30 August 2011

DIY: chevron fringe tee


reblog on tumblr | hype on lookbook

e a s y ][ 1-2 hours
cost: $10-20
shop at: your house, craft or fabric stores
read: the instructions once though before you get started.

Fringe is a really fun effect but I imagine it can be kind of intimidating if you've never tried it before. I promise this is a super easy project with big results, and would be fun by yourself, or with a group! It's also mildly eco-friendly, as each shirt is made from just one shirt, and minimal supplies, with very little waste.

SUPPLIES
- light colored t-shirt that's at least little too big for you.
(most craft and fabric stores have tees in youth and adult sizes)
- fabric glue
(beacon fabri-tac is a good brand)
- fabric markers or sharpies
- ribbon
- scissors
- ruler
- pencil
- piece of cardboard
(newspaper or a notebook would work too)
- flat space to work

1. Plan what colors you want to use before you buy supplies. The shirt I found in my house was light pink, so I decided to use pink and orange fabric markers, and pink and orange ribbon. I think fewer colors show off the fringe, but if you're color crazy, do your thing. Or, if you're not color crazy, you could even skip the steps about marker and/or ribbon. If you don't like fringe, this isn't a project for you. But maybe a friend or relative would like one?


2. Cut any tags out of the shirt.Try on the shirt and mark where your belly button is with a pencil. Take off the shirt and lay it flat. I recommend that you cut off around 4" from the bottom of the t-shirt. Four inches allows for pretty good looking fringe, but if that makes the tee too much of a belly shirt, or you want to play with fringe length, adjust as you like! The more you cut off from the bottom, the shorter the shirt will be.


3. Set the main part of the tee aside. Grab the bottom piece and place it in front of you, with the seam at the top. Using the fabric markers, add stripes of color to both sides. They don't have to be perfect, texture and randomness is a good thing here!


4. Cut lines every 1/2" along the piece, all the way across. You can wing it, or draw lines with a ruler and pencil. Pulling down on the 1/2" strings will cause them to roll, creating the awesome fringe effect.


5. Cut the fringe into two pieces, where the sides of the t-shirt used to be. You should have something that looks like this:


6. Now to create the chevron. Grab the fringe piece you want to use on the front of the shirt. Fold it onto itself, color facing in.


7. This part is a bit tricky, but take your time, you'll get it! Practice with a strip of paper if you need to. Fold it back flat, creating a little triangle behind it in the center.


8. The whole piece should look like the edge of an obtuse triangle. Put fabric glue in between the center's folds and let it dry for a bit. Then, pin the fringe where you want it to be on the shirt. Try it on to get a better visual. You can hold up the fringe and mark the shirt if you don't have pins.


9. Slide a piece of cardboard into the shirt to keep the glue from going everywhere. Trim the ends, remove the pins. Apply glue to the back of the seam to attach the fringe to the shirt, keeping an eye on placement. Once it's on there, press it down.


10. Using the same folding and gluing techniques, you can attach ribbon to the shirt.


11. I used the extra fringe and ribbon on the back of my shirt. I decided to put a straight line higher up, but you could do another chevron.


12. Done! Time to find some breeze and put your fringy tee into action!



TIP: Fabric glue is perfect because once it dries completely, it's machine washable. If you're feeling fancy, you could definitely sew instead.

ALTERNATIVE IDEAS: If you use a tee that is way big, you'll get a cool drapey poncho look. You could also play with cutting the neckline or sleeves, all the usual things that happen when you put scissors near a t-shirt.

Be sure to check out my other projects!

If you make one, feel free to post a photo on the September Girls Do So Much fan page!

DIY #16
♥ I worked really hard on this tutorial. It took a long time to prepare.
I wrote out these instructions and took the photos.
So if you see this anywhere else, it's not the original.
8/30/11

26 August 2011

DIY: shirt skirt


reblog on tumblr | hype on lookbook

m e d i u m ][ 1-2 hours
cost: $4 for thread & elastic
shop at: your house, craft or fabric stores
read: the instructions once though before you get started. also consider referring to my Le Sac Dress tutorial, as it uses similar techniques.

The perfect use for an old button down shirt from your boyfriend, lover, the kid across the dorm hall who you harass, OR good ol' dad, or grandpa joe. Or sketchy Uncle Goodwill.

You only have to know how to sew a straight line. Plus, you don't have to hem this skirt! Yesss. And it's a great unique shape. Side slope!

I wear this one like I wear my elastic high waist skirts, at my natural waist with a shirt tucked in.

SUPPLIES
- button down shirt in a male size, hopefully it has some length to it
- sewing machine that can do a straight stitch OR be tough & sew by hand
- iron
- scissors
- ruler
- safety pins
- package of 1/2 inch elastic
- thread in a color that goes with the shirt

1. Button all the buttons. Cut straight across both layers of the shirt, under the sleeves. Do not try to cut through a button.


2. Now you have the bottom of a shirt. Stitch down the placket, buttons rightside up. This prevents awkward gapping when you wear the skirt. Only sew the top layer of the shirt. Do not stitch over buttons, the needle will break. A broken sewing machine is a sad one.


3. Lay the shirt tube on an ironing board, wrong side out. Fold & iron the top edge of the shirt down so it makes a 3/4 inch skinny rectangle around the top of the tube opening. This will be the tunnel where the elastic goes. Pin it down & it'll stay in place better.


4. Using a straight stitch, sew around the circle close the lower edge, but do not sew it shut completely. Leave a 1 inch opening. The gap is where the elastic will enter. Keep an eye on things and check your work every so often, so you don't accidentally sew through both layers of the skirt!


5. Cut a piece of elastic a few inches shorter than your waist. For instance, if you have a 26 inch waist, cut a piece that is 21-23 inches. Styles of elastic vary, so you may have to tinker with it again later to get the right fit.

6. Attach one end of the elastic to a safety pin. Pin the other end somewhere near the tunnel, so it will not get lost in the tunnel. Push the elastic through the top fabric tunnel. It will gather and make cute little bunches. Take your time.


7. When the elastic meets, remove the safety pins carefully, make sure the elastic is not twisted, and sew the ends together. Go over it multiple times.


8. Try on the skirt to see if it fits. The elastic should feel snug but not painfully tight. Re-sew the elastic tighter if needed.

9. Tuck the elastic fully into the tunnel. Sew the fabric tunnels shut along the bottom edge where the other stitches are, going over it a few times.

10. Turn the skirt right side out, and you're done!



TIP: I like to leave the seam tag hanging as a bonus "this used to be a shirt!" detail. But you can cut yours out if you like.

ALTERNATIVE IDEA: This tutorial could be modified to make a top, or plenty of other things, depending on what kind of shirt you use. Cook up some ideas of your own, if you feel like it!

Be sure to check out my other projects!

If you make one, feel free to post a photo on the September Girls Do So Much fan page!

DIY #15
♥ I worked really hard on this tutorial. It took a long time to prepare.
I wrote out these instructions and took the photos.
So if you see this anywhere else, it's not the original.
I was inspired by other versions made by awesome users at sites like craftster.
I made my skirt in the summer of 2008, but I posted this tutorial on
8/26/11

14 August 2011

Tie-Dye August 2011

I am happy to announce that tie-dye will available for purchase starting
Monday, August 15th, 2011, at 9PM Eastern US time.
Many styles, limited quantities. I've made everything I'm selling already, and once it's gone, it's gone.

Prompt shipping. Selling through Etsy, accepting payments through Paypal only.

International shipping is possible, but it will cost more.
Contact orders@septembergirlsdosomuch.com if you're an interested international shopper.

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

You can view more photos on the Facebook page!