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Category: women’s fashion

Springtime Eyelet Blouse + Tutorial

posted in diy, sewing, tutorial, women's fashion by Sara on
To start out, I hope all you mommies had a wonderful Mother’s Day! I felt spoiled all week! My husband had the week off from school and did most of the cleaning and cooking… I didn’t even ask him too! It certainly made my days off much more enjoyable because I could simply relax with my two favorite people instead of having to stress out about housework. Truly it was fantastic, and I even got some sewing done over the weekend!
Maybe you’ve noticed the beautiful eyelet trend in all the stores this spring. I happen to love it! What I don’t love about it are some of the prices. While I would love to have any one of these eyelet blouses in my closet, I could never bring myself to pay $50+ for it. Having become a little more handing with my sewing machine, now my first thought when I see something in a store that I like but don’t want to pay the price for is, “I could make that”! So, that is exactly what I set out to do.

https://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/Collection/tops/PRDOVR~76799/76799.jsp Image Map
Here is what I used to make this top:
1 1/4 yard of eyelet fabric
1 yard of thin cotton fabric
1/4 inch double folded bias tape
7 inch closed bottom zipper
coordinating thread
I picked up this white eyelet material at Joann’s on sale for half price. They also gave me an addition 75% off of that because the very edge of the material was damaged. I think I ended up paying around $5.00 for a yard and a half!
Since I wanted a more fitted blouse I thought I’d stick to a pattern this time. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever used a store bought pattern, or one that I haven’t drafted myself… I was feeling a bit lazy. I really only used if for the basic fit of the shirt, then made a few alterations. Here is a FREE downloadable pattern by Colette Patterns that would also be a great pattern to use of a basic blouse like this. Once you have your basic pattern, here are the simple steps to follow:
Since I decided to line my shirt, I cut out both the front and back of the shirt twice. Once on the eyelet fabric and once on the lining fabric (illustrated above). I did not put a lining in the sleeves. I also added an exposed zipper to the back for embellishment.
I hope this tutorial was helpful and that you can away inspired. I can’t wait to see your creations!
Best of luck!

Linked to:
http://www.dreamalittlebigger.com/post/link-lump-37.html
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/2014/05/11/sunday-best-linky-party-14.html
http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-diyers-61.html
http://www.persialou.com/2014/05/just-got-back-from-great-trip-to-orange.html
http://thediydreamer.com/from-dream-to-reality/117-link-up-your-projects/
http://ladybug-blessings.com/?p=4448
http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/2014/05/too-cute-tuesday-linky-par-tay-188.html
http://justagirlandherblog.com/hit-me-with-your-best-shot-18/

Pinterest Challenge Week #2

posted in inspiration, Pinterest Challenge, women's fashion by Hanna on
Stripes and Polka Dots: The Pinterest Challenge Week #2
What I loved most when I found this outfit inspiration on Pinterest was that I actually had most everything already in my wardrobe to duplicate it! Not to mention I love the color combination with the pop from the leopard print. The only thing I had to buy was the scarf which I found at Walmart for $3. This was my first time wearing this combination, which already seemed like a “no brainier” but thanks to Pinterest and a lot of help from Sara I am slowly starting to see fashion in a whole new light.
Stripes and Polka Dots: Green, Navy, Leopard Scarf, and Wedges
Sweater: Downeast Basics | Pants: Gap | Scarf: Walmart | Wedges: Lands End

——————–

Ooo, I’m loving Hanna’s outfit! Too bad we don’t live closer so I could borrow it!

Anyway, on to mine…I’m sure all of you remember this awesome slouchy tee I made about two months back (if not, you can find a full tutorial on how to make one HERE). It has become one of my go-to pieces in my wardrobe because a) it is super comfortable, and b) it is versatile. While it is fairly versatile, the bright bold color has definitely made me step outside of my comfort zone some. I naturally gravitate toward neutral colors, so choosing this bright cobalt blue is me stepping outside of the box (shocking I know). With some more color in my wardrobe I’ve been having fun experimenting with mixing and matching different pieces. I saw my inspiration for this outfit on Pinterest soon after I made this tee and I instantly thought, “I have all those things! Why not give it a try?” …So I did.

Stripes and Polka Dots: Blue Slouchy Tee, Cranberry pants, and Leopard Flats
Top: Made by me (tutorial) | Pants: JC Penney | Leopard Flats: Target | Necklace: Forever 21

I was getting really sick of all the fancy, shmacy, posey pictures I’ve been doing of me lately, so I thought I’d made it a little more “real life”. A huge part of fashion and personal style to me is the functionality of it. I have a two-year-old. I chase, I bend, I dance, I lift and I am up and down all day long.  I like clothes that are low maintenance and comfortable to wear, while still looking stylish and put together—I think I nailed it with this outfit! 
That completes week 2 of the Pinterest Challenge! Be sure to visit the other talented bloggers joining in on this challenge– they’ve got some great projects planned! There are:

Katelyn // Ginny // Corey // Megin // Vanessa
 Amy // Havalah // Stephanie

Pinterest Challenge Week #1

posted in diy, home, inspiration, Pinterest Challenge, women's fashion by Hanna on
Hey, it’s Hanna! When I saw this gold-dipped frame from Sarah at Pretty Providence, I fell in love and I had just the mirror to do this same thing with so on to my pin board this went. Sadly, not too long after I pinned this inspiration my mirror fell over and shattered. Now that I think of it, it was only a few weeks later I had to get my appendix out during our vacation in Florida…yep…bad luck! Anyway I still loved the idea so I decided to take this inspiration and use it on a picture frame.

Instead of going with gold I decided to try bronze to match some of the other decor I already had in my living room. This lovely frame is the center of a photo wall collage I did above our new piano. I’m in LOVE with it all! Now I just need to get a family picture in this frame and it’s complete!
Stay tuned for a complete look at this framed wall collage with bronze accents coming soon!
Sara here, to show my first project of the Pinterest Challenge– a DIY studded collar! Studded apparel is everywhere this season and it’s one trend I’m absolutely in love with! Best of all is that I found this simple tutorial on Pinterest a while back on how to create your own studded look.You can buys these studs at almost any craft supply store (I got mine at Joanns with a 40% coupon for $3.60) and they come in all different colors. Each stud has little prongs that you push into the fabric. Once the stud is placed right where you want it, you bend the prongs inward to secure the stud. You guys, it is soo easy! I’m trying not to get too carried away and bedazzle my whole wardrobe with these studs, I love them!

We hope you enjoyed this first week of projects! Be sure to follow our Pinterest Challenge board on Pinterest so you can check out all the amazing projects by us and the other bloggers!

The Pinterest Challenge: 6 Pins in 6 Weeks

posted in crafts, diy, inspiration, money saving tips, recipe, sewing, women's fashion by Hanna on
We love Pinterest. It is by far the best place to get inspired, no matter what your point of interest is. The hours seem to fly by scrolling through the endless supply of pictures that we fill up our inspiration boards with. But, for all the time we spend pinning various projects and recipes, how much of those pinned items do we actually complete? My answer… probably less than 10% of them.  In realizing this outrageous statistic, Hanna and I thought we’d bring back an idea that circulated through the blogosphere a couple of years ago; it’s called the Pinterest Challenge. Basically, you choose 6 pins to complete in 6  weeks. Pretty straight forward right? We’ve rounded up 9 awesome bloggers to join in on the challenge with us and invite everyone (not just bloggers) to join in too! 
Here is what we both have planned to complete over the next 6 weeks:

As I mentioned before, we have some great bloggers who are also taking on the challenge. They are:
Corey @ Tiny Sidekick
Megin @ VMG 206
The Sisters @ Sisters What!

Keep tabs on our progress over the next 6 weeks and get inspired by following our “Pinterest Challenge” board on Pinterest! There will be many awesome crafts, recipes, projects, and inspired ideas completed over the course of the challenge, so don’t miss out! Join in on all the fun by participating in the Pinterest Challenge with us! Send us a picture of your completed pins to share with everyone! 

The Nautical Striped Maxi Dress {Tutorial}

posted in diy, sewing, tutorial, women's fashion by Sara on
Now that I’ve given you a little taste of this 3/4 inch sleeve maxi dress, I know you’re just dying to learn how to make one for yourself. So without any further ado, here is what you’ve all been waiting for… the tutorial! But again, before we can talk sewing we need to discuss measurements and pattern-making. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: don’t let this step scare you! If you’re a bit new to pattern-making just take it slow, be patient, and double check your measurements– you’ll do great! The measurements that you’ll need for this maxi dress are outlined in the diagram below:
Once you have all your measurements, you can start drafting your pattern. I used sewable tracing paper that I found on Amazon for $14.21 to make my patter on, but feel free to use whatever you have (crate paper, newspaper, muslin, etc). There are 3 pieces to the dress that you will make a pattern for: the top, the skirt, and the sleeves. Remember to add about a 1/2 inch to all of these measurements for seam allowance and an addition 1 inch to all hems.

To create the 3/4 length, gathered sleeve follow the pattern below. This pattern only depicts half of the sleeve so as you are cutting, be sure to place the long edge of the pattern (shoulder to elbow measurement) along the fold of your fabric. Before cutting, also make sure that the stretch in your fabric is lined up across the sleeve not down it.  For the skirt part of the dress, simply take half of your waist measurement then draw an A-line to the bottom of the hem. The length of the skirt should be your “waist to hem” measurement plus 1 1/2 inches for the hem and seam allowance.
Now onto the sewing! With right sides together, pin and sew both shoulder seams. I like to reinforce my shoulder seams with a small  piece of ribbon. This step is not absolutely necessary but it definitely gives the garment more durability. There is nothing worse then spending time making something to have it come apart after a couple of wears and washes. I’m tough on clothes….I have a two year old….so I add in reinforcement!
Before you attach the sleeves, you’ll want to create the gather in them first. You do this by first marking the middle of each sleeve. Since I added an extra 2 inches (remember the sleeve pattern was folded in half) I measured 2 inches out from the center on both sides and placed a pin to mark it. Then, sew a basting stitch from one outside pin to the other. Pull on the bottom string to gather the fabric until you no longer have the 2 extra inches. Top stitch over the gathered fabric to hold it in place, then attach the sleeves to the armholes. If you are unsure of how to do this, follow the method I use to constructed the “Slouchy Tee“.
For of the bottom of the dress, sew the side seams of the skirt together. I don’t like clothes to be super tight around my mid-section so I measured my waist a couple inches bigger, then added a thin elastic band around the middle to give the dress a nice belted look. If you feel it is easier, you can forgo the elastic waist and make your maxi dress all one piece. That is what’s so great about sewing your own clothes… you can customize the pattern to how you like it. If you choose to do the elastic waist, cut a piece that is several inches smaller than your actual waist measurement then sew the two ends together to create a band. With the right sides together, line up the bottom of the shirt with the top of the skirt and  pin the elastic band around the waist. As you sew all three pieces together, pull the elastic flat.
At this point you should have what looks to be a maxi dress. Now simply finish off the neckline and hem the sleeves. To finish off the neckline, I used the neckband method. The tutorial for adding a neckband can be found HERE. To hem the sleeves and bottom of the dress I used my twin needle on my sewing machine. If you’re using a stretch fabric for this project, you’ll want to do the same.
Thank you for following along, and I wish you all the best of luck! I hope you found this tutorial to be helpful. Please comment below or email me if you have questions or need a little guidance…I’d be more than happy to help!
Linked To:

Sneak Peak: The Nautical Striped Maxi

posted in diy, inspiration Monday, sewing, tutorial, women's fashion by Sara on
The Nautical Striped Maxi Dress Tutorial

The Nautical Striped Maxi Dress Tutorial

The Nautical Striped Maxi Dress Tutorial
The Nautical Striped Maxi Dress Tutorial

The Nautical Striped Maxi Dress Tutorial

We’re about to get real serious with this sewing project people! Ok not really because lets face it, no sewing project I do is all that serious. I am the easy, simple, whip-it-up-in-a-couple-of-hours type of girl when it comes to sewing. But one thing that I am serious about it how much I love this new creation of mine. I’ve been itching to make myself another maxi dress, but one with sleeves so I didn’t always feel like I had to wear something over it or under it. I’ve seen many different gathered-skirt maxi dresses on the racks this season and think they are so cute. The construction looked simple enough so I thought I’d give it a try (I’m one of  those weird people that always looks on the inside of garments to see how there were made).

I started with a fairly basic top with 3/4 length sleeves. I added a little gather at the top of the sleeves to give the dress some feminine details. For the bottom half of the dress, I planned to do a gathered skirt but quickly realized that a gathered, voluminous shape around my mid-section didn’t flatter my body all that nicely. I instead went with a nice A-line bottom with a thin elastic band in the waist. And instead of my usual solid fabric, I decided to step it up a notch with this bold nautical stripe print fabric from (you guessed it) Girl Charlee Fabrics. Overall…perfection!

There is just something wonderful to be said about making your own clothes. I love having the freedom of seeing something that I love and then being able to take that inspiration and customize it to fit me and all of my wants. For all of you beginner sewers out there reading this, let me say something to ease your frustration: mastery does not happen over night. It has taken me months and months of practice and failed projects to finally be able to sew more carefree. I still make mistakes and have much more to learn, but with time and practice I hope to expand my sewing capabilities. Just remember, be patient with yourself and with the process– and keep sewing!

Tomorrow I will be posting the tutorial on how to make this simple, yet classy maxi dress so don’t miss out! Be prepared to learn, be inspired, and ask questions!  I can’t stress enough how much we love to hear from our readers so please leave us a note!

– SARA

Linked To:
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/2014/03/09/sunday-best-link-party-3.html
http://www.craft-o-maniac.com/2014/03/craft-o-maniac-monday-link-party-10.html
http://www.sewcando.com/2014/03/come-link-up-its-craftastic-monday-link.html
http://watchoutforthewoestmans.blogspot.com/2014/03/watch-what-im-wearing_9.html

Friday Finds #7: Peter Pan Collars

posted in diy, Friday Finds, inspiration, sewing, women's fashion by Hanna on
1.  Paillette Collar Tee |  kristinaclemens.blogspot.com
2.  Peter Pan Collar Top |  bodenusa.com
3.  Sequin Peter Pan Collar Outfit Inspiration | Image Source
4. Factory Peter Pan Collar Tee | factory.jcrew.com
5. DIY Studded Collar Necklace | thealisonshow.com
6. Knit Tapered Dress with Peter Pan Collar | cottonandcurls.com
7. The Wendy Dress | dresscorilynn.com
Awe, Peter Pan collars… don’t you just love them? We do! It’s one of those timeless styles that portrays a very feminine and classy look. Today we’ve rounded up eight wonderful Peter Pan collar DIYs, products, and style inspirations for you to get your glam on! I myself have recently added several Peter Pan collared tops to my wardrobe, one of which I made myself. I made and posted about this leather Peter Pan collar top months ago, but thought I’d bring it back to show you another way to style it. It was one of those projects that was going miserably wrong, then turned out to be screaming success. The bird silhouette fabric is from Girl Charlee Fabrics. 
Sorry the picture is a little blurry. It was one of those moments where I had 5 minutes between laundry and making dinner, so I grabbed my husband and had him take a quick snapshot. We hope you enjoyed the round-up today and that you’ll share with us your favorite Peter Pan collar styles!