Mar 28, 2011 | DIY
Patterns by Flirt Brooklyn for Generation Next for McCall’s…I’m dying to make the purple blouse in the center!
I was browsing in Jo-Ann Fabrics the other day (“browsing”…ha, who am I kidding – it’s practically my second home and every time I go always check out EVERY aisle to see what’s new and what they’ve moved around)…and I happened to site down and start flipping through the McCall’s pattern catalog.
Normally I don’t look through the catalogs since I’m usually bored to tears with more of the styles on offer…the only ones of any interest I usually find to be Vogue patterns (but waaaaay too expensive for just a pattern…I mean $25?? Come on.) or Burda Patterns, which are more youthful but on the more pricey side than Simplicity or Butterick [perhaps because of this?]. (The patterns available for purchase online from BurdaStyle are a different story though – affordable and perfect for a quick project!)
10 different styles of fabric flowers?? Amazing!
So in any event I was surprised to see in McCall’s book a collection of patterns called Generation Next. These patterns, created by a number of contemporary designers, are amazingly youthful, fun, and on-trend – something that many pattern companies attempt but often miss the mark at. (Ever seen the Project Runway-branded patterns from Simplicity? Some are okay, but some make you wonder what they have to do with Project Runway, or anything contemporary at all.)
(Sorry for the crappy phone camera pics – it’s all I had at the time.)
Featuring patterns by designers such as Megan Nicolay from the Generation T
books and Althea Harper from Project Runway-fame (!), this collection is priced a bit higher than the average McCall’s pattern but all the patterns are fashion-forward and similar to styles we’re seeing on retail shelves right now (at least, IMHO).
Epaulets?? When have you ever seen a pattern for removable epaulets??
I also spotted patterns for corsages (!), and patterns for jewelry. Now, I have NEVER seen jewelry patterns in a large-company pattern book at an established fabric retailer…NEVER. Just goes to show that the times, they are a-changing!
Removable shoe-jewelry, necklaces, belts, and a scarf. Those shoe “petals” at the bottom look strangely familiar…haven’t we seen this DIY tute on the Internet awhile ago???;-)
Have you seen the Generation Next collection of patterns at all? (There are a lot more patterns available at your local sewing store if it carries McCall’s – the McCall’s website only has a few.)
What do you think – should patterns just stick to being sewing patterns for fabrics – or would including DIY-style instructions for making accessories be something you’d like to see in commercially-available patterns? Innovative? Or just a sad marketing attempt at exploiting a current trend? Discuss!
xoxox
Carly
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Mar 25, 2011 | DIY
Yesterday I coveted it, so today I’m going to show you how to make it. It’s DIY in 5 – minutes, that is. The easiest, quickest ways to take a piece from blah to fab and update it to current trends.
Also called the pussy-bow blouse on the other side of the pond, a chiffon bow at the collar of any blouse elevates it from everyday into elegant. But when you’re shopping on a budget (read: buying cheap), often the blouses that are affordable tend to lack such special details. I thrifted this lovely wide-collar chiffon blouse, but felt it needed an extra something to give it more style.
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Mar 22, 2011 | DIY
Condensing the last 3 weeks into one, since for various reasons I haven’t been able to post my usual DIY Links of the Week. My final project due for class, my husband’s country hit with three disasters one after the other, undertaking a sock drive and letter-writing effort…it’s taken some time to gather myself after these events and turn my eye back to DIY. Since I’ve grouped the last couple weeks of DIY’s and other things, there’s a few more than I normally include. Ready…?
Img source
And isn’t that what DIY is all about??! Doing it as best you can, on a shoestring budget, certainly fosters creativity!
So onto the Links of the Past 3 Weeks…
When you hear of acrylic vase filler and balloon weights…what DIY project springs to mind? A necklace? Well, if you were Modanista Junkie, they would – and she DIY’d a lovely sparkly ribbon necklace out of those amazingly counter-intuitive materials. Gorgeous!
Customizeable Melissa Plastic Dreams shoes…just cut away the parts you don’t want! Strangely reminiscent of those grippy pads I use in my kitchen sink…What’s the verdict: chic or sheesh?!
Sick of all those ugly, bulky black nylon camera bags? Learn how to turn a regular purse into a camera bag courtesy of Tater Tots and Jello…and never go back to the ugly.
PINNACLE: Reinvent the Icon was a pamphlet handed out during New York Fashion Week, showcasing a beautifully-shot editorial with a number of fur-free contemporary designs from labels such as Vaute Couture, Olsenhaus, VPL Victoria Bartlett, and Cri de Couer. Though a little graphic, it definitely makes the point that fur-free can be just as fabulous – and high-fashion! – as the stuff in Vogue. (And Anna Wintour tied up gave me a little chuckle;-)
Domo-kun Sandwich Cookies from Diamonds for Dessert are totally delish-looking! (Though I have to admit I’ve had a little crush on Domo-kun since like…1998 or so, so I’m a little biased…;-)
DIY Woven Chain Bracelet from Jagged Paper Doll uses beautifully-colored embroidery thread to add pizazz to a chain bracelet. Perfect for Spring!
In the same spirit of weaving, …love, Maegan shared her Leather Lanyard woven bracelet tutorial. It looks great stacked with other silver bangles and chains!
I had some leftover galaxy-print fabric from a little I had custom-printed awhile back…just a little, mind you…so I went old-school and made a scrunchy with it! Here’s how, from About.com.
These Embroidery Thread Tassel Earrings from Studs and Pearls are just the colorful 70’s vibe I’m hankering after at the moment. Check out all the colors she made!
I love how UtBwB turned a men’s shirt into this vintage-style ladies’ blouse! She took something for HIM and made it PRIM…and perfect!
Speaking of men’s shirts transformations (okay, let’s acknowledge my obsession now;-), here’s a doozy: a cute little DIY check skirt made by here’s looking at me kid. Western-style and adorable, you have to check it out! (yuk, yuk yuk;-)
Bye Bye Soccer Mom made this cool crackle-finish Maltese Cross Cuff, using the same cross base from Jo-Ann Fabrics that I used in my double cage cuff DIY awhile back! The crackle-finish turns it into a completely different piece…and it looks fabulous in this reincarnation!
Who isn’t drooling over the bright zip clutches spotted all over style-sharing networks recently? DIY your own zip clutch, with the help of Style Scrapbook. (She made hers in a lovely yellow leather.)
Recent favorite affordable and cute shopping destinations:
And since I’m not doing my DIY Roundups anymore, if you have a DIY project, tutorial, or creation that you’d like to see featured on Chic Steals, please email me at carlyjcais at chic-steals dot com – and I’ll try to squeeze it in to one of my Links of the Week posts!
xoxox
Carly
-all photos copyright their respective authors; photo array by me-
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Mar 18, 2011 | DIY
Major computer dump. If I haven’t credited your photo, please let me know; half of these I’ve forgotten where I saw them.
Here’s some major DIY inspiration for ya…just wish there were more hours in the day to do it all..
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Mar 15, 2011 | DIY
I don’t think I ever posted the step-by-step tutorial for this. Woops!
Inspired by this neckpiece (actually a belt)…from the J. Crew Fall 2009 catalog.
A very simple, but effectively pretty, DIY. Seen in this outfit last…last year here.
You Need:
*8″ Pearl-edged Lace Ribbon
*36″ Cream Satin Ribbon
*15″ x 3″ wide cream-colored Scrap Fabric
*8 Assorted Shades of Silk Flowers
*1 Large Pom Pom
*1 Small fabric Rose
*18″ x 6″ wide Peach Satin Fabric
And…
*Sewing Machine
*Needle & Thread
*Hot Glue Gun
*Fray Stop
1. Create the backing for your piece. I used an 18″ x 6″ piece of peach satin voile – and turned the edges under, hemming so as to conceal the raw edges.
2. Cut your satin ribbon in half; stitch the end of each to each side of your fabric backing. Apply Fray-Stop or burn ribbon ends to keep from fraying.
3. Add design elements with a hot glue gun onto your fabric backing. I added the flowers first, then squashed the pompon and small fabric rose (premade) in-between.
4. Create large fabric rose by rolling a piece of cream-colored scrap fabric, securing with hand-stitching. Glue onto backing.
5. Tie pearl-edged ribbon in a bow, and glue onto collar.
You’re done! You can wear it as a collar/necklace, as shown – or even wear it as a belt – which I love!
Happy DIY’ing!
xoxo
Carly
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Mar 8, 2011 | DIY
Actually it’s a DIY of a Yazbukey brooch that was featured in the Spring 2011 Z Spoke by Zac Posen show…but that title was a little long.;-)
This is unfortunately the best photo I have of the original. Img by Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com.
Remember those pieces? Or maybe the lips brooch from his Zac Posen Spring 2010 RTW Collection?
Photo by Don Ashby & Olivier Claisse
Yazbukey as well. (Known for their pop-art and attention-getting accessories, the Parisian line Yaz Bukey uses mirrored plexiglass as their main material of choice.) Since the actual watermelon brooch in question never went into production, I was inspired to DIY my own version…though it can’t double for lasercut plexiglass close-up, it’s a pretty good dupe for much, much cheaper.
For the other brooch I bought a plastic fruit slice from Michael’s (in the floral/decorative fruit crafts section),
1) sliced it in half with an X-acto knife
2) rubbed the rough edges off with sandpaper, and
3) hot-glued a pinback onto it.
And I managed to do my nails, too.;-)
Since fruit is such a HUGE trend for this Spring…if you’re not ready to plunge into all the bright colors for the season, why not try a smaller brooch? You can certainly mimic the enamel- or plexiglass look with liberal coatings of high-gloss sealant! (And even try for a Zac Posen lips brooch…or an ode-to-Prada banana brooch..or a Stella McCartney-inspired citrus slice if you’re up for it!) And if you’re looking for super-easy, just find some plastic fruit from a garage sale, Goodwill, or your local craft store and have fun with it!
Thank you to Anita and the whole Free Magazine team for this feature! I’m so excited to have been able to contribute!
Happy DIY’ing!
x0x0x
Carly
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