Balloon Sleeve Top
Balloon Sleeve Top This balloon sleeve top is made from the exact same pattern as my - Balloon Sleeve Dress - just shorter and from a gorgeous sheer black lace. You need: - my pattern from the balloon sleeve dress on - this link fabric matching colour...
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Business Card Holder
Business Card Holder Make your own business card holder using animal friendly pleather. These business card holders make great and inexpensive gifts. You can customise them by sticking on charms or punching and hand sewing them in embroidery thread. I've made a...
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DIY Eye Mask
DIY Eye Mask This DIY eye mask is a modern minimal take on some of the clean over the top eye masks out there. I wanted something I could put on in one go. Not still have to tie it on at the back of my head. It had to keep out light so it would work for meditating....
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Camisole Tutorial
Camisole Tutorial This is a really easy camisole tutorial. It can be made from a light cotton or for a more dramatic look like this one, an embossed tafetta. I'm a closet goth girl hence all the black. For a bang on trend look, make it in a stripe or check fabric....
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Moon Choker
Moon Choker This lovely moon choker came about because I had a hammered silver crescent moon and wasn't wearing it. Made it back in the days of jewelry making with left-over silver. All it took was a quick bend of some silver wire plus an O-ring to attach the moon...
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Shoulder Tie Dress
Shoulder Tie Dress This shoulder tie dress is the ultimate summer dress. It's not much more than a big square of fabric, sewn together to make a tube. A bit of shirring at the top. And some shoulder ties. Tick. Done. You need: - fabric matching colour thread sewing...
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Beaded Serviette Rings
Beaded Serviette Rings My daughter made these beaded serviette rings easily two decades ago when she was still living at home. What I like about them is they are light and small and so work well with paper serviettes. We've been experiencing the worst drought since...
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Long Black Shiftdress
Long Black Shiftdress This long black shiftdress is really nothing more than an extra long T-shirt. I used a shiftdress from my wardrobe to cut the pattern. It's made from what they called golf shirt fabric at the fabric shop. Came in a long wide tube. Have to say it...
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Fireplace Restyle
Fireplace Restyle I cannot claim credit for this fireplace restyle. My seriously handy husband did this job. He also made the wooden bit the three lights are hanging from which you can see in the mirror - AND he made the wine racks to fit in the wall to the left of...
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Quartz Crystal Earrings
Quartz Crystal Earrings I did a jewelry making course a few years ago and while I loved it, my soldering was rubbish, so I've turned to wire jewelry and made a few things including this pair of quartz crystal earrings. Most of my inspiration comes from what I see in...
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FREE Backpack Sewing Pattern
FREE Backpack Sewing Pattern There are some trends I warm to instantly, anything in any shade of green will do, hence this FREE backpack sewing pattern. Am on the move again and backpacks are the business to make travel easier. I've made a similar backpack before...
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Broderie Anglaise Top
Broderie Anglaise Top This Broderie Anglaise top is made from the exact same pattern as - this top. Click on the link to get the FREE sewing pattern and tutorial. Amazing how different fabrics can completely change the look and feel of a top? It's a pretty fool proof...
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Delicate Ring
Delicate Rings This tutorial for delicate rings came about because I've been wanting to make some midi rings and wondered if I could make them using silver wire. I did a You Tube search and came across a video called "10 diy rings easy & adjustable" by Helena...
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Balloon Sleeve Dress
Balloon Sleeve Dress I've made a bunch of shift dresses including this balloon sleeve dress which I will post over the next few weeks. They are beyond easy to make as I use no closures i.e. zips or button holes. The difference between a normal shift dress and this one...
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Fabric Charm Necklace
Fabric Charm Necklace This fabric charm necklace is a perfect way to use up a fabric scraps and anything you can lay your hands on from lucky charms, buttons, beads and even plastic junk from lucky packets or Christmas crackers. It's meant to be fun. I don't claim to...
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Culottes Tutorial
Culottes Tutorial I can't get enough culottes at the moment hence this culottes tutorial. If you like the look of the top you can find the free sewing pattern and tutorial - in this link. So let me say up front I make my own patterns for a LOT of my stuff. But with...
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Repurposing Wine Corks
Repurposing Wine Corks Ever wondered how to go about repurposing wine corks? No surpise to find a way in Greenie Dresses for Less. Come spring I go mad and plant seeds, and then they come up, but is it a weed or a seed? And if a seed, which one did I plant in this...
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Muslin Curtains Two Ways
Muslin Curtains Two Ways DIY Muslin Curtains Two Ways is showing how I made two sets of muslin curtains. These muslin curtains are made with with a slot. I had to come up with curtains rather quickly for a London apartment which lacked light - hence this pair of posts...
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DIY Muslin Curtains Two Ways
DIY Muslin Curtains Two Ways DIY Muslin Curtains Two Ways is showing how I made two sets of muslin curtains. These muslin curtains are made with a fold over. I had to come up with curtains rather quickly for a London apartment which lacked light - hence this pair of...
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DIY Summer Sundress
DIY Summer Sundress This DIY Summer Sundress is made from an old sheet. Yip, that's how things roll on this blog. Upcycle, recycle and make it yourself. I took the measurements from around my chest, just above my bust for the top piece - plus 6 - 8 centimetres for...
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African Print Top
African Print Top I love this African Print Top so much that as fast as it comes out the wash I wear it again. It's exactly the same pattern as my - White Frill Hem Top. Head to that post to get the FREE sewing pattern and full sewing instructions. You need: – fabric...
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Half Moon Earrings
Half Moon Earrings The inspiration for these Half Moon Earrings came from Pinterest while I was looking at wire jewellery ideas. Wish I could remember who shared it, but the idea stuck in my head. I bought the silver wire from a local jewelery supply shop and already...
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FREE Sewing Patterns and Tutorials
FREE Sewing Patterns and Tutorials Let's talk a bit about FREE Sewing Patterns and Tutorials this week. Almost every week I roll out a FREE sewing pattern and/or tutorial for something I've made. I make a LOT of stuff. None of the things I make are difficult. I can do...
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Fabric Bag – FREE Sewing Pattern
Fabric Bag - FREE Sewing Pattern I must have made at least ten of these fabric bags with my FREE sewing pattern. They are just so easy to own and use. They are light - no back strain. They wash. You can squeeze anything into them from thick jackets to shopping as they...
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Easy Sweater Tutorial
Easy Sweater Tutorial Never made a sweater before? You can make an easy sweater with this this tutorial. Here's how: - You need: - make a pattern or download a Burda pattern knit fabric contrast colour knit fabric ribbing for the neck and cuffs sewing scissors pins...
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Green Tunic Dress
Green Tunic Dress OK there's no pattern for this green tunic dress from me. For a change. It's a commercial pattern that I've made before and I love it. Am not going to do the whole deal with what you need or how to make it as that is included in the pattern...
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DIY Apron
DIY Apron I made this particular DIY apron for a fancy dress party. My other half and I usually wear - these - aprons. And we wear them a lot since we've now added catering to our already busy lives - Vegan Pop Up Dining. What were we thinking? It's super duper easy...
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Vertical Hanging Laundry Bag
Vertical Hanging Laundry Bag This vertical hanging laundry bag is a long thin leftover piece from a heavy cotton dropcloth used to cover my daughter's sofa. The inspiration for THAT DIY came from a blogger called - budgetsonadime on blogspot. See her photo and...
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DIY Strapless Dress
DIY Strapless Dress This DIY Strapless Dress was actually made as a maxi skirt. I love, love, love this dress. So easy to wear. Nice and cool. And goes from day to night. It doesn't crease so it travels well. What's not to love? I wear it with a skinny scarf which I...
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White Frill Hem Top
White Frill Hem Top I made this white frill hem top from a sheet that had a mark I could not remove. As with all my sewing projects this white frill hem top is ridiculously easy to make. No closures such as zips or button holes. No setting of sleeves. And no tailoring...
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My name is Karen. I live in Cape Town, South Africa.
This blog is about how to make your own, how to recycle, restyle and up-cycle.