Refashion it! Golden Vintage Dress to Embellished Crop Top

vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Hallöchen, ihr Lieben!

Hope you’re having a great week so far! I’m starting to get a bit stressed by the wedding preparations, especially with things involving the dress. A blog post was long overdue, though, so I’m trying to squeeze this one in between all the fittings and muslins and whatnot.

This is a really quick refashion project I wanted to share with you. It’s a loose-fitting embellished crop top I made from a dress that the Mr’s grandma gave me a little while ago. (scroll further down for before pics!).

vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comIt was basically a rectangular, light-weight long dress that looked suspiciously handmade, but had some sort of label in it, so I’m not too sure about that fact. The dress itself had no shape whatsoever, the hem going way below knee-length. At first I thought it might be edgy and cool but when I put it on it simply looked horrible and I felt like wearing a potato sack.

As it so often happens, I forgot to take proper before pictures (which is really stupid when planning an before & after project, I know!), so this is all I have:vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe dress was too narrow to give me enough fabric for cutting out a whole new garment, so I decided to take the easy way out and cut the bottom off. Chop, chop!
vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comI overlocked the raw seam and hemmed it by hand using matching gold thread.vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The fit was ok-ish, but the top still lacked something. Since it’s a really simple shape, I thought I might add some embellishments to add some bling and make it a bit less boring.

I played around with different embellishments I had at home, like studs and acrylic diamonds.
vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.com

I liked the studs best and started placing them on the neckline. Once I liked what I saw, I attached them using my pliers. I added more and more until I was happy with the end result.vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Since the crop top is very wide, I love wearing it with my pencil skirts. Since they have a high waist, my belly won’t show which makes this look pretty work appropriate. Also, I can wear a tank top underneath during the cold season which is neat.

Personally, I love the tight skirt – loose top combination which is quite flattering as it makes your waist appear smaller than it is!

vintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.comvintage dress to crop top by thisblogisnotforyou.com

It’s amazing how such small changes can make a big difference to a garment. Take an hour and an unloved garment and turn it into something you love wearing. Instant happiness!

I would love to hear about your experiences with transforming your old or vintage clothes!

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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DIY Star Wars: The Force Awakens Christmas Sweater!

DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comHappy Holidays everyone!

A quick word about the sweater I used for this project. It’s, what a surprise, handmade! This is the reason why I got the Agnes pattern in the first place! I wanted to have a simple shirt pattern that could easily be turned into a sweater.

I added about 2cm to the sleeve and bodice pattern pieces and also squared down the bodice for a looser fit. The close fit of the original pattern would’ve been unsuitable for the lettering. I always find it somewhat weird to have bold lettering right across the bust if the shirt’s a tad too tight. I used a slightly heavier jersey knit fabric in taupe which I bought in a little sewing café in Germany last winter.DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.com

PERSONALISE A SHIRT USING IRON-ON FOIL

This is a super easy way to personalise or embellish any kind of garment. If you have templates for letters or shapes, it’s even easier. (It took me a while to draw all those letters and get them in perfect shape).

All you need is a shirt and some iron-on foil that you can order online.
DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Some tips:

– Use a shirt with a smooth surface (jersey or cotton works best)
– You need to be able to iron your garment on a very hot temperature setting (I wouldn’t recommend using silk or polyester!)
– Read the instructions that comes with the iron-on foil carefully
– Keep in mind that all shapes and letters have to be mirrored!

I ordered silver and matt black foil online which came in different sizes. The A4 size had the best cost-benefit ratio and also I wasn’t sure how much I needed. In the end, I used less than half of a sheet of each colour. I have plenty left for other projects.

For this project I was inspired by this jcrew kids tshirt which unfortunately doesn’t come in adult size!

source: jcrew.com
source: jcrew.com

DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comStart of by sketching out the shape or letters you want to create. Alternatively, you can use Word or Photoshop to create a layout you can print off and cut out.DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comI used the sketch to check if the size was right and to mark the position on the shirt.DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comBecause I couldn’t find a good font and sketched my own, I copied them onto squared paper to make sure they were even and all the exact same size. I positioned them on the shirt and used chalk for markings.DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comWhen transferring the template onto the foil, make sure everything is mirrored. Draw the shape onto the matt side of the foil, you can use pen or pencil. If you don’t want to mirror your letters, you can try to draw them onto the “right” side, but since it has a protective film it might be a bit tricky and the ink of your pen might come off and ruin your iron.DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comCut out the letters, place the onto your shirt and press the iron onto them one by one to prevent them from slipping out of positon. Don’t remove the protective film until all the letters are firmly applied and have cooled off. DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comYou can now remove the plastic film and use the extra sheet of protective paper that comes with the foil to set the glue a second time. Never iron without the paper after that otherwise the foils sticks to your iron and the whole this is ruined. You can wash the shirt at 60° and iron it from the wrong side if necessary. DIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY Star Wars Tshirt by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Will I make it again? Yessss! I love this shirt, especially because it’s not so obviously Star Wars themed as many of the Christmas sweaters you can buy online. It’s actually quite glamourous and someone not familiar with the Star Wars franchise might not even notice. The foil was super easy to use and I love the result. You can use it to transform an old shirt or jumper or to personalise presents.

Merry Christmas and may the force be with you in the New Year!

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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Knitting and Sewing Souvenirs from Iceland and the Faroe Islands

Iceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Honestly, after a couple of weeks of vacation and laziness, it’s hard to get back into crafting, photo-editing and blogging mode.

So as not to overwork myself I’ll start by sharing some of my souvenirs from Iceland and the Faroe Islands with you! Apart from two books these were all sewing or knitting related (of course!)

Icelandic and Faroe WoolFirst of all, the wool! You won’t find many craft shops on the Faroe Islands, but when you find one it’s a knitter’s dream! Most people live on sheep farming and as you can imagine, Faroe wool is pretty awesome. I bought a 100g ball of 100% sheep’s wool in a natural colour in a little shop call Igloo, in Torshavn, the capitol of the Faroe Islands.

In this shop I also got these super cute knitting needles, Russian doll scissors and crayon buttons. Don’t ask me what I’ll make with these, I just couldn’t leave without them. But I’m pretty sure they’ll be put to good use.

I got the blue 100% wool in a supermarket in Iceland. If you’re planning a trip to Iceland, I can really recommend supermarkets for wool-shopping. Generally, I found Iceland super expensive, but the wool in the supermarkets was the same as in the craft shops and even cheeper than what I’d pay here.

Iceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.comIceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.comIceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.comIceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.comI was really looking forward to my trip to Virka, Reykjavik. It’s one of the larger fabric stores in Europe (or so they say on their website). Once we arrived in Iceland and were shocked by prices, I knew I wouldn’t leave with a massive pile of fabrics. But when we actually got there I was even more disappointed. The shop was absolutely wonderful and a seamstress’ dream, but pretty much everything was entirely unaffordable. They had really nice fabric, but most of their range I could’ve bought online or in London for at least a tenth of their price. I guess it’s due to Iceland being an expensive country and having to import everything overseas.

Iceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.com

I couldn’t leave without getting a little something and after rummaging through the remnant piles, I found a nice piece of stretchy lace; enough to make underwear. The Burda patterns were actually quite cheap. I got this super cool jumpsuit pattern, which really is two patterns for separate trousers and a top.

Iceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.comThey also these super cute hooks and eyes in different colours. I haven’t seen anything like these before. They’ll be nice on a keyhole closure or dress.Iceland Souvenirs by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Since coming back I made a couple of things, including handsewn leather baby mocassins!

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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Sew Cute To Cuddle [Book Review]

Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comHi everybody! Today I want to share with you a book that I pre-ordered on Amazon a couple of weeks ago. And since I got it last month I’ve been making plush animals!

And if you’re asking whether making plush animals is different from making clothes: Oh my, yes it is! But more on that later.Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The book “Sew Cute to Cuddle” by Mariska Vos-Bolman includes 12 easy soft plush animal patterns and step-by-step instructions to make them. The book came out 8th September this year, so it’s basically brand-new! The patterns are full-size and in the back of the book. All you need to do is copy them and then cut them out, some bigger pattern pieces will also need to be glued together.

Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Above you can admire the two little fellows I made using the book and its patterns, Larry and Marvin (left to right). According to the book they’re called Mary and Daron, but the Mr. decided otherwise. Next on my sewing list are the owl, the dog (too cute!) and Gronk, the monster. These little friends are just perfect for killing some leftover fabric scraps! And they make cute presents, too. But believe me, once they’re stuffed, you don’t want to give them to anyone anymore!Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comSew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

So let’s talk about Marvin first! (Who would have been named Drogon, if it was up to me! But apparently I’m not the one making the decision when it comes to naming stuffed animals.)Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comSew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Making Marvin the dragon took longer than expected! Actually, it took as long as making a dress!

The thing with those cute little fellows is, that they don’t use up much fabric, but then they are also awfully fiddly to sew with! For the dragon, I had to sew some seams by hand, especially very tiny curves, as they were too difficult to sew with the machine.

The feet and arms were probably the hardest part to sew.Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comSew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comSew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

For the dragon, head and body are sewn and stuffed separately and then attached at the neck. You can see the little seam where the stuffing for the head went in at the back of Marvin’s head! (Yes! Between those cuuute little ears!)

The part that I probably enjoyed most, was sewing the quilted wings. They are just the cutest little detail on this little man.Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comSew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comSew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comHere you can see the chubby legs and feet which were the hardest part. Luckily, the instructions are illustrated and very detailed. So I think even a confident beginner could tackle this project. (The dragon is actually the last project in the book – the other ones are certainly better for absolute beginners!)

I followed the instructions step by step and threw in some handsewing where I had to because things just became a bit too fiddly at some point. I ended up having something that looked like legs and feet, so I’m quite satisfied (although the ones in the book look a tiny bit different).Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Look at those nostrils! Marvin would’ve made a formidable Drogon.Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Next up is Larry, our hippo with a sweet tooth. (Rumours came up that he might be gay)

Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.comSew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Larry turned out to be bigger than I thought, if not to say massive. There are no finished measurements in the book, but I should have guessed by just looking at the size of the pattern pieces. Well, usually they turn out to be much smaller in the end after stuffing and all that, but not so with this guy here.

This one just became bigger and bigger and his behind ate up three quarters of the stuffing from that Primark pillow I bought. Nothing left for the owl or the dog!

Well, now I know better and will just copy the pattern smaller and make a mini version of this big guy.Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

For both Larry and Marvin I used leftover fabric scraps, which you might even recognise from previous projects. The cupcake fabric was left over from a toddler pinafore I made last year and the flower and cherry fabric I had used for making an Anthropologie inspired kitschy kitchen apron.Sew Cute To Cuddle review by thisblogisnotforyou.com

I really enjoyed making these projects and would recommend this book to anyone who wants to try making their own stuffed animals. No matter whether you’re a pro or a beginner. I love that the projects are quite unusal and not just the typical teddy bear project you would expect.

Have you ever made stuffed animals? Would you like to try?


Happy sewing!

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Paper Ball Decor: Recycling Book Paper

book paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.combook paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comToday I thought I’d share a sewing-related craft project which is super easy to make. You can make these paper balls from different sorts of paper and in whatever size you fancy. They are very quick to make and perfect for parties or home decor.

book paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.combook paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.com1. For the book paper balls get some old book from the flea market or your own shelves. Draw a circle onto the paper using a glass/jar/cup and tracing it with a pencil.

book paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.combook paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.com2. Cut it out (you can cut through several layers at once to speed up the process) and repeat until you’ve got enough pieces for the amount of paper balls you want to make. You will need approx. 8-15 circles per paper ball, depending on the thickness of the paper and the size of the paper ball. For bigger ones I’d recommend using more.book paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.com3. Stack them on top of each other and stitch down the middle with a straight stitch and a wider stitch length. My standard machine had no problems tackling 12 layers of book paper. However, if you are using more than 12 layers and they get stuck in your machine, you can simply sew them together by hand or try using a stapler.

Leave long thread tails and knot them on both ends. Cut off the thread tails on one side. You can  later use the long thread ends on the other side of the paper balls for hanging them up somewhere.

4. Gently bend apart the layers with your fingers, distributing them evenly until there are no big gaps left. Now it’s time to hang them up!book paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comYou can also try and make them using colourful scrapbook paper or pages from old fashion magazines.

It’s also a great project to make together with your kids and for showing them how to use a sewing machine.

You can hang your finsihed pieces up in your home, make mobiles or decorate your garden with them for your next party.book paper ball decor by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Hope you enjoyed this post! I’ve started my new job last week and have been very busy working on my new pattern which I hope to release at the beginning of August. That’s also the reason why you probably won’t see too many new makes this months. Posting on le blog less frequently doesn’t mean I’m not busy 🙂 I regularly post pictures of WIP on Twitter and Instagram, so feel free to follow me there and check out what I’m doing in the meantime (link below).

I still have to figure out how to combine my new work schedule with my favourite hobby. Any advice? 🙂


Happy sewing!

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