Simply Sewing Polka Dot Headband

 

I finally got round to stitching up the headband from the first issue of the new simply sewing magazine using the free polka dot fabric which came with the magazine. The mag did provide patterns and instructions for three things which could all be created from the one piece of fabric provided. First was this headband, second a gathered fabric flower and third a fabric covered book. I have done both the gathered flowers and a covered book on the blog already so I have gone for the headband (and I used the rest of the fabric to make the pockets of my new dress!) 

The cutest kitty baby Hula Hoop dress

Who can resist something so perrrrrfect? I mean its a tiny dress with colourful jolly cats on it!

I was inspired to make this dress by one that I saw in John Lewis. It really was a beautiful dress but I just looked at it, and I looked at the price label and I just thought meh, I can do that. So the search for the perfectly cute kitty fabric commenced and I came across these cats in cotton by Dashwood studio.

The pattern is another from my very favourite children's pattern designer and its the Hula Hoop dress from Puperita. This pattern is so classic and yet modern for little girls. The shape is pretty timeless with the high waistline and gathered skirt but the square neckline make it feel much more modern and interesting.

The sew itself was very straightforward. As usual the instructions from Puperita were clear, with good photo's to help you along the way. The facing on this dress was probably my favourite bit, it was just so satisfying. After I stitched it it lay so perfectly with the top pattern it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The sleeves were a bit fiddly, but they went in easy enough and the rest of it was easy as. I managed to sew the whole thing together (with all the associated ironing, god I hate the ironing!) in one short evening.

I love the little bow on the front, its such a cute little detail. I did think about adding some piping to the waistline but I didn't want to risk ruining it so I missed it off this version. I definitely would consider adding it if I make another, it would help draw attention to the waist detail. This is such a lovely pattern for woven fabrics. The gathered skirt design means that it copes well with a more structured cotton like this. It is also easy to pair with a long sleeved top or cardi for the colder months.

I made this in size 0-3 months, its so dainty! I hope Miss Fox will be able to get some wear out of it before she is crawling around.

So, which are your favourite cats? I think for me it has to be the pink and yellow one, mostly because of the colours. It needs to be more common for adults to wear clothes like this!

Love at first stitch Brigitte scarf

My sister very kindly bought me a copy of Tilly Walnes love at first stitch book for my birthday. I have had a look at this book before and have been following Tilly since the very first sewing bee but haven't actually gotten round to getting a copy of the book yet so this was a brilliant present (I haven't put it down in the last week and made 3 fabric orders within 2 days of getting it!). The book starts off with the basics but does contain some lovely skirt and dress patterns which I like the look of and wouldn't mind trying and I'm actually quiet keen to try a blouse pattern seeing as I've never tried sewing tops before. What I actually really like about this book is the way the projects are laid out to gradually ease a new seamstress into home sewing. So each project gives you new tips and techniques to try. A good few of these I will have done before but I really like the idea of starting at the beginning of the book and working through the projects one by one to perfect my technique and hopefully pick up a few tricks and new skills along the way. It is also my intention to either try a new fabric type or alteration (or both) with each project (collars/plackets/piping etc) so I can hopefully expand my sewing repertoire. 

The first pattern in the book is the Brigitte scarf which is a long thin head scarf tied in a knot/bow around your head. Not a complicated make in the slightest but as I said above I'm going to start at the beginning, follow the instructions from the beginning and concentrate on making it well and as instructed. I chose to use a skull print polycotton which I had in my stash for this scarf. The fabric was sadly not wide enough for the pattern piece so I cut two lengths of the fabric and sewed them together on the bias in the same way as you would if you were making bias binging and then cut to size. 

The pattern was very easy as expected but I did pick up a little trick to pull out your corners with a pin from the outside, normally I would do this by shoving a knitting needle from the inside so hey, I did learn something new :). The nice thing about this project was it was super fast so I get to move onto the next one really quickly! 

Now my chances of actually wearing this type of head scarf are slim to none, despite quiet liking the print. However the good thing about having to cut two lengths was I was left with a piece which is just long enough to fit round my tiny head so I made a wired headband following the same instructions but adding a piece of wire inside and tacking it in place. I'm not going to do a guide for this, the Internet is littered with them so if you want one just go do a quick search. I do much prefer this and might actually get a bit of wear out of this one in the summer months. 

So what's next? I am going to cheat a little and not make the other scarf pattern in the book as I won't wear that either so next it's on to a pair of pj bottoms which is something I have never done before. I plan on using a cotton lawn as I have a lot of winter pjs already. This will be interesting as the last time I used a lawn it went horribly wrong and ended up in the bin! Here's hoping I can get a few more tips and make it go right this time.

I'm still a little anxious about starting to sew for myself again as I am still a lot bigger than I would like to be at this time post pregnancy. However I start back at work in a week or so, have no clothes that fit me and am really missing doing it, so what the heck. Whats the worst that can happen?

Tulle Bow Tutorial

So I did a quick pinterest the other day to see if I could find a tutorial on making little tulle bows which could be used as hair clips/brooches/sewn onto headbands etc and to my surprise there was a distinct lack of them. I decided that the internet deserved one so here you go... your very welcome :)

 

You will need: 

• Some tulle or net fabric. I used some 6inch tulle which came on a roll which was left over from our wedding decorations (like this). You will need one piece approx 55inch by 6inch (enough to wrap around a place mat about 6 times) and one piece which is just 3inch by 6inch.

• A regular coffee mug mat

• Scissors

• Matching thread and needle

• A Pin

 Using your coffee mug mat, starting at the back put the tulle about 2/3 of the way across making sure it crosses the middle of the mat. 

Wrap the tulle all the way around the mat until you have 6 layers of tulle covering the front. Making sure once again that the end of the tulle is 2/3 of the way across the back and passing over the center. 

Ensure you have a hold of all the layers and carefully slide the mat out from the middle.

 Pop a pin into the center through all layers to hold it together (the folds want to be to the side and the open edges to the top/bottom). 

 

Using a basic running stitch and matching thread sew through all layers from one open end to the other. 

Pull the thread to gather the bow in the center and wrap the thread around a couple of times. Secure with a little stitched knot. 

Taking your small piece of tulle, and starting at the back wrap it around the middle of the bow 2 or 3 times. Trim any excess making sure the end is at the back and hidden in the middle. 

Using your needle and tread sew a few stitches to secure the loose end down so that it doesn't unravel.

Finally using your scissors you need to carefully cut through the folded edges at the end of the bows so that they poof out nicely. Do this part carefully and trim any stray bits which might end up sticking out. 

And there you have a pretty finished tulle bow. You can pop a bobby pin through the end and wear it in your hair, a brooch for your coat or it can be sewn onto a garment for a bit of upcycling glamour.

I would love to see what you decide to use these for, so if you use this tutorial to make one for yourself leave me a comment with your picture or instagram me @thediyfox

Leather and Lace!

 Leather Bow Wrist Cuff

So, we are nearly at the final of the 3rd season of the great British sewing bee. I have loved this season so far and I can't wait to see what they need to make in the final episode. I was a bit sad though to see Deborah leave, she made some great fabric choices in her makes. I am going to have to make sure I keep an eye on what she gets up too after the bee (you can find her blog here: http://dfabricate.blogspot.co.uk/)

Colette Zinnia skirt in lace and silk crepe

I loved the theme of this week! Leather and lace have to be my favourite of all wardrobe fabrics ;) it's just a shame they aren't easier to sew with. I have done a couple of small leather accessories but never a whole outfit (can you imagine the cost!!). It did however make me have a little look back at some of the lace projects I have made which I am still super proud of, especially the zinnia skirt, I can't wait to fit into this again! 

Take a look at a couple of the other leather and lace projects I've managed over the last year: 

 Lace and cotton sateen prom dress from the first GBSB book

DIY leather bow elasticated belt tutorial

Jersey and lace Lady Skater

The good news is I have actually nearly finished my dress, so hopefully I can take advantage of this weeks lovely weather and get the pictures taken ready to show off for you next week. 

I'm also hoping to make a couple of book purchases, and hopefully issue 2 of the new simply sewing mag will land on my doorstep next week so there will be plenty to keep me inspired and entertained. 

Whatever you are up to this week I hope you enjoy it. 

A girl can NEVER get enough glitter!

More Glitter! Is that enough for you? Of course its not, but its a good start!

After making my glitter shoe clips (my tutorial is here) I just had to purchase some more of the fabric and make myself a version in many different colours. My favourite is definitely the light multicoloured ones in the centre of the picture above. They just go with anything and are so bright and sparkly!

My reason for making this is again for our Christmas Craft charity event. Instead of shoe clips I will make them into hair grips and sell them as individuals which means we can hopefully make lots and lots of money with them. This is a great little thing to make as stocking fillers or as small gifts as they are relatively inexpensive and they don't take a long time to do at all. You could also clip them on your Christmas tree, but adorning yourself is much more fun.

I am also off to a hen do tonight so its perfect timing for a very sparkly and girly post hee hee! I am actually really looking forward to this weekend. This afternoon brings a relaxing antenatal pilates class, which will likely be followed by a soak before I get ready to go out and get all glammed up. The theme is 'Corsets and Feathers' and well whilst I can't exactly wear a corset I can of course wear feathers! Then on Sunday it is my little nephews 3rd birthday party! I can't believe he will be 3 already but any excuse for a bit of jelly and ice cream!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend whatever you are up to and try to add a little sparkle if you can x

Leather Bow Wristy Cuffs

Do you like what I did there? Like fisty cuffs but a lot less violent!

Continuing on the love of leather and bows which seems to be a bit of a theme going on around here I made this lovely pink leather wrist cuff out of some of the leftover leather from the bow belt, a glue gun and a couple of poppers. Its so pretty and very pink, it matches my hair perfectly. A bit of a girly take on the normal goth style leather studded bracelets of my youth!

I used this tutorial by 'Oh the lovely things' and honestly this couldn't have been an easier make, it took about 30 minutes max, and that included waiting for the glue gun to heat up. The tutorial uses regular sew on poppers but as I have a whole bunch of proper leather ones from the bow belt tutorial I figured I might as well use one of these. So if you have a spare bit of leather hanging about, or an old bag/jacket destined for the rubbish bin I urge you to give this a whirl, the tutorial is really great. 

I don't really have a lot planned for my weekend, Mr Fox is off to a stag do, so honestly I think I will just take the opportunity to sit on my ass for a little while and enjoy the quiet time. I am going to see my grandad this evening, which will be lovely as I don't see him all that often. The baby bump is growing quiet significantly but is all happy and well, then Sunday we are off to a Fox family get together which should be lovely. I hope whatever you are up to you enjoy it and have a lovely weekend.

DIY Glitter Bow Clips Tutorial

Look Look! A tutorial using all of my favourite things: Glitter, Bows and Shoes Clips!!! For me this literally couldn't  get better (well I could have chosen pink, but sometimes its nice to be different). You could make a pair of these bad boys in just a few minutes if you follow my instructions below:

You will need: 

• A sheet of A4 glitter fabric (I got mine from ebay and here)
• Shoe clip blanks (ebay)
• A pair of skissors
• Glue gun

First of all cut out 4 pieces from your glitter fabric. Two pieces measuring 2.5 x 1.5 inches and two pieces measuring 2.5 x 0.5inches (as above)

.1. Fold one of your larger pieces in half along the length with the glitter on the inside.

 

2. Then fold the tops down towards the outside in half again, pinching in the middle (it looks like a bow already... does a little jig). Its a bit like a concertina or fan.

3. Wrap one of the smaller pieces around the bunched up middle, with the ends at the bottom, and secure with a blob from your glue gun.

4. Using the glue gun, glue the shoe clips to the underside of the centre piece as above and your done! I honestly didn't manage this stage once without getting completely stuck to the glue and getting stringy glue gun bits everywhere but the stringy bits come off so its not a problem if this happens to you as well.

You can round of the edges with a pair of skissors at this stage if you would prefer them to be a bit smoother. Personally I don't have a preference as to which is best, they look great either way.  

5. Now repeat with the other two pieces to make a pair and clip em on your favourite pair of shoes... and then make some more because that was so easy and you need a pair of these in every colour and so do all your friends!

 

If you make a pair of these I would love to see them, so leave me a link below. Also, don't forget these would not be limited to shoe clips. You could make brooches, hair clips, all sorts using the same method but different findings so let me know if you come up with any good uses for this template. 

Wire Wrap Headband

Hello and happy Friday. I really don't know where this week has gone but it will soon be the weekend again. Mr Fox is doing his dissertation presentation today which is the very last part of his degree. I am very proud of him and have everything crossed for when he gets his results. I know he is going to be very happy and relaxed after he has this last hurdle out the way. We also booked a last minute week in Rhodes in 5 weeks time Yippee! Sun, here I come!

This weekend we are going to do Go Ape at Sherwood Forest on Saturday for a friends birthday, though with forecasts of thunderstorms it could be interesting! Then on Sunday my mums 60th so we are all going out with her to spend a day celebrating everything that is mummy. 

Thinking about going and having some fun in the sun, I don't know how many of you have noticed but I am actually of the ginger persuasion and so my skin doesn't do well in any kind of sun. I am one of those factor 50 I even in the UK gals! I have spent my life listening to my mum tell me 'don't forget your hat' but to be honest she is not wrong and I have even taken on the mantle of reminding everyone of this myself. However, I hate hats and I look ridiculous in them. I do have a big floppy pink one but it's still not something I would want to wear when out for a sunny strole in the UK, only on holiday where I don't know anyone! So how do I keep the sun off my head without looking ridiculous? A fabric headband.

I do find sometimes though that ones in the shop can be quiet tight, or too loose so when I saw some tutorials for wire wrap headbands on Pinterest I decided to have a go. 

The concept is very simple. Measure the circumference of your head where you want the band to sit and add 8 inches. Cut a long strip of fabric the length of this measurement and twice your desired width. With right sides together fold the strip of fabric in half along the length and sew about the edge of the fabric leaving a small gap to turn the band right side out. Cut a piece of wire the length of your band with a little extra on the end so you can fold this over and not have a sharp edge. Feed the wire inside the headband and then sew the hole closed. Now wrap the band round your head and twist the ends into a little bow. Soooo easy! You can see I made it in my favourite fabric haha!

The one I have made is a bit more decorative than functional, I need to make one which is much wider at the bottom so I have the option of wearing it the other way up to keep my head safe from the sun. 

And that's it from me for now, I hope you all have a lovely weekend whatever you have planned xx

DIY Fabric Bow Belt Tutorial

Hello, and happy bank holiday! Its a gorgeous day so you shouldn't be reading this, you should be outside enjoying yourself, but if you are saving this until after the bank holiday then read ahead.

Last week I brought you my leather bow belt tutorial to make your very own very easy elasticated belt featuring a leather bow on the front.

This week I wanted to show you that this pattern is so very versatile and so if you don't fancy having a go with leather you can make a version from your favorite fabric, how good is that! Whats even better is that this is a great little stash-busting idea, perfect for your favorite fat quarter, or just some of your favorite leopard print fabric that you use to make everything! This little version took me less than an hour to make yesterday whilst I waited for the supermarket delivery so gogo get at it. 

For that fabric bow belt you will need:

• Enough 2inch wide elastic to fit round your waist (colour of your choice)
• Some of your favorite fabric
• Heavy Interfacing
• Polyester thread
• 4 x popper notions (I used the same as my leather belt but you can use sew on as well)
• Popper tools (if not using sew on studs)
• Bow pattern (click here to download the PDF)

N.B. this will work with most fabrics but cottons work best. thicker fabrics such as denim/twill may not require interfacing, but anything thinner will to keep the bow looking sturdy.

The pattern follows the same basic steps as the leather version however there are a few additional sewing steps.

Step 1: 
Using the outside edge of the pattern cut out the following in both your fabric and your interfacing:
2 x large bow pieces
2 x thin center pieces
4 x rectangle popper pieces (on the fold)

Step 2: 
Iron on a piece of interfacing to wrong side of each fabric piece

 Step 3:

Using a 1/2 inch seam allowance sew around the pattern pieces as shown on the pattern document, making sure to leave one end of the large bow piece open to turn

Step 4:
Turn all your pattern pieces the right way up and press

Step 5:
Finding the center of the elastic, and with the ends of the bow folded in to the center at the back, stitch the center of the bow to the center of the elastic with a straight line making sure your raw edges or tucked in.

Step 6:
Tuck in the two raw edges of the center bow strip and stitch them together. Thread them over the elastic and bow so it sits neatly in the middle covering your straight line of stitches.
(picture details on these steps can be found here)

Step 7: 
Making sure your raw edges are tucked in fold your popper piece over the end of your bow and top stitch round all edges on both ends of the belt.

Step 8: 
Attach two poppers to each end of the belt making sure the tabs overlap neatly when closed.

Step 9:
Wear your new creation with pride, and contemplate just how many of these you can fit in your wardrobe!!!

Of course it would make me very happy to see your versions of these so please feel free to leave a comment linking yours, or send me a picture.