have a few posts on 'costume bits': those little accessories that finish off a costume.

Here's a quick roundup of the pieces you'll find at Unfortunately Oh!

DIY Ruff | Customised Top Hat

Witch Fingers Tiara | Jabot with Neckband

Elasticated Jabot | Square Eyepatch | No-Sew Pirate Eyepatch

Hope you find something here to help or inspire you with your Halloween preparations! :D

Elasticated Jabot

Previously I shared a tutorial for a jabot with neckband. Today’s tutorial is for a simple elastic-neck jabot, perfect for wearing with a collared shirt! Mine is messy-looking because I didn't hem ;)

You can also make this without the elastic, and attach the jabot with pins (I’ve done this before too, due to laziness!)

Once again this is easy to make and can be put together using a small off-cut of fabric.

You’ll need:

Fabric

Elastic

Thread

Note: Thin cotton works best for this. The fabric I used in this tutorial has the black stripes printed onto it so it wasn’t completely ideal.

Jabot with Neck Band

With Halloween at the end of October, I’m sure some of you are already thinking of spooky décor and fancy dress costumes (whether that’s for yourself or someone else!)

Today I’d like to share this tutorial for a jabot, or ‘frilly neck thingy’, attached to a simple neck band. The fastening is a press stud.

I'll be posting other jabot variations in future, so if this isn't quite for you, come back again :)

I figured this out by trial and error when I made the one in the picture (hence why the top frill is slightly wonky).

Pinning Inspiration #17

Last week's Pinning Inspiration looked at reading nooks. This week, how about something to wear when you're chilling out with that book? The theme is customised clothes!

Some of the pins this week are from ready to wear designer lines--but offer plenty of inspiration for DIY customisation!

The Curtain Skirt: DIY

Do you keep a list of all the projects you’d like to do?

Something from my project-in-waiting list was this ‘curtain skirt’, made from what I think is a curtain fabric sample, found at a charity shop!

Swishy Maxi Skirt DIY

Lately I’ve been having a bit of a ‘crafters block’ and the UK’s heat wave hasn’t helped. Hence why tutorials and crafty posts have been a bit thin here!

Despite the hot weather frying my brains, I knuckled down yesterday and knocked together this swishy maxi skirt (remember the bargain fabric?)

It took me around 2 hours, with a tea break. The method is fairly easy and uses just one seam, with gathers at the waistline.

Here’s a tutorial. You can use this method to make shorter skirts, too :) This works best with thinner fabrics such as cottons.

Refashioned Wrestling Tee

Last weekend, my middle sister returned from a business trip to New York. Of course, she came home with lots of lovely things which in turn this meant she turned out some old clothes from her wardrobe...from which I, our youngest sister, and the charity shop reaped the benefits! Yay!

One of the things I snaffled from her pile of cast-offs was a slightly outsized, cropped t-shirt that my sister had picked up at a retro shop a while back. I liked the design on the front, but cropped tops do not have a place in my wardrobe!

So I gave it a little refashion:

Not too bad, eh?

It’s a really simple and obvious refashion but I stumbled a few times along the way so I’m sharing this how-to in the hope that you don’t have to!

Note: My sewing method is seriously ‘gung-ho’ and this will probably have accomplished dressmakers groaning and crying. I cut corners and muddle my way through!

Trippy Owls

One of the first boards I created on Pinterest was 'Crafts to Try'. I pinned loads of tutorials and ideas, but have barely made any of them! Today I decided that had to change. What better craft to start with than the cute felt owl tutorial from My Girlish Whims? Which I pinned a year ago.

Here are my owls:

As per usual, I used what I had to hand rather than buy new stuff to make these. Hence the owls look a little trippy!

Haven't decided which of the pinned tutes I'll try next as it depends on what I have on me. I've been procrastinating when it comes to crafting recently and going through a blogging drought with it. Thank goodness for writing up posts in advance!

Customising Clothes: Bottoms

Last week, I posted about customising clothes, focusing on tees and shirts. Here’s part two, which looks at skirts and trousers!

In some ways bottoms can be a little harder to customise, particularly trousers. There may be lots of seams, pockets, zips and goodness knows what else to work around, and if you’ve got a sewing machine like mine, sewing several layers of heavy fabric can be difficult if not impossible!

Plain work skirt gains playful feature

This skirt had already been customised by its previous owner, in that it had been made shorter, which saved me a job!

I injected some fun and colour into the style by sewing on some contrasting trim in a wavy pattern and adding buttons to the peaks and troughs of the wavy line.

Customising Clothes: Tops

In this bustling, throw-away society, it’s easy for clothes to become tired, boring, or (with fashion’s ever-brief dalliances with retro styles) frumpy.

It can also be pretty easy to bypass clothes because they aren’t quite right--perhaps that skirt has a great print but an ugly style, or that thrift-shop shirt has a stain on the cuff that looks rather permanent.

But there are so many easy ways to customise clothing that these uninspiring, damaged garments can easily be turned into something stylish and wearable, sometimes with only a few minutes work!

This post focuses on customising tops. Next week, I'll post about bottoms (not that kind, cheeky!)

Drab denim jacket into rockin’ waistcoat!

The makeover on this piece was incredibly simple. I hacked off the sleeves and then brought out my ancient BeDazzler and added a bunch of evenly-spaced gold studs from my stash!

Ethnic Tassels and Ribbon Necklace

It would seem that I haven’t had enough of tassels yet. Haveyou?

I made this necklace a little while ago and always intendedto write a tutorial to go with it! Unfortunately I forgot to take photographsas I made it. Go me!

However, I think it is clear enough with the photos I tookafterwards.

This necklace is pretty straightforward to make, really, soyou can probably guess the construction fairly easily!

You’ll need:

11.5 inches ribbon

4 x 6 inch lengths of chain

11 tassels (buy or make! Check out steps 1-4 of this tassel necklace tutorial for a how to)

Three large jump rings

Needle and thread

Scissors

Flat nose pliers

1. Fold over the ends of the ribbon and stitch to secure andthen stitch on one end of each 6 inch length of chain to each ribbon end.

2.  Use jump rings toattach three tassels to the chain, evenly spaced. To stop the tassels fromslipping, hook the jump ring through one of the links. Open and close the jumprings using flat nose pliers.

3. Stitch the back of the ‘heads’ of the other tassels to theribbon.

 

4. All done! Here is Mr Cow modelling the finished piece:

This has fast become one of my favourite necklaces. It’s nottoo fussy but is different enough that it easily jazzes up a plain outfit!

Over the past three weeks, I’ve shared three ethnic inspirednecklaces featuring tassels and/or pompoms.

Missed one?

Understated Pompom-Tassel Necklace

Sweetlime-inspired Pompom Necklace

Will be linking up to the parties listed at the bottom of the page!

Cute Stuff

A while ago, my lovely friend Lilia of Horror Shock Lolipop sent me this fabulous book!

Cute Stuff by Japanese company Aranzi Aronzo is filled with easy how-tos for cute items that have a purpose!

There are patterns in the book that you can either trace or enlarge on a photocopier; helpfully the book tells you what percentage enlargement you need!

When I first looked through this book I wanted to make everything. Then I became sensible again and realised that I don't need three more cloth bags ;) 

Embellished Boots

These embellished boots are a project I started about two weeks ago, after seeing a post on A Matter of Style about Saint Laurent's 'homemade boots'. (Read the article on A Matter of Style here)

I customised a pair of boots that I bought from New Look last year. Everything I used here came from my stash, so these embellishments didn't cost anything to make...

Here's the picture I pinned from aforementioned blog:

Source: matterofstyle.blogspot.co.uk viaKei on Pinterest

My method was almost the same as suggested on A Matter of Style.

I wanted to make these embellishments removable, instead of gluing them on, as I have monster feet (UK 9, if you're wondering!) and find it hard to find great boots in my size.

I cut two pieces of faux leather to fit the front of the boots. and sewed four loops on the back of each piece (two for each boot strap):

I didn't think to take a picture of this before sewing everything on, so you get to see my stitching in all its glorious messiness!

Sewing on my selection of embellishments - buttons, charms, beads and chain - took an absolute age, which is why I only just finished this project. I have to admit that I procrastinated a lot on this!

Whilst sewing the first one I realised it's much easier to sew on the chain after everything else.
The more that goes onto these pieces, the easier it is for the thread to tangle around things and I found the chain caught in the thread a lot!

Even once I thought I was done, I kept finding little gaps that needed filling! I could easily fill a few more gaps and make these look even bulkier, by using tiny gold beads (like in my Buttons and Beads Bib Necklace Tutorial). However, I decided I'd sewn on more than enough!

This was a great DIY project for using up all the short scraps of chain I had left over from making jewellery! I also used some of the vintage buttons a family member gave me, beads from a few bracelets that I don't wear anymore and a selection of charms.

I'm really pleased with how these have turned out and can't wait to wear them!

Punkting

I’m not one for jumping on the bandwagon, but I’ve resisted making bunting for too long!

Of course, I had to give it more of a personal touch. No floral, pastels or chevrons for me, oh no!

Instead, I’ve got punky bunting…punkting?

Bunting seemed like a scrap-busting project, and my scraps supplies consisted of a lot of plaid, vinyl and skull-print! So punk-inspired bunting seemed like the obvious choice.

I was incredibly lazy with making this too...

I cut out the pieces...

 

...pinned them to some leftover tape/ribbon (I made it one-sided...like I said, lazy!)…

…sewed all the pieces on  and customised with safety pins, fabric paint and eyelets

I cut the fabric out using my rotary cutter. The woven fabrics fray, but (asides from my chronic laziness that day) I felt that using pinking shears or hemming two pieces together would detract from the messy, punky image! 

In the process of making this, I discovered how difficult it is to photograph bunting! Especially when outside – the only ‘big’ space suitable – the weather is wet and windy...