Take Charge Of Your Wardrobe!

Keychain Wallet.

2009-06-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being M.I.A. the past couple of days. It was a hectic weekend.
You can't deny that this wallet/cell phone holder/key chain is awesome. It's perfect to grab when a purse is too big to carry and you just need your bare essentials. Find the tutorial here.

Supplies:

Some scraps of fabric
One 7-inch zipper.
One 3 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ scrap of quilt batting or heavy fabric like flannel.
One 3″ x 5 1/2″ piece of Heat and Bond or Wonder Under double sided fusible.
One 2 1/2″ x 3 3/4″ piece of vinyl.
One 6″ long piece of 1/2″ wide steam-a-seam.
One 3 3/4″ long piece of 1/4″ wide elastic.
One 5″ piece of coordinating ribbon for the zipper pull.
One keychain ring.

Eyeglass Case.

2009-05-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a really cute tutorial for an eyeglass case! The tutorial shows you how to add a button caterpillar to the case, but it could easily be omitted for a more "sophisticated" look.

Supplies:

Felted wool sweater scrap, about 8" square
Print fabric scrap for lining, about 8" square
1/2" wide rickrack trim, about 12" long
Misc. scraps of wool craft felt
Double sided fusible webbing, like Steam-a-seam
Buttons and/or small felt balls
Embroidery floss
Ruler
Fabric Marker (disappearing ink)

Skirt With Button Closure.

2009-05-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a free tutorial for a simple skirt with a button closure. That fabric choice is great for spring, summer, and fall, so with the right fabric this skirt can be extremely versatile. Enjoy!

Supplies:

1 1/4 yard fabric
1/4 yard medium weight interfacing
6" zipper
1 button
coordinating thread
1/4 yard lining fabric (optional)

Shirred Pillowcase Top.

2009-05-26T18:29:00.001-07:00

This tutorial for a shirred pillowcase top may require a little more skill than previous tutorials I've posted, but you can't deny that it's perfect for summer: loose fitting, light weight, colorful. I really love that print.

Supplies:

pillowcase (most pillowcases are approximately 20" wide and 28" long--measure yours before beginning your project)
elastic sewing thread
42" of rickrack trim (optional)

Feather and Flower Headband.

2009-05-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Please enjoy this tutorial for a feather and flower headband from Still Dottie. I'll be making one for sure, especially since I stepped on and subsequently broke my favorite flower head band last weekend. :(

Supplies:

one thin headband
one feather (found at most craft stores)
pearls or small beads
linen or other lightweight fabric
needle
thread
glue (craft or bookbinding glue will work fine)

Giveaway!

2009-05-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

Head over to this blog for a chance to win a this adorable Anirtak bunny necklace! If you like it, you should also check out her Etsy site where she has a million other affordable necklaces.

Simple Cape.

2009-05-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a .pdf pattern for a really cute cape! It would be great for fall. I think I'm going to make it in burgundy for my Nanny 911 Halloween costume.

Supplies:

a chunky fabric (woven wool, tweed, gabardine)
4 inches of interfacing for collar
one large button (or more if you prefer)

Mini Duffel Bag.

2009-05-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a tutorial for a mini duffel bag that would be great to carry to the gym for a work out, to the airport as a carry-on, or for a child to use when sleeping over at a friend's house! There's a printable .pdf pattern at the site.

Supplies:

3/4 yard of outside fabric
3/4 yard of sturdy fabric (like twill)
3 yards of webbing for handles or a strip of fabric at least 1.5 yards long
two 14" zippers
two 7" zippers
3" of 1/2" velcro
matching thread

Wrap Skirt.

2009-05-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a tutorial for a wrap skirt, including patterns. What's great about this is that you can wear it even if you lose or gain a few pounds because it's designed to wear before, during, and after pregnancy!

Supplies:

two yards fabric
accent fabric

Pillowcase Purse.

2009-05-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a really simple tutorial on how to make a bag out of a pillow case! It would be a great purse, tote bag for the beach, or a reusable shopping bag.

Supplies:

pillowcase
thread

ANNOUNCEMENT: My first giveaway is coming up soon, so keep checking in for your chance to win!

Applique Baby Onesie.

2009-05-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

Over on Merriment, there's an awesome tutorial for customized baby onesies! She teaches you how to make really cute appliques and even includes printable templates for: dog, butterfly, bottle, bow, and heart!

Supplies:

Kathy's free onesie applique shape template (download .pdf from link)
Pack of baby onesies (short or long sleeve)
main fabric
backing fabric
fusible interfacing
coordinating thread

One Hour Bag.

2009-05-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

If you have one hour, you can use this tutorial to make a quick bag for work or for play!

Supplies:

1 magnetic purse snap (optional)
1 strip of wadding about 2 1/2 inches by 29
2 large Buttons
2 pieces of wadding or batting to give your bag a bit of body.
2 pieces of your handbag fabric
2 pieces of your lining fabric
2 strips of fabric 3 inches x approx 29 inches for the strap
2 x 6 1/2 inch squares of fabric for the pocket (optional).

50s Glamour Apron.

2009-05-22T20:58:00.001-07:00

I know I just posted a bunch of apron tutorials a few days ago, but this 50s glamour apron is AWESOME. Make it now!

Supplies:

cotton fabric
tulle
ric rac

Laptop Sleeve.

2009-05-22T20:44:00.001-07:00

Here's a tutorial (and printable pattern) for a really fun looking laptop sleeve! Great if you carry your laptop to work. It would also make a cool gift for a college student.

Supplies:

batting (like what you'd use for a quilt)
medium weight fabric
iron-on interfacing
bias tape (or you could make your own binding from fabric if you're fancy)
Velcro
thread

Burp Cloths.

2009-05-22T20:39:00.001-07:00

This tutorial for really cute burp cloths is great for expecting moms (and dads) and would also make an awesome baby shower gift! I hear you can never have too many burp cloths. They're also really easy to make.

Supplies:

one package of prefolded cloth diapers
one yard of fabric (cotton or flannel)
coordinating ribbon
thread

Maternity Skirt.

2009-05-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a tutorial for a maternity skirt that could actually be used to make a skirt of any size!

Supplies:

1 1/2-2 yards cotton fabric (quilter cotton, lighter weight home decorator's cotton, any woven that drapes well)
1 1/2-2 yards cotton muslin for lining
1/2 yard cotton/lycra knit fabric
about a yard of 3" elastic

Spring Ruffle Top.

2009-05-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

AH PRETTY. That's all I have to say about this top. Tutorial over on Sew Mama Sew.

Supplies:

two contrasting fabrics

Diaper bag.

2009-05-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Also from SewChristine (she makes some great stuff!):

This is a great tutorial for a diaper bag that could also be used as a tote bag. It's fully lined and has lots of pockets.

Supplies:

outside fabric
lining fabric (she used quilter's fleece)
Velro
base stiffening (optional)

Wallet X 3

2009-05-17T16:06:00.001-07:00

Here are three wallet tutorials. One of them is bound to meet all your needs!

1. Quilted wallet tutorial from that*darn*kat. There's a place for everything!

2. Folded "Super Cool Wallet" tutorial by Hdoglovesu on Craftbits.

3. Wallet with Coin Compartment tutorial from SewChristine.

(Faux) Wrap Dress.

2009-05-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

On Craftster, check out this faux wrap dress tutorial (I call it "faux" because it's actually all one attached piece that you can't open up). Cuuute. Good for work, for summer, and transitioning into fall by adding tights and boots (I love my boots).

Supplies:

a couple yards fabric for the dress
some coordinating fabric for waistband, neckband, and sleevebands
thread

Reusable Lunch Bag.

2009-05-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

These reusable lunch bags are really cute and will save you money in the long haul. Plus, they're really easy to make! They're made with oil cloth, so they're also water resistant.

Supplies:

oil cloth
thread
pinking shears (optional - you could just sew a traditional double fold hem to prevent raveling)

Wrap Circle Skirt.

2009-05-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

AH! I just found this tutorial for a wrap circle skirt on Burdastyle. It's so simple but really chic looking. I think this will be my next project. Perfect for me to wear to class, to work, or on the weekends.

Supplies:

2 yards wide fabric
snap
2 pieces 1” D-ring hardware
tape measure

102 Apron Patterns.

2009-05-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Need an apron or need a quick gift for your mom or BFF? Go choose one of these 52 apron patterns and whip one up in no time! Can't find one you like? Check out this list of 50 more apron patterns.

There's this super sweet ruffle apron.

Supplies:

15 1/2" x 20 1/2" piece of fabric for the back of the apron
6 1/2" x 33 1'/2" pieces of fabric for the ruffles
4 1/2" x 24 1/2" pieces of fabric for the apron strings
4 1/2" x 20 1/2" piece of fabric for the band

And then there's this great paisley apron pattern from Better Homes and Gardens.

Supplies:

1-1/2 yards aqua print (apron body, waistband, ruffle, pocket, ties)
5/8 yard brown print (bias trim)
Lightweight, nonfusible interfacing

And finally, my favorite: a 50's half apron with tie pockets.

Supplies:

fabric for body of apron
fabric or bias tape for strap
eyelet or ruffled fabric for the trim

Obviously I prefer half aprons but there are lots of tutorials for full aprons as well.

T-Shirt To Undies.

2009-05-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

One great way to save money on clothing is to repurpose clothes that you own but no longer wear. Out of underwear? Have some extra t-shirts? Perfect! Just use this tutorial to transform t-shirts into underwear (or boxers) from SuperNaturale. You can download the .pdf pattern files from the right column of the page. I haven't tried this out yet but I definitely will. And I will post pictures.

Supplies:

a T-shirt
thin elastic cord (48" or enough to go around both legs and your waist)
6"x4" of clean fabric, a thin cotton knit (optional)
sewing machine, thread, scissors, etc.
big piece of paper (2' x 4' -ish) or enlarged pattern printout

Girly Puff-sleeved T-shirt.

2009-05-15T10:54:00.001-07:00

Over on Livejournal, user j9isawesome posted a great tutorial teaching you how to take a shirt from this:

to this:
So cute.

Supplies:

a too-big t-shirt

The Infinity Dress.

2009-05-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is likely the coolest tutorial you will ever see. Rowena at Rostitchery wrote up a great tutorial for the Infinity Dress. The best part about it? It takes only one seam to put together! Okay, maybe that's not the best part. The best part about it? It's convertible and you can wear it about 28,746 different ways.

You can check out this website for bigger versions of the above variations (click the link and then click on "Signature Jersey").

Finally, Rachelily made this post on Craftster showing her long, white version. Hamira poster her long red and blue versions on Craftster as well, right here. This dress would definitely be beautiful for prom, bridesmaid dresses, or even a wedding dress.

Supplies:

stretchy fabric (jersey, polyester knit, etc) - the amount you need will depend on how long you want your dress to be
thread

Girly Dress.

2009-05-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

JCasa Handmade also has an amazingly cute tutorial for a girly dress on her site (just click on the link and download the .pdf file). The tutorial is amazingly thorough and has 20 full color images to help you create your own girly dress. The pattern is created for an infant, but you could enlarge it in order to fit a toddler or child.

Supplies:

1/2 yd. bodice (main top) fabric
custom pattern pieces (made by you—great job!)
1/2 yd. facing (top lining) fabric
1 yd. decorative trim such as eyelet, rickrack, piping
1/2 yd. skirt (bottom) fabric
2 buttons (or snaps)

Wall Pocket Tidy Tote.

2009-05-15T09:40:00.001-07:00

If there's one thing you'll learn about me as a result of this blog, you'll find out that I'm particularly obsessed with tutorials for two things: a) babies/kids and b) big bags.

Here, my two obsessions have collided! JCasa Handmade has a great tutorial for a Wall Pocket Tidy Tote (click the link then download the .pdf file) created for kids to carry all of their things around the house so they don't make a mess. When they're not using it, it can hang on door knobs for storage. Hang some on door knobs through out the house to encourage your kids to clean up. I think it would also make an awesome tote for picking books at the library. You could also use it to store all those plastic bags that you get from the grocery store.

Supplies:

1/2 yard of exterior fabric
1/2 yard of lining fabric
1/2 yard heavyweight fusible interfacing
scrap fabrics to create the patchwork pocket
1/3 yard of 1” wide cotton webbing (or you could just make your own straps from the fabric and interfacing)

Ruffle Skirt.

2009-05-14T23:25:00.000-07:00

Extremely adorable ruffle skirt tutorial for a young girl from Grand Revival Designs. It's written for a size 5/6 girl, but you could easily change the measurements to make it in any size. I don't even have a kid, but I might make some of these anyway and give them away the next little girl I see.

Supplies:

2 contrasting fabrics
thread
3/4" elastic

Lolita dress.

2009-05-14T22:57:00.001-07:00

Into Lolita looks? Need a cute Halloween costume (a la Little Bo Peep)? Or just looking for a sweet dress for a little girl? Check out pearmaid's tutorial over at Craftster to make this cute frock. It reminds me of a cupcake.

Great, now I'm hungry!

Supplies:

lace
trim
zipper
fabric
elastic

About this blog.

2009-05-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm Christina and I started this blog to help people learn how to make their own clothes and accessories in order to save money. I was inspired for this blog because I am a young graduate student and I'm about to start my first "real" job (as a therapist!). The dress code is business casual.

I had no business casual clothes.

Thus, I spent a few days shopping around at a multitude of stores to build my professional wardrobe. Needless to say, my bank account took quite a hit despite the fact that I a) only shop at outlet stores (i.e. TJ Maxx) and thrift stores and b) I only buy clothing that is on clearance.

I've decided that I won't buy any new clothes for the rest of the year. Instead, I'll make anything I need (aside from shoes and underwear, of course). To do this, I'll combine my love of procrastinating with my love of extensive Google searches to discover and share as many crafty tutorials I can with all of you in hopes that you'll save some money by making your own pieces of clothing! I'll be linking tutorials for shirts, skirts, pants, shorts, purses, bags, scarves, baby clothes, and who knows what else!

Enjoy!