Five Minute Make: Bias tape
Have you ever wanted to finish a project neatly but couldn’t find the right color bias tape? Well never fear, Eve is here and I’m going to show you how to make your own bias tape.
What you’ll need:
- Ruler
- Fabric marker or tailor’s chalk
- Fabric
- Scissors
- An iron
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Make it New!
Full of possibility!
Have you noticed that every time you purchase a sweater it comes with an extra button? Of course you have. Have you kept all of those extra buttons? Way back when, I took an old cosmetics case and started filling it with all the random buttons I received every time I went shopping. I’ve been collecting since I had my first part-time job, and being the shopaholic that I am, my collection could supply a small factory!
But what to do with all these buttons? For some reason every time I noticed my collection expanding I knew that one day they would fulfill their purpose, but I just didn’t know what it was. In the meantime, I’ve probably purged the clothes they are intended for, so I feel it’s time to repurpose!
Using your collected buttons to update an old cardigan can breathe new life into something that just doesn’t get worn anymore and you might as well use up those buttons. Even if you replace only every other button, it creates a unique piece of clothing that no one else has and you become the designer. How fun is that! The same can be done with a winter jacket. For this purpose I scour antique shops for the perfect set of buttons. There is a special shop in Montreal called Memento (3678 Rue Saint-Denis), which is a second hand and antique shop that actually rents some of its product to the TV and film industry. They are well stocked with clothes, hats, accessories, buttons, jewellery, and other gems. Not to mention there are numerous other antique shops that sell old sets of buttons, antique lace, etc. We all have at least one old wool coat or winter jacket that doesn’t get the same amount of love that it used to and it’s not the coat’s fault, we just moved on to the next great thing. Find your perfect set of buttons and revive it! The coat will thank you, your closet will thank you, and your bank account will thank you!
Have you fixed up a coat or cardigan with spoils fro your button stash? Share photos!
- Jacqueline R
Dress from Man’s Shirt Tutorial
This is a fast and dirty way to transform an oversize men’s button-down into a super cute dress just in time to hit the town!
Fabric Odds and Ends.
Are you at a loss about what to do with your fabric scraps? How about using them to decorate your own home made gift cards? Stop paying $7 for a Hallmark card and have some fun with this easy DIY project. All it takes is some brightly coloured paper, fabric scraps, and your very own creativity. It’s that simple!
Your friends and family will be impressed with your creations, not to mention filled with warm fuzzies knowing that you took the time and effort to make something from scratch. Have a look at a few I prepared earlier! 
They only took about 10 minutes each. I simply sewed the fabric directly onto coloured foam squares that I found at my dollar store, then I glued the squares onto cardboard. I also used some beads I had lying around for extra embellishment. And as you can see my home badge/button making kit came in handy too! (I’m a nerd, I know).
Have fun!
-Katie-
Vacation Time!
Spring break is just around the corner, for some maybe it’s already begun. There are many ways to personalize your vacation. Why not try making your own bikini and matching tote bag. I know I’d hate to spend hours looking for my one of a kind piece of swim wear to see someone else strolling down the beach in it. There are great (and simple) patterns that are easy to do to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Try this one for a swimsuit.
This is another pattern for a one piece.
I also found this video of how to make your own flip flops out of a yoga mat.
Of course you can add your own embellishments. Other ideas are wrap skirts (very easy to make), sun hats or board shorts. Burdastyle.com has a wide assortment of patterns, some for free and can be printed at home. I have used this site for many sewing projects and they have come out great. Have fun in the sun!
-Tajah-
