Halloween Costumes
I’ve probably asked myself that question a million times throughout my life (ok well maybe not that much, but a lot). Every year it seems to get harder and harder as you try and top last year’s costume and come up with something truly original. You have to pick a genre: Do I want something scary, funny or dare I say risqué? While I’ve attempted to go the scary route a couple of times, I most often I opt for hilarity. So to help get your creative juices flowing here’s a list of my favorite Halloween costumes from the past.
Send us your costumes past (especially of the DIY variety!) and we’ll post them closer to Halloween! (more…)
Monday Holiday Project: Re-usable Shopping Bag
Fold up shopping bag
Happy Thanksgiving! Looking for a fun project for your Monday holiday? Try this shopping bag. My favorite kind of re-useable shopping bags are the ones that fold up into a little pouch and fit right into our purse. That way when you’re on your way home from school or work and an impromptu shopping trip occurs you won’t have to curse yourself for not bringing your bulky grocery totes.
What you’ll need:
Approximately 1m of lining* (maybe less depending on how big you want your bag)
Velcro
Sewing machine
*I’ve chosen to use lining for this project. While lining is somewhat difficult to cut and frays easily, it is inexpensive and super easy to fold up into a little pouch. However, feel free to experiment with whatever fabric you have at home.
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!
Dyeing with Natural Dye
Going green is an active part of our lifestyle today, so why not take that a step further and move it into the wilderness. By that I mean dyeing fabric with natural dye (duh!). Summer is ending and fall edging its way in. This is the season of harvest, so after you are done picking apples and blueberries, let’s talk clothes.
People have been dyeing with natural dyes forever. I mean that is how it all began until we realized that we had alternatives… called chemicals. So go on a nature-hike, explore the wild, or go online and order natural dye, but you have to try it out!
Figuring out Fabric: The Burn Test
Problem: You have some fabric, but you don’t know what it is made out of…
Solution: The burn test
You can often figure out what type a fabric is by doing what’s called a burn test. As the name implies, you burn a small section of your fabric. Because most types of fiber react to heat in a unique way, the burn test is used to figure out your fabric. This can be a fun test – especially if you like to burn things.
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-
Thrift Stores
A thrift store can be the jackpot for any D.I.Y. enthusiast. There are millions of pieces just waiting to be re-vamped for 2009. I know that when I was a little younger the thrift store was my best friend and still is in many ways today. I remember I found one of my favorite belts in a thrift store here in Toronto. Its amazing what some people throw away. It’s a great place for vintage accessories at an awesome price.
If your experimenting and need a pattern, a tip I have is to buy something similar at a thrift store, take it apart ( that will also help you learn how clothing is put together), trace it and alter it as you like. It’s also great because you can take things off clothes or accessories and use them for your own projects and It won’t cost a lot. Here in Toronto we have places like Value Village, Salvation Army, Thrift Town and many more.
-Tajah-
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-
