diy

I am happy to present you with another super easy, no sewing-machine involved DIY project.  This one is truly a no-brainer, so I’ll just jump right into it.

Here’s what you’ll need to complete this project:

• Old necktie
• Plastic headband
• 5 minutes

Take an old necktie (I felt guilty swiping one from hubby, so I purchased this one on the street for a couple o’ bucks), and guide the headband through starting at the wider end.  Make sure you have equal lengths of fabric at both ends when you’re done.

And that’s it!  Seriously.  I dare you to mess this up.

To wear, just place the headband on your head and tie at the nape of your neck like a scarf.

Voila!

For more of my fool-proof, crafty DIY goodness check out:

• DIY Project: Ruffle Embellished Tee

• Weekend DIY Project: Leather Handbag Renewal

P.S. It’s Tumblr Tuesday, and it’s been a lifelong dream of mine to be featured in the fashion directory!

I still consider myself to be a bit craft-challenged, but I’ve been itching to try my hand at another DIY project ever since my leather handbag renewal tutorial.  I struck gold when I landed on MopTopMaven’s blog and saw her step-by-step instructions on how to jazz up a plain tee.  If you haven’t had a chance to check out her blog, please do because the girl has amazing style… and hair… and she can cook!

I love embellished tees and couldn’t wait to try making my own, but I had to make a few modifications to her version because:
a) I don’t have a sewing machine, and
b) I don’t keep fabric laying around, and I haven’t stepped foot in a fabric store since middle school

So the moral of the story is this: if I can do it, anyone can … seriously!

Here’s what you’ll need to complete this project:

• A t-shirt (v-neck or scoop neck styles will probably work best)
• A second t-shirt or tank top (to cut into strips for the ruffles)
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Straight pins
• Needle & thread (the thread color should match the ruffle material)

First I cut my tank top up the side seams so that I had two pieces.  Using a ruler, I then cut each side into 5 3-inch strips, making 10 strips total.

Now this is the part where a sewing machine REALLY would have come in handy (or maybe not since I’ve never used one)…

I folded each strip in half lengthwise and made small stitches running down the center. After the first two strips, I started getting lazy.  So the stitches got progressively larger as shown below.

After that, I just pulled the thread taut through the fabric to make a small ruffle and tied off the excess thread with a knot before cutting it off.

Once all of my ruffles were done, I had to decide on placement: Shoulders or neckline..?

I decided to go with the neckline and pinned the ruffles where I thought they should go before stitching them into place.

Initially, I was going to put ruffles all the way around, but I kind of liked the asymmetrical look.  So, I just doubled up with a second row of ruffles right next to the first row for a fuller effect.

And voila!

I received several compliments when I wore it the next day, so stay tuned for a full outfit post!

P.S.
Don’t forget to enter this month’s Makeup Giveaway for a chance to win an exclusive Lord & Taylor Goodie Bag!  A winner will be announced on August 27th.

Disclaimer: The following project was attempted by a craft-challenged blogger.

I recently dug my favorite white handbag out of the closet, only to find that there was no way I was carrying that thing around in public.  I didn’t remember it being so dirty and ragged when I put it away last year, but there it was.

I know it doesn’t look that bad in the photo, but trust me, it more than lived up to its hobo moniker. Since it was an otherwise great leather purse, the thought of throwing it out seemed so wasteful.

That’s when I decided to get crafty… literally! I remembered seeing a similar project online and thinking that it didn’t look too daunting.

Below are the step-by-step deets on how the whole transformation went down.

What you’ll need to complete this project:

• An old, worn-out leather handbag (light colors work best; can also work on canvas or pleather, but NO SUEDE!)
• TARRAGO Dye Kit (comes in 88 colors; I used #502 Antique Silver)
• Used kitchen sponge
• Newspaper (to cover your work surface)
• Latex Gloves
• Basic kindergarten skills of being able to color inside the lines
  
• 60-90 minutes of free time
  

I began by laying everything out on a flat surface and cleaning off my purse with a leather preparing solution (included in the kit) and my old sponge.

Next, I applied my first coat of dye (which also turned out to be my last since I ran out).  The kit comes with a tiny sponge and an even tinier brush.  I dipped the brush in the dye bottle and then used it to apply the solution to my sponge.  After the purse was mostly covered, I then used the brush by itself to touch up more detailed, hard-to-reach areas.

I’d also like to note that at this point, the project moved to my kitchen counter because I found it a lot easier to do while standing.

Finally, I let the bag dry overnight and awoke to this the next morning:

Not too shabby for my first craft project since grade school!

If you do decide to attempt this project yourself, I recommend getting two kits (especially for larger bags).  This way, you’ll have enough to apply a second coat.

Got a good DIY project you’d like to share?  Get at me, and it might be featured in an upcoming post!