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.

Pattern-less Favorite PJ Pants

In real life, these pants do not look like they walked out of the 60s. Something about the camera flash makes them look psychedelic purple.

If you're like me, you have a pair of PJ pants that fits just right. You love these PJs, but alas, they are wearing a little thin. You wish you had another pair. Good news! With very basic sewing skills, you can make a pair just like them.

Prep:
A) First, purchase 1.25 yards of comfy, comfy fabric and one yard of 1-inch elastic. Micro-fleece is wonderful, cozy and very forgiving for the novice seamstress.  Other fabrics work great too. Try not to get something too stretchy if you're just learning, as that can be difficult to maneuver as you're learning the ropes.

B) Get that favorite pair of PJ pants. Turn one leg inside out, and tuck the other leg inside it so it looks like this:

C)  The fabric you bought is probably folded. Fold it into half again, creating 4 layers of fabric.
D) Place your existing pants on the large folded edge of your fabric. Be sure not to place it on the side with raw edges.
E) Cut out two shapes that look just like your pant leg, but leave about 3/4 inch extra down the side, 2.5 inches extra at the top, and 1.5 inches extra at the bottom. This way your new pants won't be too small after you sew the seams. The pieces will look like this:

 Now you are ready to sew! Start your machine engine.

1)  First, roll a nice 3/4 inch hem at the bottom of each pant leg. Sew it. If you are using fleece, use a wide zig-zag or honeycomb stitch so the fabric is still stretchy at the hems.

2) Sew the inseam of each pant leg up to the crotch, again with zig-zag or honeycomb stitch. Make sure to start sewing from the ankle end, so it looks nice and crisp like this:

3) Place the two pant legs together. Using zigzag or honeycomb stitch, sew them together from the top front through the crotch to the top back. Make sure you are sewing them so the inseam can't be seen when finished! If using fleece, overlap one edge over the other and use a zigzag stitch over top of one raw edge.

Trim off other raw edge if using fleece.
4) Create an elastic casing by making a seem that is 1.5 inches wide. Leave an open hole of at least 2 inches to insert elastic.

5) Wrap the elastic you bought around your belt line so it is snug but comfortable. Add 3/4 of an inch to that measurement and cut.
6) Pin one end of the elastic to the center front. Attach a large safety pin to the other end. Use the closed safety pin to feed elastic through hole and around waist of pants.

7) When elastic has been fed all the way around, overlap edges of elastic and stitch together, reinforcing at least once. Make sure the elastic isn't twisted inside the casing.

8) Sew the hole in the waistband closed.
9) You're done!

Good News...

... I got a sewing machine for Christmas/Birthday! Not only a sewing machine, but the Rolls Royce of sewing machines, a Bernina. So far the only thing I am sure it cannot do is time travel. Everything else, I believe, is possible.

So I have many, many projects in the works. Here's a taste: a tiny doll pajama shirt for my classroom.

 Pattern available for free here under "Molly."

Bridesmaid Dress, Meet Bedsheets

Ok, the fabric was never an actual bridesmaid dress. But once I finished the bedskirt, it did feel a little like a bridal party had exploded under my bed. I picked the color because I thought it would compliment the soft tan of the fitted sheet. I think the flash of the camera makes the fabric seem a little more... maid of honor... because the real-life color of the fabric is not so inclined to throw you a bachelorette party.

I used a twin topsheet from my college days as the under-part holding the skirt together under the mattress (you can't see that part). Then I hemmed, gathered and pinned the would-be bridesmaid dress to the old sheet. Every time I laid any fabric on the ground, my kitten would attack it, making it quite difficult to finish the project. But I think little cat approves, as she now has even more to conceal her when she's hiding from me at medicine time.

DIY:

• Lay the sheet on top of your mattress. Cut it to fit the size of the mattress exactly. You do not need to leave extra for seams. In fact, you shouldn't, or the edge of the sheet will be visible around the edge of the mattress.
• Cut the 3 yards of fabric you've selected for the skirt into three or four strips lengthwise. Make sure these strips are wide enough to cover the box-spring or area between the frame and the floor, plus an extra 2 inches for seems and gathers.
• Hem one side of each of the four strips.
• Double-baste the strips on the opposite side of the hem in preparation for gathering.
• Sew the strips together to make one looong strip. Make sure all the hems are facing the same direction.
• Gather the double-basted side of the sewn-together strips until the gathered edge is about half as long as the strip was before you gathered it.
• Pin the gathered side to the sheet. Each strip should cover one edge of the sheet, with the seams meeting at the corners. You may have to adjust your gathering to make it fit better. Sew in place, making sure the gathered fabric doesn't make any funny loops or bumps or unwanted scrunches.
• All done! Trim all those threads and slip it under the mattress.

 

Cost: Three yards of shiny, shiny gown material, plus an old sheet from college. $20, depending on how expensive the fabric is. I once made a bedskirt using an old sheet and some beautiful sheer fabric I found in the remnant pile at the fabric store for $4. Woohoo!

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.