Life is Beautiful

Motherhood, Sewing, Family

DIY: Twisted headband

~ SEWING

Hi guys! I have exciting news, I am launching a new sewing YouTube channel with my little girls! This is our schedule so far and I am so excited:

 

Week 1 and 3: Mother-daughter sewing series where we motivate and inspire kids and their parents to sew in a very simple, non-intimidating way!
Week 2: Refashion Revision, you’ll take a trip with me to a thrift store where I’ll be surprised with a few vintage items and will have to share with you my vision for the “after”, impromptu style.
Week 4: Refashion! Where I take an outdated piece of clothing and transform it into new.

 
 
 

Tune in every Thursday at 2 pm MST on www.youtube.com/sarahtyau and subscribe to be the first ones to watch!
And follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahtyau/ to see behind the scenes and sneak peeks of my next project! 

 

 

Now on to this Twist Headband DIY:
Remember when I made this Anthropologie fancified boatneck DIY where I cut a good 6″ off the bottom of the tunic?  I recently found that extra fabric and wanted to make something with it.  I didn’t know what, but as I kept looking at it, I thought it’d be perfect to make it into a twisted headband that I’ve seen around on Etsy.  They sell it anywhere from $10- $38, but it’s so easy and simple to make and if you use an old t-shirt you have, it’ll cost you $0!
DIRECTIONS:
This piece is only 16″ lengthwise which was too short to make for me, my head circumference being 20″.  16″ is perfect for a baby headband(it was very tight on my 5 year old but I didn’t want to have my 13 month old son model it for me. :), but for adults it’ll be about 20″+ length and 5″ width.  Make sure to measure your head circumference.
I cut it to separate the front and back part.
cut the bottom hem off on both pieces.

 

Fold the rectangle fabric in half, hot dog style and zigzag stitch the length.

 

the zigzag stitch helps the fabric to stretch more than if it was a straight stitch.

 

flip it inside out

 

lay the strips in a cross style

 

 fold over one strip over the other strip.
fold over the other strip

 

pull the strips on both sides

 

gather all 4 edges together

 

and sew it closed, straight stitch.
That’s it!  So simple right?  I know you can do it!
My little Kindergartner all ready for school!
Outfit detail:
twisted headband: DIY
chambray top: H&M
tights: GAP
gold sandals: GAP
plaid backpack: OASAP c/o
What you’ll need:
-2 pieces of knit jersey fabric(21″ x 5″)
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
Directions:
1. Measure your head circumference.  If your head is 21″, then cut two pieces of 21″ X 5″ fabric.
2. Fold the rectangle fabric in half, hot dog style and zigzag stitch the length(the zigzag stitch helps the fabric to stretch more than if it was a straight stitch).
3. Flip it inside out.
4. Lay the strips in a cross style.
5. Fold over one strip over the other strip.  Repeat with the other strip.
6. Pull the strips on both sides
7. Gather all 4 edges together, and sew it all together, straight stitch.
Estimated time: 1st time: 30 mins. after that, as little as 10 mins.
Budget: very low to almost nothing(mine was $0).
Skill level: a very beginner.

DIY: add sleeves and alter an Anthropologie Honeycomb Dress

~ SEWING

When I was 3 months pregnant last year, I saw this Honeycomb lace dress from Anthropologie and fell in love with it.  I loved it so much that I didn’t want to wait until I had the baby and lost the weight, I wanted to wear it right then!  So I got the dress in several sizes larger and wore it during my pregnancy, and planned to alter it later on after I had the baby, and add on the sleeves.

Before: 
After:
I’m kicking myself for not taking a picture of how the dress looked after I lost the pregnancy weight.  But just imagine it baggy and sleeveless.

I altered the sides and with the extra fabric from cutting the sides, I made the sleeves.  The sleeve tutorial can be found here, and how to alter the sides can be found here.
What you’ll need:
  • An oversized dress
  • Matching thread
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine or needle

Directions:

Sleeve tutorial: here
Altering the sides tutorial here
Estimated time: 1 hour
Budget: almost nothing
Skill level: beginner

DIY: Turn a XL women’s shirt into a girl’s dress

~ SEWING

Before:
I found this shirt on sale for $10.  I bought one for myself in XS and then saw another one in XL and immediately thought it’d make a cute little dress for my girls!

yeah, no, I did not put away those shoes around her to get better pictures.  You’re talking to a mother of 3 little kids here, psh.  please lower your expectations. 😉
Before/After:
Instructions:
1. Cut off the sleeves of the shirt.
2. Get a little girl’s dress to get the approximate sizing to compare to.

3. Place the sleeve of the girl’s dress on the cut sleeve and roughly trace, matching the width and the length, adding about 1.5 centimeters extra on both sides.  Make sure the folded part is not cut(and keep the buttons on the cuff).

4. Cut the fabric following the trace to make smaller sleeves.
5. Cut the extra fabric off the sides of the body.  You will have to cut the arm-hole smaller too.
6. Sew the smaller sleeves back on. 

7. Using the extra fabric you cut off, cut off an oval shape similar to above.

8. Fold the edges twice and sew all the way around on all sides.
9. Ruffle the shorter curved side and sew it onto the top of the shoulder seam.

10. Using the extra fabric, make a waist-tie to use as a belt for the dress.  For a tutorial, click here.
After:

What you’ll need:
-An oversized shirt
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
Directions:
1. Cut off the sleeves of the shirt.
2. Get a little girl’s dress to get the approximate sizing to compare to.
3. Place the sleeve of the girl’s dress on the cut sleeve and roughly trace, matching the width and the length, adding about 1.5 centimeters extra on both sides.  Make sure the folded part is not cut(and keep the buttons on the cuff).
4. Cut the fabric following the trace to make smaller sleeves.  
5. Cut the extra fabric off the sides of the body.  You will have to cut the arm-hole smaller too.
6. Sew the smaller sleeves back on. 
7. Using the extra fabric you cut off, cut off an oval shape similar to above.
8. Fold the edges twice and sew all the way around on all sides.
9. Ruffle the shorter curved side and sew it onto the top of the shoulder seam.
10. Using the extra fabric, make a waist-tie to use as a belt for the dress.  For a tutorial, click here.
Estimated time: 45 min.-1 hr.
Budget: just the cost of the dress(mine was $10!)
Skill level: a very confident beginner

DIY: Make a muumuu type dress into a fitted dress

~ SEWING

Before:
I got this cute dress from the Flor De Luz Shop and I think it’s cute without any alterations.  But being petite, the length wasn’t the most flattering on my body shape or height.  So I altered it to make it more flattering.
After:
Instructions:
1. Cut off the extra fabric on the sleeves and the bottom of the dress.  Hem the bottom.
2. Sew the area right below the arm hole(lined in blue) closed.  Hem the sleeves.
3. Using the extra fabric that you cut off from the bottom of the dress, cut two 1 1/2″ wide strips.
4. Sew the right sides of the strips together to make one long strip.

5. Fold the strip in half width-wise and sew the edge together.

6. Safety pin one edge of the strip and put it inside the strip.  
Push the safety pin all the way across to the other side to flip the strip inside out.  
Now you have your belt!  

What you’ll need:
-A dress
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
-safety pin
Directions:
1. Cut off the extra fabric on the sleeves and the bottom of the dress.  Hem the bottom.
2. Sew the area right below the arm hole(lined in blue) closed.  Hem the sleeves.
3. Using the extra fabric that you cut off from the bottom of the dress, cut two 1 1/2″ wide strips.
4. Sew the right sides of the strips together to make one long strip.
5. Fold the strip in half width-wise and sew the edge together.
6. Safety pin one edge of the strip and put it inside the strip.  Push the safety pin all the way across to the other side to flip the strip inside out.  Now you have your belt!  
Estimated time: 35 minutes
Budget: just the cost of the dress
Skill level: beginner

Seamstress in the making

~ SEWING

A neighbor gave the girls a little pink sewing machine awhile ago and I tried to teach my oldest how to sew.  Well, that sewing machine didn’t work so I taught her using a sewing machine I borrowed from church instead.  For her very first try at sewing all by herself, she did so great!  She tried various stitches and she had so much fun, she didn’t want to stop.  She’s been asking me for sewing lessons everyday since, I think I have a mini seamstress in the making!