How-To: Belt Loops

I bought an amazing dress for $10 in the late 90s (maybe 2000?). Back then I was young enough to be OK with rhinestones on my formal wear. I am amazed this dress still fits, because my body has definitely changed since I was thirteen. The rhinestones were not overwhelming, just little clusters around the waistband. Recently I had the idea that scraping them off with a credit card would be the answer. I was wrong. Rhinestone glue leaves residue:

 And no, Goo-Gone doesn't work on rhinestone glue.

The only possible solution was to cover the waistband entirely. Or glue on more rhinestones. Kidding.

1) Cut a strip of fabric about an inch and a half wide that matches whatever garment you are attaching belt loops to. Err on the side of making it too long. If you are making two loops, cut the strip long enough to make three. I used black silk, which is super easy to work with.

2) Fold the strip in half and sew as shown:

 3) Attached a safety pin to the end of the fabric tube.

 4) Tuck the safety pin into the fabric tube and guide along the inside, turning the tube inside out as shown:

 5) Press the belt loop you just created. You can use a regular iron, but I find a flatiron (like for your hair) is way less trouble for something this small.

6) Place the belt loop pointing the opposite direction it will be sewn, as shown below. Sew in place with a small zig-zag stitch, encasing the frayed end of the loop.

 7) Fold belt loop back toward correct direction and sew a crease into the loop, making the belt loop large than the waistband area. Tacking the ends of the loop down with prevent them from puffing out at your sides.

8) Measure how much more loop you will need and cut off excess. Repeat zig-zag stitching on other side of waist band:

 9) Repeat above steps as needed for addition loops.

10) Happy accessorizing!

How-To: Ballerina Sweater

Finished product!

In continuing with the updating of my wardrobe for $0, I decided to make a quick alteration before heading out today. This sweater is a beautiful color and I love the pattern, but the length was super awkward. It was kind of regular length, but not as long as any of my shirts, making my somewhat long torso look stocky. Not cool, sweater.

How-To:
1) Put on the sweater. Look in the mirror and note how much you want to crop.
2) Cut half an inch LESS than you want to trim off (allows for a seam). Err on the side of cutting too little off. You can always make it shorter if the sweater is still an awkward length.

3) Sew a very thin seam along the bottom edge using a ZIG ZAG stitch. This is important so the bottom hem doesn't get stretched out.

4) Try on the sweater. Chances are it's going to look a little funny... too loose around the bottom part. If it does, take in the sides and sew two darts in the back. Make sure to space them evenly:

 5) Trim threads, try on, and adjust anything that looks funny.

Quick Wardrobe Fixes

Not my closet. I wish!!!

I've had the urge to update my wardrobe this week. But my bank account does not have that same urge. So last night I did a multi-closet purge. Every closet, cabinet, wardrobe, shelf and drawer. I decided to pitch everything I don't feel GREAT in. Why would I keep clothing that makes me feel too old, too young, or unattractive? Why do I own it in the first place?

Eliminating clothing doesn't really update anything, does it? So here's what I did...

Exhibit A:
Sweater/shirt that screams "preschool teacher!"

  Snip, snip, whirrr. Off come the sleeves and hems go into the arm holes. Result:

Now I just need a nice button-down to wear under it.

Exhibit B: Flowy dress that is awkwardly stuck between here and the 70s.

Snip, snip, whirrr. Cut four inches off the oversized ruffle and hem. Welcome to 2011, sundress.

Eco-Fireplace

Last week I decided to have our first fire in our fireplace since we acquired one in July. For the first two hours, everything was going smoothly. The wood was crackling away, smoke was going up the chimney, and all was well and cozy.

And then the smoke started coming back down the chimney. I know, I know, check the flue... I did and it was open. It's been a week and I can still faintly smell the smoke. So rather than risk a repeat (that was a LOT of laundry to do!), I decided to opt for a cheaper, less-smelly, eco-friendly fireplace solution. This trick is far from original, and I think Martha Stewart started it, but I'm not sure.

The candles I got from Ikea for $10, and will probably last most of the fireplace-using season. Way cheaper than buying wood! Better for the earth, less smelly, less dangerous, and just as cozy.

If you don't have a fireplace, you could still create a fireplace-like effect by designating a certain counter or table as the candle area. I suggest putting a plate or tray down, as these candles will drip beautifully. Just be safe, and make sure your pets are smart enough to stay away.

Save Some Green and Stay Clean

Most of us are concerned with saving the planet. So here are two of my favorite cleaning tricks to help you keep your house clean and green.

Cut up old t-shirts to use as cleaning rags. These are reusable, free, and better for the planet than paper towels. Tired and stained bath towels and washcloths work too. Keep them in a special drawer, basket, whatever.

Dilute your chemicals. Most bathroom/surface/everything cleaners are much more potent than they need to be. So don't be afraid to water it down -- your Clorox spray will still get the job done, and be less stinky, and the bottle will last longer. If your bottle is new, try pouring some into a reusable spray bottle and diluting both bottles. You can keep one in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen. Look, that just saved you 30 seconds walking back and forth to get cleaning supplies! Everybody wins.

If you're cool without harsh chemicals, use natural cleaning aids. Diluted vinegar is great for disinfecting bathrooms and kitchens, and water with a bit of lemon juice is a great all-purpose surface cleaner.

Follow-Up: Shortcut Frosting

All in all, I was disappointed by the latest edition of Real Simple Magazine. Leopard prints are back in? No.

But one particular idea was golden, and perfectly timed with yesterday's Shortcut Cupcakes: Shortcut frosting. If you're in a time pinch and can't spare time (or money, or ingredients), simply use a marshmallow. Stick it on top of the cupcake a few minutes before the cupcakes are done baking, and let it melt deliciously. Passing on the genius to you!

Ugly Shirt, Become Kinda Cute

I had this shirt I bought a while ago. It was pretty ugly. The concept was nice, I guess. But the sleeves were too tight and the torso not tight enough, so it looked odd. Plus it had a strange neckline. So I pulled off the sleeves and made the neckline lower. What do you think?

I kind of wish it was a dress. It would be cuter as a dress. But trust me, this was an improvement.