DIY No-Sew Sequin Scissors T-shirt

I rarely wear simple T-shirts, but I got this pink one for our engagement photos. Since it was pretty sad in my closet, I thought I'd spice things up. And, what better way to do it than to add some sparkling scissors. This one has Pearls and Scissors (literally) written all over it!

 I made this project for the Mood magazine a couple of months ago. You know, doing DIY projects as a job is so much different than just doing them for fun. It's a little like making something for someone else and you don't exactly know what they like. But, I still try to come up with things that I would actually love to make for myself. After all, I'm the one who has them in my closet once the article's been published.

Luckily, so far I've loved most of the projects I've made. And this one is definitely 100% me!

This is what you need:

• T-shirt
• Glitter string
• Big scissors
• Fabric pen or other fabric marking tool
• E6000 glue or fabric glue (+ a match or toothpick for precision glueing)

 STEP 1

Put the scissors on the T-shirt the way you want them and trace around the scissors with a fabric pen or any other fabric marking tool (like Taylor's chalk or a chip of soap).

STEP 2

 Use a toothpick or match to apply some glue to the back of the glitter string and start glueing it along the template line. After i did the outer line, I went back and covered the inside of the scissor handles as well. Finally, I added the little joining screw out of sequins.

A tip I would have to cover the end of the string with a few loose sequins whenever you need to cut and restart.

It's a very quick and easy project, and holds up very well in the wash. Also, your kids/cousins/nephews and nieces/any other small children can pull on scissors (which they will) and the glue will hold. It's babysitter proofed, so you can take my word for it!

If the Start Sewing Club had an official club T-shirt, this would be it. I love this T-shirt more than any other I've owned. It's definitely getting a lot of wear these days, which in my book is the best indication of a DIY success.

I've been welcoming the first members to the Start Sewing Club and I couldn't be more happy about it! I'd love to have you as well, so do consider joining. (Have you seen the video introduction yet?)

There won't be another club before Fall. And, the next one will have all new projects. You will have lifetime access to the classes in this edition of the Club, so if you think you'd like to take them, get them now for a good price! Also, if you hop on the mailing list below, you could still catch the earlu bird special I have running for the list only ;)

I'd be beyond excited to have you in the club!

xo, Hanna

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 // Stitch up a pretty and practical reversible tote bag

Summer is fast approaching. In fact, some days feel like summer already, which makes this summer-lover very happy! The warm days of spring and summer are perfect for spending time outdoors - whether having a picnic in the park, or getting sun-kissed at the beach.

For me, the best thing to have for these outdoor events is a huge bag to throw the blankets, food, magazines and board-games in. I like my bags bigger rather than smaller anyway, but these are the times I really appreciate having a fit-it-all bag. Which is why I decided to make this reversible tote bag. It's pretty straight-forward to make, very practical, and to top it off, also very pretty.

 This is what you need:

• 2 pieces of cotton fabric (both measuring 130cmx55cm)
• 135cm of 3-5cm-wide belt strap (or straps from an old bag, or even an old belt)
• 2 large buttons
• approximately 80cm of shoelace
• basic sewing equipment
• Ruler and marking tool
• Paper clamps

STEP 1

 Cut 2 rectangles measuring 65x55cm from both fabrics. Repeat each following step with both fabrics. You'll basically be creating 2 bags that go inside each other.
Also, cut the strap in half.

Take the shoelace and cut it into 3 equal part. You're going to braid them, so pinch the ends on one side between a paper clamp and start braiding. When you get to the other end, clamp the braid with another paper clamp.

Now you can start sewing.
Put 2 rectangles from the same fabric on top of each other so that all the edges line up, and the right side (the prettier side) of the fabric is inside. Sew 3 sides of the bag as marked on the above photo with a seam allowance of 1cm.

Repeat with the other fabric.

STEP 2

Fold the bag from the wrong side (where the seam allowances show) so that the side seam lines up with the bottom seam and the corner is pointed out and mark a line 15cm from the tip of the corner. The line needs to be at a 90 degree angle from the seams.

Sew the corner seam you just marked. You can cut off the corner after you're done if you want to.

STEP 3

Press all seams. Also, fold the upper edge of the bag to the inside to create a 2cm wide hem and press that down. Repeat on both bags.

Mark the center on both bags (equal distances from the side seams. The make a mark 3cm from the center mark on both sides. This is for the button loop.

Next, make a mark 12cm from the center on both sides of the mark. Those marks are for the straps.

STEP 4

 Place one bag inside each other, it doesn't matter which one, so that the wrong sides face each other and the right sides are out. Align the side seams and the upper edges with each other and pin.

 Start sewing together the two layers of the bag. Keep the strap and button loop (braid) at hand. Start from one of the side seams and sew about 3mm from the edge, until about 4cm before the first marking. Make sure your needle is lowered and stop for a second.

 Place one end of the first strap in between the 2 bag layers at the first marking (that's 12cm from the center). Tuck in about 4cm of the strap end. Hold the strap in place with your fingers and slowly sew over it.  Repeat that when you get to the second marking on the other side, but first, you'll need to add the ribbon loop. See below!

Ok, so now you've got on end of the first strap sewn in and you're approaching the first button loop marking. Take the shoelace braid, remove the clamp and insert it between the two layers of fabric, just like you did with the strap. Again, hold it in place with your fingers and slowly sew over it.

Repeat once you get to the other marking.

You only need to insert the loop on one side, so once you get to the other side of the bag, you only need to insert another strap.

Keep sewing the edge of the bag until you get back to the beginning full circle. Now you have your straps and loop fastened, and bags attached to each other. Just a couple more steps and you're done!

STEP 5

To make the straps more durable, sew a box with an X inside on top of the strap end that's tucked between the bag layers (see photo above). Repeat with all 4 strap ends.

STEP 6

 Lastly, sew buttons onto the center of the other side of the bag, about 4cm from the upper edge. One button to one side (floral on my bag) and the other button to the same spot on the facing side (the beige on my bag. I found that the best way to do that is to sew them on at once, like a reinforced button. And, keep a toothpick between the layers of thread so you don't sew the button on too tight. After the buttons are secured, circle the thread between the button and fabric to create a little "foot" for the button. I hope this makes sense.

BONUS STEP

In case you want to reinforce the button of the bag to give it more body, you can craft a simple bottom from a plastic paper folder. I just cut off the cover and sides of the folder, and covered it with fabric, which I glued to the plastic using a glue gun.

Whew! That was a lot of steps, but it's totally worth it. Also, I guarantee you that the actual process of sewing this takes less time than it did for me to write out all these steps. The joy of blogging, eh?

I hope this inspires you to bust out that sewing machine, and stitch up something useful for your summer adventures! And, if you like the dress on the photos, here's the tutorial.

I'm going to keep the blogging load a little bit lighter this week in order to work on the Start Sewing Club. But, I will see you on Thursday to share a cute refashion.

Speaking of the Start Sewing Club - sign up below! You'll be the first to get all the news, and some early bird bonuses that I will only offer to the awesome people on that list. And, of course, you will receive a free Start Sewing Guide to get you started. I'm all about #startsewing !

xo. Hanna

Refashionista // Use sleeves to lengthen your sweater skirt

You might not know this about me, but I believe in refashioning my refashions. Whenever I alter a clothing, it's always about finding better use for it. Sometimes that means turning it into a completely new garment, and sometimes it's just a little fix.

When I turned this sweater into a skirt, I had every intention of leaving it that way and using the sleeves for a whole other refashionista project. But, the length of the skirt started to really bother me. You'll only see me in a mini-skirt ince in a blue moon, if that. So, I figured I had to fix the length in order to make this wearable. Insert the sleeves.

If you haven't seen it, check out the first part of this refashion here. And then, if your skirt is too short as well, come back and add some length using the sleeves.
Here's how:

1) Cut up your sleeves.
2) Place the skirt on top of the sleeve and mark the width needed. Add seam allowances. Measure the length you'll need to add and mark that on the sleeve as well. Add hem allowance (about 3cm would suffice) on the bottom, and seam allowance (about 1-1.5cm) on top.
3) Cut out according to the markings. Place the rectangle on the other sleeve and cut out the back rectangle. Place right sides together and sew the sides together (meaning the short ends of the rectangles).
4) Place the wide tube on top of the skirt so that right sides (the outer sides) are together and side seams match up. Pin them in place.

5) Sew the tube to the skirt.
6) press the hem allowance to the wrong side of the fabric.
7) Sew the hem.
8) Give it a good press and you're done!

To get some tips for sewing with knit fabrics, check out this post.

Hopefully, this little fix will help me get more wear out of the skirt. Sometimes, it's ok to refashion a piece more than once to figure out the best fit for you.

I have so much creative juice in me lately, but I just haven't had time to channel it into projects as I've been working on a pretty big project behind the scenes. It's something I'm so excited to share more about tomorrow.

For now, though, what do you think. Do you like the first or the second iteration of the skirt better?

xo. Hanna

DIY a pair of sparkling sequin stud earrings

Sometimes, ideas come to me out of the blue. Well, not exactly out of the blue, but unexpectedly, while I'm creating something else. So, when I was making these sequin and pearl earrings, I was thinking about what a great texture a pile of sequins create, and boom, the idea for these earrings was born. Because, wouldn't it be cool if you could incorporate that texture into a piece of jewelry? Of course it would!

You will need:

1) Felt

2) Scissors

3) Sequins (c/o Pandahall)

4) Super glue (like E6000)

5) Earrings studs

1. Cut out 2 pieces of 2x2cm felt.

2. Cover one piece with glue and start glueing the sequins to the felt. I started by placing the corner-sequins first, and the filling the outer frame and moving inward from there. 

3. With E6000 you can adjust the positioning of the sequins when the glue is still wet.

4. This is how one of my earrings looked after the first layer of sequins. Now would be a good time to let that one dry and do the other.

5. Add another layer of sequins on top of the first layer. Make sure to place the sequins in between the lower layer ones, not directly on top of. This will create a cool texture.

6. Once the glue on the sequins has dried completely, glue the studs to the backside of the felt. Let dry and start sparkling!

I'm totally diggin' these studs! Now, all I need is a party to go to, so I can sparkle around in these. Of course, you're welcome to wear them every day of the week if your shiny like that.

Cheers to unexpected ideas!

xo. Hanna

P.S! If you want to get even more DIY ideas, news, and behind the scenes peaks into new products, join the mailing list by clicking the button below!

Refashionista Basics // How to re-hem and add ankle zips to skinny jeans

 I don't know about you, but I have short legs and big calves, so buying a pair of skinny jeans almost always means alterations are in order. Despite my initial hesitation to get on the skinny jeans love-train, I've really grown into them and now i just love the comfort and the look. One thing I hate though, is that some of them are just so damn skinny in the bottom. Yes, I know, they're called skinnies for a reason, but some of them are just so uncomfortable to get over the heel. Anyone else have problems with that?

My Mom bought me a new pair of skinnies last week while visiting. I guess these can also be called jeggings as they have an elastic waist. They're very comfy, but like always, too long and too skinny. So, I figured I'll add some ankle zippers to ease getting them on and off.

What you will need:

1) 2x 10cm-long metal zippers

2) basic sewing equipment 

STEP 1

The first step when re-hemming jeans is always to measure how much you need to shorten them. I do this by putting the pants on, turning up the hem up to where I want it to be and pin one hem in place. One pin is all you need to add. You can measure the other leg and the rest of the hem from there.

So, take the pants off, and measure the amount needed to cut off. You do this by deducting the hem allowance (3cm) from the overall rolled-up hem.

Mark the cutting line and just cut it off.  

STEP 2 - ADDING THE ANKLE ZIPPERS

1) Mark the hem allowance, so you'll know where it ends. Place the zipper on the outer seam of the trouser-leg and mark the end of the zipper teeth onto the leg. Now, rip out that seam up to that point. This will create the opening for the zipper.

2) Place the zipper inside the trouser-leg, so that the beginning is aligned with the hem-line, and the end with the mark you made in the previous step. Then, place one side of the opening on the zipper, so that the edge aligns with the center of the zipper, and pin into place.

3) Repeat with the other side of the the opening.

4) Open up the zipper and and sew around the zipper on your sewing machine. Make sure to use you zipper foot to ease your sewing.

STEP 3 - HEMMING

Now, all that's left to do is re-hem the jeans.

5) I always press the hem into place before sewing. It's my top tip for getting pretty and even hems. Seriously guys, don't underestimate the power of a good press. So, fold 1.5cm once, and then again, 1.5cm.You can cut the ends of the zipper shorter before doing this to make the hem less bulky. I cut the zipper so it would meet with the first turn of the hem, so it would be just up to the second turning point.

6) This step is optional, but just in case, you can pin the hem in place. I've done so much hemming over the years that I usually just skip this part.

7) Sew the hem with your sewing machine. If you want your hem to be extra stretchy, you could use the lightning bolt stitch, but otherwise, a regular straight stitch should do the job.

Done and done! 

I really like how these turned out. They are so much easier to get into and out of. And, the zipper add some style to the otherwise pretty boring jeans. Mine have faux zippered pockets in the front, so the metal zippers really go well with the style of this pair.

Any other short-legged girls out there?  Hope this helps when you buy another pair of pants made for people with annoyingly long legs (#alwayswantwhatyoudonthave).

Just out of curiosity, though, anyone having trouble with their trousers always being too short?

Happy sewing!

xo. Hanna