The Kimono | On Trend

Kimonos are all the rage this spring / summer. They are a great way to add something to an otherwise plain outfit, and can be worn dressed up or more casually. 

Kimonos are also really easy to make - which is exactly what I did! 

There are quite a few kimono tutorials out there, but this is the one I used with a few modifications.

I was originally inspired by this pin to make a gorgeous floral pastel kimono. However as is usually the case I couldn't find any fabric similar to this. I did eventually manage to find two different materials for two kimonos. 

I wasn't 100% sure about this fabric at first because it initially looked like there was way too much black. After a friend rolled it out more, we discovered it had a beautiful purple floral pattern on it.

This fabric is gorgeous to look at and and feels amazing, however it is definitely not easy to sew with. It frays quite a lot which can make things difficult. As such I had to add bias binding to the open portion of the kimono to stop the fray. I also overlocked the hems.

I found this gorgeous black looped trim to add to the arm holes and around the bottom of the kimono.

For the second kimono, I was instantly drawn to the beautiful colours and the soft feel of the fabric. This fabric was much easier to work with - although it does still fray a little this is easily fixed by overlocking the hems.

I found these cute white baubles to add onto the arm holes and bottom of the kimono. 

Overall I am really happy with how they have turned out and would definitely make more! 

What are your thoughts on the kimono?

I would also like to take this opportunity to say "Happy New Year" and thank you for all your support in 2014. There are lots of exciting things happening in 2015 and I can't wait to take you along for the ride.

xx

 

Bosch Glue Gun | First Impressions (perfect last minute Christmas idea!)

If you are a lover of any form of DIY I highly recommend you invest in a Bosch GluePen. I received mine as an early Christmas present from Santa (aka my Dad!) and have been so impressed with how amazing this product is.

It is basically the same idea as a hot glue gun - only better! It has a lithium battery which means it is used without cords, a massive plus in my books! The battery will last continuously for around 30 minutes and doesn't take very long to charge. 

The glue pen is so easy to use. All you need to do is insert the glue stick into the hole at the back of the pen and push down on the red lever until the glue comes out! The way the glue pen is designed means that it is very easy to be precise with the glue which means less mess! The glue does not string like a normal glue gun which is fantastic. The outside of the gun does not get hot (only to bottom section & the tip) which makes it a great tool for children to use as well (with supervision of course!)

The glue dries very quickly and once it has dried it is very strong. 

I have been very impressed so far and have a whole list of projects in my head that I will be using this for!!

The glue pen would make the perfect Christmas present, and for around $50 it is very reasonably priced.

Have you heard of / tried the glue pen before? What are your thoughts?

xx



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First Alice Top | DIY

I recently finished my first Alice top from Tessuti Fabrics and I am really happy with how it turned out. I found this gorgeous fabric at Spotlight and knew it would fit the Alice Top perfectly. My only gripe with this fabric was that it frayed quite badly.

One of my favourite things about this top are the sleeves. They not only attach to the yoke but the bodice as well. I really love the way they make this top look.

This top has gathers at the front and the back which make the material drape beautifully.

I was very excited to finally get the under-stitiching right with this top - I have struggled with this in that past but think I got it right this time! 

I finished the hem off with a zig zag stitch as I felt it was more stable and added something different to the top. 

I will definitely be making another one of these tops - I think it would look very cute as a summer crop top!

Have you tried out this pattern? What did you think?

xx

 

Spotted Mathilde Blouse | DIY

I have finished my second Mathilde Blouse by Tilly Walnes (you can find my first one here) and I am in love! I learnt a lot from making my first blouse and I think this one worked out so much nicer. I loved the very similar blouse Tilly made and knew I had to make one for myself. 

I decided to go with gathers this time as opposed to the tucks. Whilst the tucks look really nice when they are done properly, I found them quite hard last time! Also I think tucks look great on plain material, however they can get a bit lost in a pattern. 

I was a but unsure about the fullness of the sleeves, so last time I cut them short. However this time I decided to give the sleeves ago and I am so happy I did. I absolutely love them! The way they are finished is gorgeous.

I found these gorgeous buttons from Skullbuttonry on Etsy. The buttons are very reasonably priced and all of the proceeds go to charity. I love the look of the wooden buttons with the black and white spots.

I would definitely make another one of these! I have got quite a few sewing projects planned so keep an eye out for posts on those as I finish them :)

What are you currently sewing??

xx

Crafty Sundays | DIY

I hosted a crafty "crafternoon" at my place this afternoon and I can't believe how great everyone's projects turned out! Crafternoon's are a great way to socialise with friends and create some beautiful things. Have a scroll through and check out what we made.

Nail Polish Storage & Beautiful Necklace & Sunglass Holder

Cute Decoupage Fabric Frame

Gorgeous Elephant Coasters

Necklace Frame

Chocolate Bliss Balls & Coconut, Almond & Macadamia Balls

This little guy wanted to help everyone out!

I had such a great day and cannot wait to host another one soon!

Have you ever hosted / attended a crafternoon?

xx

 

Khaki Mathilde Blouse | DIY

This is the first version of the Mathilde Blouse I have made by Tilly Walnes and I am pretty happy with how it has turned out!

I am not going to lie, the tucks were hard to do! Tilly's instructions were very helpful, but I found it hard to get them all lined up and sitting correctly. 

I decided last minute to make the sleeves shorter (something I should have thought about before I cut them out!) but they turned out quite nicely. This was also due to the fact the sleeves with the cuff were not quite turning out how I wanted them to!

I was very proud of the fact my buttons and button holes lined up properly! I have never been very good at button holes, however whilst making this top I discovered I was using the wrong sewing machine foot! Once I changed to the one I should be using (it allows you to see a lot more) the button holes turned out perfectly  I also discovered my machine has a button foot which made sewing on the buttons so much quicker and means they are much more stable!

I am not a huge fan of the material. I love the colour, but it was quite a cheap fabric and is very prone to creasing (as you might be able to tell!)

I am in the middle of making a second Mathilde Blouse - very similar to this one Tilly made for herself so keep an eye out!

Have you made any of Tilly's patterns? 

xx