Black Friday offers from handmade shops!

Here are a few reasons why you should buy handmade this holiday season:

• Instead of a massive, greedy corporate crapbag that uses a sweatshop workforce, you’re directly supporting a skilled artisan/craftsperson.
• Handmade craftspeople understand the concept of quality over quantity. Handmade is made to last.
• Handmade is unique. Who doesn’t want to be able to brag to their friends that they’re the only one with that bag/top/necklace?

Okay, enough preaching. Check out the comments for some fantastic deals from handmade shops!

keyhole opening – photo tutorial

This tutorial shows a keyhole in the front neckline of a top, but you can use the same technique for the front or back of a top or dress. You can also use it on bags, pockets, and more!

Difficulty:

Step 1

I’m starting with a top that is almost completed. I’ve sewn the front and back together, and added the sleeves.

As you can see, I’ve cut a hole where I want the keyhole to be. You can add a keyhole to the front or the back, like I said, in this case I’m putting it in front. You can do a pretty large keyhole in the back of a top, but keep in mind how much skin will be showing if you’re putting it in front. A more modest hole for the front is probably best.

As always, start the hole small if you’re not sure. You can always cut it bigger, but you can’t make it smaller.

 

Step 2

Here is a close-up of the keyhole opening. I’ve cut a slit where the keyhole meets the collar of the shirt.

Other things to consider when determining the size of the keyhole: how wide will your trim be? How much of a seam allowance are you using?

 

Step 3

You will also need a piece of fabric or trim to finish the edge of the keyhole.

They key to keyholes (haha, get it?) is very stretchy trim fabric. The stretchier the fabric, the better your keyhole will turn out. If you’ve tried keyholes before and the trim wouldn’t lay flat, it probably either wasn’t stretchy enough or you didn’t stretch it enough.

For this top, I’m using a piece of rib knit. This stuff is PERFECT for keyholes, because it’s insanely stretchy and elastic- it doesn’t lose it’s shape when stretched a lot. It’s also called ribbing, baby rib, etc. It’s the same stuff they use for the cuffs of sweatshirts.

So back to the keyhole- you will want a piece of trim fabric that is equal in length to the circumference of your keyhole. You can estimate on this a little, but always err on the side of longer for the trim. I like to live life dangerously, so I cut my trim to match the hole, so it’s 14″. Your trim fabric should also be double the width you want it to be when it’s finished. I want 1/2″ of trim, so my piece of fabric is 1″ wide (plus a seam allowance!).

You can use lace or some sort of ruffly stuff around a keyhole, but it’s tricky. You’ll probably want something that is elastic in the middle with ruffles on both sides. In that case, you won’t need to worry about the width.

Step 4

Fold the trim fabric in half, and pin it to the right side (outside) of the top. This is kind of like making a stretchy fabric waistband, or a crew neck style collar.

You’ll want to be sure to stretch the trim A LOT as you pin it to the keyhole, and again when you sew around the edge that you’ve pinned.

Step 5

Here it is once we’re finished sewing. Look how nice and flat it sits! Say thank you to the ribbing for being such a good sport with all that stretching and pinning.

Step 6

I like to topstitch around stuff like this, it helps the fabric lay flat and gives it a nice finished look.
I used a small zig-zag stitch in a contrasting thread, but you can use a straight stitch if you want.

Step 7

Now it’s time to decide how you’re going to finish the top.
If you want a closed keyhole, baste the two edges of the keyhole trim together (red line in the photo), and then finish the top by adding a collar or hood or what-have-you as you normally would.
If you want an “open” keyhole that you can tie closed, don’t baste the two edges of the keyhole together. Instead, start at one end and sew the collar or hood on until you’ve reached the other end. Then you’ll want to add some strings or cord or ribbon to tie the keyhole closed.

Step 8

I wanted a hood with a keyhole that could be tied closed. Yay!

surplice / cross-over bust tank top tutorial

This little twist on a tube top is the perfect way to revamp a big t-shirt.

Difficulty:

Step 1

Start out with your large-ish tee.

Mark like so.

The larger piece should have a top measurement to match under your bust. Grab a tape measure and measure right under your boobs.

Step 2

contour bust or ruffle bust top or dress tutorial

This is a tube top style top with a contoured bust section that makes a little more form fitting than a plain old tube top.

Difficulty:

Read more

circle skirt variations tutorials – pixie skirt and more!

If you don’t know how to make a circle skirt yet, check out the Circle Skirt tutorial first, because all of these skirts build on the basic premise of a circle skirt.

Difficulty:

Read more

circle skirt tutorial – version 2.0 – new and improved!

The awesome thing about circle skirts is that once you get the idea, you can use the same premise to make a variety of different styles all based on a simple circle skirt.

This tutorial is for a classic circle skirt (think 50′s style poodle skirt). The other variations of the circle skirt can be found here.

If your circle skirt turned out ginormous and you’re left scratching your head, check this out.

Difficulty:

Read more

raglan sleeve / baseball style top – photo tutorial

Grab an old tee, some chalk, and a pair of scissors!

Difficulty:

Step 1
Pick a shirt. You can do this with the shirt you want to reconstruct, but if you’re new to making patterns, I’d recommend getting an old junk shirt and cutting it apart to make the pattern.

Read more

attaching set-in sleeves (the harder way) – photo tutorial

Set-in sleeves are kind of tricky, and there is an easier method.

This method is still good to know, because you might find yourself in a situation where you want to modify/add sleeves to a top that already has the side seams sewn up, or doesn’t have side seams.

Difficulty:

Read more

Buy Handmade this holiday season!

It boggles my mind that anyone would be organized enough to already be shopping for the holidays, but I’ve heard through the grapevine that such people do exist. So for early birds and tardy, tardy, two-by-fours alike, consider buying handmade this holiday season! It’s good for the economy, it’s good for the environment, and you’re a lot more likely to find real quality with attention to detail than if you buy some piece of junk made in China.

And just in case you don’t know where the start, the DiYScene Street Team is here to help! Each Thursday they offer fantastical deals from noon to midnight, and this holiday shopping season, the deals are sure to make your wallet quiver!

Check the comments section for specific deals from participating shops!

easy sleeves – photo tutorial

 

Attaching set-in sleeves (the easy, cheater way).

Okay, so it’s not really cheating. It’s a perfectly legitimate way of attaching a sleeve, and it is way easier.
However, a set-in sleeve is a set-in sleeve because you’re supposed to be setting it in, and with this method, you don’t.
Anyway, I’m splitting hairs.

Keep in mind, though, that this will only work if you haven’t already sewn up your side seams. If your side seams are sewn, you’ll either have to cut them open, or use the other method.
And if your garment doesn’t have side seams that line up with the sleeve seams, you’ll also have to use the other method.

Read more

Next Page »