Refashionista // Add a lace layer to a bland cardigan

Sometimes, a refashion idea takes time to form. This is NOT one of those times. This refashion came together pretty fast on one afternoon this week. I was going through my refashion material pile (it's amazing how quickly I've gathered one, considered I just moved to Germany a few months ago), looking for inspiration for the next few weeks of refashionista posts, and this cardigan just popped out.

The next step was to come up with an idea of what to do with it. So, I went through my notions and fabrics, and the lace scraps from my wedding dress popped up. Well, let's just say it was a no-brainer for this lace-lover.

 After the idea and materials were in place, it was just a matter of execution. And since I've already done a similar technique, it was a quick make.

I've said this before, but quick and easy makes will probably always be my favorite pastime. I mean, I love a good power project to build skills and create something you'll be proud of for years to come, like my concert gown, but if you just want to spend a couple hours creating and have a finished project at the end of it, these simple remakes are the best.

 Here's what you will need:

• a cardigan
• some lace fabric
• basic sewing gear

STEP 1

 First, lay the lace over the cardigan at the upper front area. Just play around with the placement until you're happy with the way it looks.

 Then, cut out the pieces of lace to be sewn onto the shoulders. Make sure to cut them 1-2cm larger than the finished size. this makes them easier to sew on, and the finish will be neater once you cut away the seam allowance later on.
Pin the lace onto the cardigan. Make sure to only pin through the front layer of the cardigan.

STEP 2

Repeat the same process with the back of the cardigan. I wanted to create a motif out of my lace, so I cut away some of it along the edges of the lace motifs. Again, cut out the the piece of lace you're going to layer, making sure to add 1-2cm for seam allowance. Pin into place.

The lace patches should overlap at the shoulder seam.

STEP 3

 Sew the lace to the cardigan. Use a zigzag stitch for this and follow the seams of the cardigan. It's best to sew right next to the original seams of he cardigan. Start by sewing the two patches of lace together at the shoulder seams and move to the front from there.

Once the smaller patches have been sewn, go to the back.

To sew the uneven motif edges, I used a lightning bolt/stretch stitch and sewed about 2cm from the edge. This way the edges are still loose over the cardigan and give it more layered structure.

Once you're done with all of the sewing, remove all pins that might still be there and cut away the excess lace seam allowances. All done!

If you need more guidance on how to sew on the lace, check out this tutorial!

I feel that this is a 100% Hanna-like refashion. It's a cardigan, I added lace, and the result is just the right mix of feminine and classic. That's basically me in a nutshell!

I'm slowly but steadily building up my summer wardrobe (you can see my wishlist here). So far, I've made this cropped cardigan, a skirt and a blouse (part of the Start Sewing Club and to be blogged about in full in just a few days) in addition to this lacy cardigan, and of course the reversible tote bag. I really want to make a pair of floral trousers and a maxi dress. Everything else is an added bonus :).

Is anybody else interested in sewing their own summer wardrobe, or part of it? You know I have a sewing course coming, right? And you know we're going to sew a handmade garment, right? Just checking! (You can get on the list to get updates and special offers right below this post.)

Have a wonderful extended weekend! Make fires and enjoy the spring!
xo. Hanna

DIY Lace Stud Earrings

Happy April Fools! Did you get any good pranks today? I'm very easy to fool since I forget about the date, even during the day, and so I'm just thinking it's an ordinary Wednesday. Or I'm simply naive. But, let's go with the first version, ok?

I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Etsy send-off party with the purchases. The shop is now officially closed, and I'll be removing the link from the menu bar as well. I'll be writing more in depth about all the lessons learned soon.

Enough of chit-chat - let's get down to business! Lace earrings have been on my mind for a while, but somehow I haven't gotten around to making any before now. In my earring-making frenzy last week, I suddenly had a burst of inspiration and voila, lace earrings. These are so easy to make, it almost feels like cheating. So, if you've ever wanted to get into jewelry-making, but been intimidated by the tools and wires and techniques, simple stud earrings are the perfect place to start. You cannot do it wrong! 

 Supplies needed:

1) Venice style lace

2) Scissors

3) Mod Podge

4) Small painting brush

5) Earring studs

6) Super glue

7) Plastic bag 

 Here's the how-to:

1) Cut 2 suitable motifs for the earring from the venice lace.

3) Add a drop of water to Mod Podge (until it's runny) and paint over both sides of the lace motifs. Protect the underlying surface and the motifs by laying a plastic bag under them for this step.

4) Let completely dry before gluing the studs to the backside of the lace. Once the glue has dried, you can wear your new studs.

Ridiculously simple, right? You might be wondering why I messed with the Mod Podge in the first place. Well, the lace itself is soft, but I wanted the earrings to have a good form, and be at least somewhat stain-resistant. And infusing them in Mod Podge did just that.

Happy crafting!

xo. Hanna

DIY Lace and Pearls Cuff Bracelet

I know Marilyn Monroe said that diamonds were a girl's best friends, but I've always had a soft spot for pearls. I'm pretty sure it's closely related to my love for lace, because lace and pearls are just a match made in heaven. So, after drooling over oh-so-pretty lace and pearl cuffs on Pinterest (here's a little eye-candy for you), I decided it was time to DIY. Because I really can't afford real pearls, not to mention real diamonds, right now.

This is what you need:

• E6000 Craft Adhesive
• Floral venice lace (I bet this would look amazing)
• Cutting pliers
• Brass bracelet cuff (c/o Pandahall)
• Rhinestones (c/o Pandahall, I used the whole pack)
• Pearls (c/o Pandahall, I only used about a third)
• (sidenote: I had planned on using these big rhinestone buttons as well, but as I started glueing I realized they were way too big for the bracelet, so I skipped them. So that's why they're on the above photo, but not on the finished cuff.)

  STEP 1
Remove the stone tray in the center of the cuff with cutting pliers. It takes a little yanking, but it should come off just fine.

  STEP 2
Cut a piece of venice lace long enough to cover the cuff. The good thing about venice lace is that you can always cut the ends so that it looks like it was that long in the first place.
Apply glue to the outside of the bracelet cuff and carefully place the lace on top of it, making sure that it's centered both horizontally and vertically.

  STEP 3
Starting from the center, start glueing rhinestones and pearls onto the lace. I noticed that since the E6000 doesn't dry instantly, that some of the pearls (which are heavier) started to fall off as I turned the cuff and gravitation kicked in. So, I glued about 2-3 cm of lace at a time, full of pearls and rhinestone, alternating randomly between the two. Then used my blow-drier to dry the glue, and moved on to the next part.
After you're finished gluing and blow-drying, let the cuff dry for another few hours just to make sure. And you're done!

This cuff came together very quickly, and looks rather stunning in person. The rhinestones are much shinier, and the size difference between the pearls and stones gives the bracelet so much depth. It's hard to photograph sparkling things, so you'll just have to take my word for it. Now I just need a date-night to wear this to (hubby?).

Have fun creating!
xo. Hanna

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, and some of the items used to create this project were provided by Pandahall (marked with c/o). All the creativity and opinions are still my own. 

10 Pretty DIY Lace Projects

It' no secret that lace is my material of choice. If I could, I'd add a lace detail to everything. Every time I'm telling Mari Krõõt about a new project, her first question is "Are you going to add lace to it?". And, yes, I'd that predictable. But, I do make an effort to include other materials as well.

Today, I thought I'd list some of my favorite lace projects.

The lace heart tee is one of the most popular projects of all time on Pearls & Scissors, and I'm still using it to date, so it's safe to say it's one of my personal favorites as well.

I've added lace to more than one skirt (like here and here), so this is still my go to method for embellishing a simple pencil skirt.

Sometimes, lace can give an old item a whole new life. This vintage curdoroy vest got a totally new image.

I wore this tee to shreds! For the longest time, it was my very favorite piece of clothing, and all it took to transform a simple t-shirt was a piece of lace fabric.

Lace is also very useful when you want to add length to a garment that's just a tad too short. It's how I fixed this blouse and my summer skirt as well.

The big sister of the lace heart tee is also one of my wardrobe staples. Can't wash it fast enough during the winter months.

One of the simplest lace projects I've ever done, but such a big impact. When in doubt, just add a lace collar.

This romantic lace tee is more of a commitment and needs some sewing skills, but it's so pretty it's worth the time and input.

Then again, if you're not big on refashions or sewing your own clothing, lace can still come in handy. Like when making custom shoelaces...

... or transforming a Pringles package into a pencil holder.

Hope this inspired you to bust out some lace and get creative.

xo. Hanna

Refashionista: Adding lace straps to a strapless dress

I love the look of a strapless dress as much as the next gal, but I find them rather uncomfortable. I simply don't have the boob-power to hold them up, and the constant pulling and adjusting feels awkward and annoying. So, I find it's usually best to add some sort of straps to a strapless dress. I've added ribbon straps before, but now it's time to turn to lace, one of my favorite materials to work with. 

 This is a dress I bought at a thrift shop last year. The first adjustment I made to it, was to make it about 2 sizes smaller. At first, like always, I thought I'd leave it strapless, but after wearing it for a couple of times, I realized, I really needed some straps for comfort. So I came up with the idea of adding venice lace straps. It's unbelievably simple, and so pretty. 

Here's how to make your own:

 First, find the center of the front bodice, and the attach the the middle of the two lace details on that mark and pin the lace to two sides from there until you reach the spot where you want the strap to be.
Sew down the lace from the front.

Now fold the corned of the strap, pin and sew. Then put the dress on, and measure the length of the straps. Add seam allowance, cut, pin to the right place on the backside of the dress, and sew them in place. All done! So. Simple.

 Now this dress is so much more comfortable. Also, the straps kind of dress is down a bit, so I'm able to get more wear out of it as I don't really have a lot of formal events to go to, and a strapless dress seems a bit too much for the every day. But, with the new lace straps, I feel I can pretty much wear it whenever and wherever. Without pulling it up every 5 seconds.

Have fun fixing those dresses!
xo Hanna