DIY Embellished Shoulder Top

Turning a plain tee into an embellished one using custom shoulder pads...

...with embroidered sequins and beads.

Step 1&2: Measure the length you want the shoulder pad to be on the front of your top. Ply a sheet of paper in two. Draw the outline of the shoulder pad and cut.


Step 3: Using your stencil, trace another similar shape on a sketch pad (Keep your stencil for later use*). Roughly sketch the design you want to create with your sequins& beads. This will be your reference.

Step 4: Transfer your design on your fabric (There are several methods, you can trace your design on tracing paper and simply pin it to the fabric, or use carbon paper or use a 4b pencil like I did to mark out the lines where to sew).

Step 5: Patiently sew on the sequins and beads. It took me 10 hours to complete both! But it could have been done in less, depending on the kind of sequins you use(if it comes already threaded or not) and the way of stitching(I double stitched each bead!) ..and how quick you are of course. I included pictures of some of the various methods.

1) Sew a bead on top of a sequin to hold it in place

2) Sew in between threaded beads

3) Sew one bead at a time

4) Sew one sequin at a time making sure each overlaps the other

5) Sew threaded sequins

(Via Marshall Cavendish 'The Complete Encyclopedia of Crafts')

Step 6: Cut out the shapes leaving a 1cm seam allowance, to which you snip small V shapes.

Step 7: Using the *stencil, cut out two other similar pieces (for the back of each shoulder pads). With the right sides facing each other, pin and tack. Machine sew, but leave an opening big enough for you to flip them inside out. You will hand stitch them closed.


Step 8: Iron on reverse to flatten the pads before pinning them into place. Then hand stitch for them to stay put.

Voilà!

What I learned along the way: I would use a lighter fabric to make the reverse sides of the shoulder pads, just so it isn't too thick.

DIY Organza Ribbon Cuff

I've been gifted a whole new batch of ribbons recently. So excited to get crafty with them! I made an embroidered cuff bracelet using a piece of teal organza ribbon...

I am a complete novice at this(I guess it shows eh) so I had to constantly refer to what I call the bible of needlecraft, The Marshall Cavendish Complete Book of Needlecraft. Here's the how-to for some stitches I used...

Blanket Stitch, Fly Stitch and Romanian Stitch.

I measured my wrist and cut two pieces, one for embroidery, one for the "back" so the stitches don't scratch. I used a turquoise "stone" bead and cotton thread to sew a clasp. If I were to make another one, I'd go with crimps, jump rings and toggle clasp, just so the ends look neater and the bracelet holds better.

Jewelry Making 101

So, I was wearing a bracelet similar to the one I made above, the other day for lunch with some gal pals. And one of them, who I need to find a birthday gift(and preferably a super awesome one), was saying how she liked mine. It was an AH-HA moment.

I made her this, from turquoise wooden beads, gold tones spacer beads and sea-glass/blue glass beads, strung on an 0.6mm thick elastic nylon thread and tied with a yellow organza ribbon. Super easy to make, you just need patience...

Now, it's a great start, I need to find her something else to complete the gift...

Repurposed Bag

DIY Flower Pin

You'll need:

-Pieces of fabric. You'll laugh when I tell you where mine are from. The hem of a maxi dress that my mom cut out when re-adjusting her dress, my old voile curtains. Just to say that the more scraps you have, the better off you are, more choices and more designs.

-Beads
-Needle
-Thread
-Scissors
-Paper
-Pencil
-Pin

(1) Cut a square the size of the flower pin you want. (2) Draw a leaf on paper(the shape of your leaf determines your flower design, so play around with it and find what suits your purpose) and cut out to make a stencil

(3) Fold into quarters (4) Pin your stencil

(5) Cut out the leaf, being careful not to snip away the middle part of your square.

(6) You want to obtain a four leaves flower shape on opening the "square". Duplicate this as many times you want

(7) Repeat using a smaller square and a smaller stencil. Again duplicate the shape you obtained

(8) Layer the shapes. Sorry there's no proper picture of what I actually did. But you should get the idea from the above one.

(9) Press all the layers and sew a cross shape in the middle. The tighter you sew it, the more "bud-like" the flower pin will look like. I made mine practically flat.

(10) Then sew the beads to hide the stitches on the front. You can also use felt, buttons, etc.

(11) You can glue/stitch to a pin. Or like me, stitch directly to the "make-up bag" I made from old jeans.

Sorry for the quality of the images, the weather is crappy today, while the flash is blinding.