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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Fabric Bracelet
Fabric Bracelet The inspiration for these fabric bracelets came from a blogger called - Thriftanista in the City. She has lovely step by step instructions to make her bangles. One thing she did, which I was too lazy to do but really should have done, is fold her...
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Maxi Skirt
Maxi Skirt Truth is I'm not really a big fan of gathered skirts. Am unfortuately a pear shape and not altogether petite, so any gathers around my hips make me look like a walking lampshade. If you can find something that drapes i.e falls and elongates, but is still...
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Lace Choker
Lace Choker Am a bit choker obessed at the moment. Made this lace choker as well as a . . . . . Shweshwe Choker, Strapping Choker and a Ribbon Choker. You need: - a piece of lace trimming about 30 centimtres long (or more for just in case) matching colour thread or...
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Elegant Tote Bag
Elegant Tote Bag Make this simple elegant tote bag in a nice firm printed cotton, bright coloured bull denim, canvas or ordinary denim in just over an hour. Here's how. You need: - 2 x pieces of firm fabric 40 centimtres wide x 50 centimtres long matching colour...
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White Frill Top
White Frill Top The inspiration for this white frill top is kind of everywhere in South Africa at the moment. Lovely fluffy, frilly tops and dresses abound. It's summer. Lots of sunshine. No rain. We have 6 weeks of water left before we hit - Day Zero - the day Cape...
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Suedette Business Card Holder
Suedette Business Card Holder I love, love suedette which is why I made this suedette business card holder. Don't do real skin ever due my vegan lifestyle. Suedette is as attractive as well as easier to sew since it doesn't stick to the foot of a sewing machine. Made...
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Window Crystal
Window Crystals I'm a BIG fan of crystals and bought a few window crystals from a friend of a friend. They aren't at all difficult to make so I made a few more. Now every window in our home has a window crystal. They're supposed to be excellent Feng Shui and cast...
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Easy Earrings
Easy Earrings One of my favourite - and easiest things to make - are stud earrings. Easy earrings I call them. If you have a great haberdashery or bridal shop near you, that's the perfect place to take a gander at their buttons. You're looking for a button with a...
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Easy Sofa Cover
Easy Sofa Cover This easy sofa cover evolved out of desperation. My other half and I do - Vegan Pop Up Dining - and someone messed a drink on our sofa. I managed to wipe the mark off out but the original denim cover hadn't been pre-washed and the dye smudged. It...
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Frill Bottom Dress
Frill Bottom Dress This frill bottom dress came about as I had a piece of fabric I couldn't quite work with. It was 150 centimeres wide and 107 centimetres long. Too short for a dress. If I made a top would have left-over fabric I couldn't use. I'm loving all the...
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Summer Bikini Top
Summer Bikini Top This summer bikini top might prove useful if global warming kicks in this year. They have been predicting the hottest summer ever in Cape Town. Currently it's snowing on the mountains in some areas. So maybe not just yet. It's exactly the same top as...
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Round Handle Bag
Round Handle Bag Have been wanting lovely bamboo handles to make a bag forever. Could. Not. Find. Them. These round handles came up during a rummage in a charity shop attached to a very tired old bag. Immediately knew I could re-use them to make a new bag. I bought a...
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DIY Drawstring Laundry Bag
DIY Drawstring Laundry Bag These DIY drawstring laundry bags were originally made for our boat. Super handy to divide up washing according to colour and schelp them to the nearest laundry. But they also proved very useful in our accomodation in London. DIY drawstring...
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Blockout Curtains
Blockout Curtains Why would anyone want blockout curtains? Simple. They block out light helping you sleep better. And they add an extra layer of insulation so noise and temperatures are muted. What if you already have the perfect curtains? Make your own DIY Blockout...
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Square Camisole
Square Camisole I made this square camisole a while ago and have the benfit of having worn it a few times now. One thing I would do differently is make a fastening at the side. Or make the back in two parts and make an opening at the back of this square camisole. It's...
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Black Shirt Dress
Black Shirt Dress This black shirt dress is exactly same as the one I made in a tutorial posted a few weeks back. You can find the tutorial - here. I made both these dresses at the same time. It should be warmer in Cape Town, but we've been hovering around 20'C which...
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Pleather Spectacle Case
Pleather Spectacle Case I made this pleather spectacle case along with a set of DIY mobile phone covers - Mobile Phone Covers - and a tote bag - Pleather Tote Bag. They are all dead easy to make. The only two things to get right are: - cutting the edges straight...
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Summer Top
Feeling the heat? Whip up a simple summer top from two squares of fabric in no time.
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DIY Accessories – FREE Tutorials
Yet another round up of older tutorials, this time - DIY Accessories - FREE Tutorials. All patterns, tutorials and content here will always be FREE. Click on the link below the image to find the tutorial. Unfortunately, some of the pics are grainy as they were taken...
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DIY Bags – FREE Sewing Patterns
Have been busy putting together a compilation of all my DIY fashion posts and this one is all about DIY Bags - FREE Sewing Patterns. Can't believe how much I've made over the years! Yesterday I was wearing a black off-shoulder dress and someone said, " I love your...
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DIY Tops – FREE Sewing Patterns
This post is a compilation of my free sewing patterns and tutorials for tops. Called it DIY Tops - FREE Sewing Patterns - for obvious reasons. The link to the tutorial is below each picture. Tapestry Top I'm sorry my posts have been so infrequent. I've been on the...
read moreMeet Greenie
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.