DIY Pleated Chambray Maxi Skirt

I've been wanting to make a maxi skirt for a few months now. I go to get dressed in the morning and imagine my outfit based around a maxi skirt and then realize that I don't have one! I wanted it to be a neutral, casual fabric that I could wear most any day. I had about a yard and half of chambray left over from these shorts that was perfect for this. The fabric is lightweight and has great drape.

DIY Outfit – Paisley Maxi Dress

Continuing my springtime boho theme, today's DIY Outfit is a Paisley Maxi Dress. I've had maxi length skirts and dresses on my mind for a few months now and obviously just can't get them out. One of the perks of a maxi skirt is it keeps you a little warmer than a short skirt which means it will be easy to wear starting in spring and going through summer and and fall.

DIY Outfit – Lace Tee

Spring is the perfect time for pastels, lace and all things sweet. Today's DIY inspiration is a simple t-shirt made from a bold, large scale floral lace (see more detail picks here). If this was in my closet, I'm sure it would get a lot of wear throughout the year. It could easily be styled for Fall/Spring as shown here or worn with a shorts or a skirt for the summer months. Add a scarf and boots and you could even wear it in winter. Read on for how I would make this top a DIY reality.

Refashion – Sherpa Fleece Jacket Collar

I've had this faux leather jacket for a few years now. I got it for a great deal at TJ Maxx and I've worn it a lot. And well loved means well worn, the faux leather has now started to flake away especially at the back of the shawl collar, covering me in little brown flakes. I still love the jacket but it's not cute to be covered in jacket dandruff. To remedy the dandruff issue and hopefully get a little more wear out this jacket, I devised a refashion.

DIY Outfit – Pleated Floral Maxi Skirt

Today's outfit inspiration combines two of my current obsessions – maxi skirts and wild floral prints. It's very 70s bohemian but the pleats give it polish and the hyper bright colors make it very modern. The pleated skirt has always been one of go to DIY's. They're so easy to make and so very classic. I even have a tutorial and worksheet so that you can make your own pleated skirt.

DIY Horseshoe Embroidered Clutch

Here's a quick little St. Patrick's Day themed clutch I made over the last week. I used the pattern for the Artsy Clutch from the book Bend The Rules Sewing by Amy Karol (see my review of the book here). I made the clutch once before and really love using it to take small knitting sewing projects on the go. I made this one just a little bigger than last time but otherwise followed the instructions from the book.

DIY Tutorial – How to Sew a French Knot

The french knot is one of my favorite embroidery stitches. It's very easy to make and it looks really cool. Essentially all you do is make a knot around your needle an pull the end of the thread through the knot.

February Works in Progress

I'm feeling a little scattered this week. I have so many projects I want to do and so little time. So, in lieu of a finished project, I'm sharing my current works in progress. In addition to my usual knitting and sewing I bought this mini loom to try my hand at weaving. I'm having a lot of fun but I'm such a newbie. I have ideas but don't know how to execute them. I'm planning to go to the library this weekend and pick up some books. Do you have any weaving advice? Have you done it before?

A couple of weekends ago I seriously binge knitted on these socks and finished one up. The pattern is the Jane Bennet socks from Jane Austen Knits Summer 2012 (available for purchase here). It's a lovely pattern and not difficult once you get the hang of it. I have not blocked the sock and probably won't because I'm lazy but once it's on my foot it looks beautiful!

I finished my DIY Winter Wardrobe last week and can't help but think about what I want to sew next. I have a number of sewing patterns that I've never used not to mention loads of fabric begging to be sewn up into something fabulous. Have you started any new sewing projects? Have you started to plan for Spring yet?

Related:

Sewing Posts

Crafting on Pinterest

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DIY Winter Wardrobe Recap

Hi Friends! You may have noticed last week that I've finished up my Winter Wardrobe sewing plans. I love everything that I've made and have worn some of the pieces several times already. And while I'm happy with everything I've made I'm now in the withdrawal phase and unsure what to do next. I've a few projects in progress that I'm playing around with but I've lost the motivation that these sewing plans provide. That said, I do have lots of plans on the horizon that I will be sharing with you soon. What are you making these days? Are you feeling inspired and excited about what you're making?

Earlier posts in this series:
Winter Wardrobe Moodboard
DIY Winter Wardrobe Plans
Winter Wardrobe No. 1 Pajama Shorts
Winter Wardrobe No. 2 Knitted Socks
Winter Wardrobe No. 3 Zippered Sweatshirt
Winter Wardrobe No. 4 Leggings
Winter Wardrobe No. 5 Striped Top
Winter Wardrobe No. 6 Triangle Bag

Related:
Fall Sewing posts

Summer Sewing posts
Spring Sewing posts

Knitting posts
Sewing Posts

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Winter Wardrobe No. 3 Zippered Sweatshirt

Today I'm excited to share number 3 on my DIY Winter Wardrobe list, the zippered sweatshirt. The inspiration for this item came from a few places. First, I've noticed a lot of cool sweatshirts in stores lately as well as unique zipper details. Next, I found this amazing Japanese knit. Visions of zippers, sweatshirts and lounge pants danced in my head. And the rest as the say is history.

Refashion – Zip Back T-shirt with Tutorial

Today I have a very easy, fun and satisfying DIY refashion to share with you. If you've ever inserted a zipper, this will be a breeze for you. Yesterday, in my DIY Outfit post I shared my inspiration for this top as well as sewing patterns and fabric to make it all yourself. If you don't feel like starting from scratch, you can grab a striped t-shirt from your closet or the local thrift store. Read on for all the how-to details.

DIY Outfit – Zip Back T-shirt

In my moodboard yesterday, I shared my love for a decorative zipper. I love an unexpected back detail almost as much as a cool zipper accent. Today I have another inspirational pick that combines both of these elements. Our inspiration top is super cute and trust me it's super easy to DIY yourself. Read on to see how.

Winter Wardrobe No. 5 Striped Top

Hey there crafty friends! Today I have number 5 on my list of DIY Winter Wardrobe sewing projects share with you. This is a knit striped top made from the (free!) Mandy Boat pattern by Tessuti. The pattern is one-size-fits all which will probably either make you gasp in horror or squeal in delight. To be honest during the sewing process, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this top. It was just so loose fitting. But after I tried it on I fell in love and did not take it off for the rest of the day. 

Winter Wardrobe – No. 4 Leggings

Hi friends! I'm really excited to share my new DIY leggings with you today. These are number 4 on my list of Winter sewing plans. I've been wanting to sew leggings for a while now. I've seen so many great versions out there in the blogosphere. Plus, I spend many a weekend lounging in leggings. They're so comfy. It's an irresistible DIY. So irresistible in fact that upon finishing one pair I immediately made a second!

DIY Outfit – Drapey Top and Leggings

I love this casual, cool outfit of a drapey top and patterned leggings. It's easy to wear and super easy to sew yourself. Even better, I've found free patterns so it won't even cost you a lot of money. And that's the best kind of DIY, right?

DIY Rope Handle Tote

Would you believe that I started this bag over a year ago? If you're the procrastinating kind of crafter that I am then yes, you can easily believe it. This was one of those projects that just stalled out, got shoved in a bin somewhere and wallowed. I was all ready to finish it back in August of 2012 when I failed attaching the eyelets. I was a little afraid to hammer hard on any of the surfaces in my apartment and trust me those eyelets need a good beating. So, a few months ago I took the bag and eyelets to my parents house, borrowed a brick from my Dad and hammered away. And voila! Eyelets.

Winter Wardrobe No. 6 – Triangle Bag with Tutorial

A while ago, probably more than a year ago, I was in this hip boutique that featured Japanese products in a very hip area of town, when I spied a very cool tote bag. It was sewn on the bias and made a triangle shape. It was so cool and looked deceptively simple. I went home and started playing around with fabric and even paper. And then I found this tutorial from Between The Lines and thought "wow! she's really figured it out!". And now at last I've made my own Triangle Bag.

Winter Wardrobe – No. 1 Pajama Shorts

All week I've been sharing sleepwear inspiration and today I have my own actual DIY sleep shorts to share. These shorts are number 1 on my list of DIY Winter Wardrobe plans. I used the Lakeside Pajamas pattern from Grainline Studio and fabric from a thrifted, vintage dress.

DIY Wardrobe – Winter Weekends

Sometime back in November my sewing and crafting focus shifted to gift-making. Now that the holidays are over I'm ready to get back in the saddle with some sewing for the chilly winter weekends. I'm pretty excited to to make these items. A number of them have been on my imaginary list for quite a while. So here it goes. Come back soon to follow along with my progress!

1. Pajama Shorts
Pattern: Lakeside Pajamas from Grainline Studio
For these shorts I'm recycling fabric from a vintage dress.

2. Knitted Socks
Pattern: Meida Socks from Favorite Socks

3. Zippered Sweatshirt
Pattern: Self-drafted
I'm planning to use a rub-off method and/or the book DIY Couture to draft this sweatshirt. For the fabric, I have a Japanese knit in my stash.

4. Leggings
Pattern: Self-drafted
There are a few tutorials out there for making your own leggings pattern and I can't wait to try it out.

5. Striped Top
Pattern: Tessuti Mandy Boat Tee
I have a knit striped fabric in my stash that will be perfect for this top.

6. Triangle Bag
Pattern: Self-drafted
This is another one from my long to-do list. It will be perfect for weekend shopping or toting my latest knitting project.

Related:
Cozy Winter Wardrobe Moodboard
Fall Sewing Posts

Summer Sewing posts
Spring Sewing posts
Sewing Posts

Pretty Clothes on Pinterest

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DIY Outfit – Gold Crinkle Party Dress

I love the holiday party season. The dressing up. The cocktails. The mulled wine. The dancing. The cookies. And there is no better reason than a party to make yourself a new dress. Even better if it's something sparkly and fun like today's inspiration – the Eleuthera Tunic from Anthropologie. If you're looking for more inspiration, check out my big party dress roundup.