Greenie Dresses for Less

Electric Cable and Amazonite Choker

2015-06-18T12:00:00.000+02:00

DIY choker necklace

This choker took me 30 minutes to make. Super easy - as is everything on this blog. I've had this piece of Amazonite for a while and been wanting to do something fun with it. We had a piece of black electric cord lying about. And since this blog is about up-cycling and recycling and making and anything but buying . . . . . I re-purposed it. Here's how I made it.

Amazonite choker

You need: -

electric cable
a finding that can fit the width of your cable
two-part adhesive or really strong glue
a stone or something to attach to your choker - or wear it plain
O-rings or something that can attach your stone to your choker
cable or wire cutters

You need these

You do: -
Measure the space your finding or fastener will use. And measure the cable around your neck to see how long or short you would like it to be.

Make sure fastener or finding or clasp fits the cable

Make a not of the size. Deduct the size of your fastener or clasp.

Mix your adhesive if two part and glue to each end. Check it attaches nicely and doesn't cause your cable to twist. Allow to dry.

Mix glue and glue finding to end of cable

Attach O-rings to stone and attache to your choker. And that's it!

Look for the Galleries pages where you can find other DIYs where I used fine electric cable. And wire. And old curtains.

See you next week.

Greenie.

Spiral Sundress Sewing Pattern

2015-06-11T19:27:00.000+02:00

Anthony Kwok spiral sundress

I've been wanting to make this dress forever! My mother is great at bagging bargains and books at charity sales. She found the book Creative Dressing by Kaori O'Connor and gave it to me years ago. Creative Dressing has a mix of sewing and knitting patterns. I love the eighties style and feel of clothing designs and photos in the book.

Spiral sundress

This spiral sundress looked great on the model in the book but I could never quite figure out how a long rectangular strip of fabric . . . could become this dress. Which is why I took so long to make it. I up cycled a sheet here (was being cautious) but this dress would have been much nicer in a fabric with just a hint of give.

Pattern

The book lists the designer as Anthony Kwok. I had to Google him. What genius dreams up a creation like this? Sadly he passed away early in his life. If you go to - martinforeman.com - and search a bit you can read more about Anthony Kwok.

Anthony Kwok

You need: -
fabric
matching colour thread
sewing machine
sewing scissors
pins

You do: -
Cut a rectangular piece of fabric.

Cut rectangle of fabric

Cut from the corner to create the neck area. See pattern and picture.

Measure from corner

Cut from corner to create neck

Now fold over where you have cut to start spiraling the fabric. Again - see picture and pattern.

Fold over

Fold again and pin the sides together.

Fold again and pin dress together

Sew dress together.

Cut hem straight at bottom

Cut the dress straight across at the bottom.

Hem around the edges

Hem around the edges.

I've taken the plunge and enlisted some help so Greenie can have a long overdue make-over. And I've splashed out on a proper camera. Only thing is . . . I need to learn how to use it. One step at a time.

Hopefully Greenie Dresses for Less blog will be a much prettier and more user friendly version of herself really soon.

Look for the Galleries pages here where you can find loads of other sewing and jewelry making ideas to hopefully inspire you to DIY and not buy.

Have a great green week.

Greenie.

Easy Pouch Tutorial

2015-06-04T20:25:00.000+02:00

This pouch was made to store the rain poncho I made last week. See that tutorial and FREE sewing pattern for the rain poncho - on this link.

Leopard print nylon pouch

And here are two more tutorials for pouches or cloth toiletry bags - drawstring toiletry bag - and - zipper toiletry bag.

I used the leftover pieces from my rain poncho. Had to sew them together to get a big enough piece. You need a piece of fabric (nylon in this case) about 25 centimetres wide by about 60 centimetres long. And a piece of cord about 55 centimetres long or longer.

I made the dimensions up to fit the rain poncho after I folded it up. And you need to make sure the cord is long enough to run through the top of the pouch plus enough cord over to tie a knot.

Here's how you make this easy pouch -

Rain poncho at left. Sewing fabric together for pouch on right. Plus cord

Cut your fabric. Fold in half - right sides facing.

Fold in half and sew sides leaving 6 cms open from top

Sew sides leaving 6 centimetres open at the top. Snip corners at bottom so pouch opens nicely.

Snip corners

Pin and sew sides to neaten.

Pin sides

Sew sides

Fold over top to create casing for cord. Sew casing.

Fold over top and sew. Feed cord through.

Feed cord through casing. Knot cord.

Voila.

If you scroll back to the beginning of this blog you will find three galleries with 100's of other tutorials, FREE sewing patterns and ideas to make your own clothes and accessories.

Will be back next week with more inspiration to help you DIY and not buy.

Greenie.

Leopard Rain Poncho + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-05-28T12:00:00.000+02:00

DIY Rainproof poncho + tutorial

Festival season is upon us. Yay! A super handy item to pack is a rain poncho. I have an ASOS version (you can see it in the photo where I cut the cape) but I wanted a second one. Why? Well, so I can have a change. I also made a pouch for it so I can pack it easily for travels. Will post that tutorial next week.

Rain poncho

So obviously you need rain proof fabric for this poncho. I found this piece of leopard print nylon. I'm not a fan of leopard, have to say, but that was all the shop had. The fabric had a few flaws in the print which were NOT pointed out to me. I did get it at a good price, but still. Fortunately with such a busy print you can't see it.

The pattern

What's nice about this poncho is you can juggle it afterwards if you mess up a bit with proportions. Will mention those tweaks in this post. I had to use them.

You need: -
water resistant fabric or nylon
matching colour thread
sewing machine
sewing scissors
tape measure

You do: -

Cut cape. Note where to place optional seams for snug fit.

Cut your cape from your waterproof fabric or nylon.

Cut neck lower in front and higher at back

Next cut neck hole as per the dimensions in the pattern. This is one area you can go wrong. It's so easy to cut too small or too big. ALWAYS err on the side of cutting too small and snip away the extra needed bit by bit. Fit the cape first to see if you need to trim it.

I used a pasta bowl to help get the curve right. And remember the front is cut lower than the back.

Now cut 2 matching pieces for the hood from your waterproof fabric or nylon.

Cut hood. See red line for where to sew.

Sew the hood pieces together. See red line for where to sew. Make a seam around front or face area of hood to neaten edges.

Snip curved seams

Snip the curved seams so hood opens up nicely. Use the nylon setting on your iron to press the seams in the hood open.

Now pin the hood to the neck hole. See photo. And sew hood to neck.
If you look in the picture I cut my neck too big and there was quite a gap in the front.

Sew elastic to neck if too wide

So I used a piece of elastic to gather that up. You pull the elastic and sew it down at the same time. It gathers up the fabric.

Add darts to hood if too loose

I also added darts to my hood as it was a bit too loose. Hope you can see the darts on such a busy print.

Hem all around edge of cape

The final bit is to hem all around the edge of the cape. You can - optional but gives a snugger fit - also sew a seam at the sides under the arms. See red lines in first photo.

And just like that your cape is done!

Next week I will show how to make a matching drawstring pouch to store it. And if you navigate your way to the Greenie Galleries you will find plenty more FREE sewing patterns and older DIYs.

If you want a preview of upcoming tutorials then head to the Greenie Dresses for Less Facebook page. I've uploaded pics of things I have already made but yet to post the sewing patterns and tutorials.

Have a fabulous week.

Greenie.

DIY Running Armband

2015-05-21T12:00:00.000+02:00

Arm pocket tutorial

I had one of these arm pockets and sometime during the building going on in our house, I packed it away in a safe place. So safe, I cannot find it anymore. It's such a handy thing as I put my house keys in the pocket, slide it onto my arm and go for a run. It's also great for those who run with a phone or use gels.

Running arm pocket

They look so simple and I was fairly certain I could make one. I went on-line to see if anyone else had made them so I could get a sense of how they're put together. Couldn't find much on them.

Then I found a site called fehrtrade.com. She's been sewing and putting out patterns for over a decade. She has heaps of patterns and tutorials. Quite diverse stuff too. Fehrtrade.com has a FREE sewing pattern for what she referred to as a Y-Fumble. Don't recall ever seeing them in South Africa.

I'm so pleased to find this pattern as it saved me having to figure out how to make this running armband. The pattern has all the info on it including where to make your folds. And you get a PDF explaining how to assemble this. I printed the pattern onto 4 x A4 sheets of paper from our home printer. Doesn't get easier than that.

This arm pocket needs super stretchy fabric. It's the s-t-r-e-t-c-h that makes it stay on your arm and stops your stuff falling out. I used black lycra.

You need: -

FREE sewing pattern from fehrtrade.com

stretchy fabric

matching coloured thread

sewing machine with stretch stitch

ball point sewing needles

You do: -

Cut the pattern from your fabric.

Cut pattern from your fabric

Make sure you replace your regular sewing needle with a ball point sewing needle. (Discovered my sewing machine needle cases are disintegrating! Bit annoying that - how else will I store them?)

Top left is the correct sewing needle

Next set your sewing machine to stretch stitch. If your machine does not have a stretch stitch, you could try pulling the fabric slightly when you sew. Can't promise it will work but will go some way to ensuring the stitches have a bit of give so they don't snap when you pull on the arm pocket.

Hem and fold top of pocket

Make a hem at each end of the pocket piece and fold top over to create the flap for your pocket.

Hem and fold bottom of pocket

Fold bottom to create pocket.

Sew ends of non-pocket leaving a space open in the middle

Sew each end of the non-pocket piece leaving a bit open in the middle.

Slide pocket (left) into non-pocket (right). Stitch sides

Now this is the bit I missed and had to unpick and redo. The instructions are clear on the accompanying PDF. You slide the pocket piece INSIDE the non-pocket piece.

And sew the sides.

Pull pocket through open piece

You pull the pocket through the piece you left open on the non-pocket piece. And your running arm pocket comes together. Like magic.

Sew open piece closed.

You can either hand sew or machine sew the open piece closed to finish.

If you find the Greenie Galleries there are heaps of older posts and ideas to make and upcycle clothes and accessories. I've also loaded pics of upcoming tutorials and FREE sewing patterns on the Greenie Dresses for Less facebook page.

Have a great week.

Greenie.

P.S. A few have asked what size the pattern pieces are. The pattern comes different sizes so best to measure and fit to YOUR arm, but my pattern pieces are 16 cm wide and 41 cm long for pocket piece. And 16 cm wide and 38 cm long for non-pocket piece. Includes seam allowances.

Easy Shift Dress + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-05-14T12:00:00.000+02:00

FREE shift dress sewing pattern + tutorial

This dress is - hands down - the number one visited post on my blog. I get more letters about this dress than any of the others. What pleases me most is hearing that people are happy with their final result. It's not always easy to explain some of the steps in making a garment, so great to know people understand how to make it.

Why am I re-posting it? My photos aren't that good. I desperately need a new camera. Also I've learned a lot since I took the original pic. Not that my photos are going to win any wards but I wanted to try and show this dress in a better light.

Am going to send you straight to the original blog post. Click - here - for a link to the FREE sewing pattern and tutorial.

And I feel I should also mention that not only is this easy to make, it's a pleasure to wear. It's a loose hence comfy, but also a flattering shift dress. I have made this in a few colours. Have only used a light, but crisp cotton. Fabric is EVERYTHING in making a garment. But I would like to be brave and maybe make it in a print for a more boho fun feel.

There are plenty more FREE sewing patterns if you can find the Greenie Galleries on this blog. And lots of ideas to upcycle and recycle just about anything.

I've just make a choker and bracelet set with black electric cord. I can't believe how well they turned out. And I made yet another kimono jacket from old curtains. You can find pics of what's to come on the Greenie Dresses for Less Facebook page.

And just to remind us all why we want to DIY and not buy, watch this - John Oliver digs into the low cost child labor hypocrisy in the fashion industry. It's 17 minutes long and he does rather take the Mickey in this skit, but it's got a lot of uncomfortable facts. We need to know this stuff.

Back next week with more.

Greenie.

Rope and Toggle Bracelet

2015-05-07T18:34:00.001+02:00

Up-cycled rope bracelet

Bit of a theme going on in this blog. Recycling one thing into another rather than toss in the bin. I up-cycled the cord tie from a parka into a bracelet. So I was about to tie the cord from my parka and whoops, it came loose. I wasn't about to try and unpick and re-sew it back into the jacket. Decided to rather live without it. Then I thought I would see if it would make a bracelet. And it does!

DIY rope bracelet

This is more of a fun thing than a statement piece. I guess you could use sexier coloured cord and a sparkly crystal or pearl button for a prettier bracelet. A finer silk cord or a waxed cord would look good. Also thought about using fabric off-cuts. I made the hairband in the link below from fine fabric strips.

Here are some links to similar items in older blog posts -

I'm not going to give laborious instructions for this as there really isn't much to it.

Cord from my parka

In a nutshell I made a crochet chain from the end that had the toggle. I made the chain long enough to make a bracelet.

I left the loop and fed the excess cord back through the chain.

Make a chain long enough for a bracelet

You can use a lighter - if your cord is plastic (careful please) - or a drop of strong glue - to make sure the loop at the end doesn't come loose.

If you navigate your way to the Gallery pages on this blog there are heaps more ideas to DIY as well as FREE knitting and sewing patterns.

More next week.

Greenie.

Easy Summer Dress + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-04-29T12:00:00.000+02:00

Summer dress tutorial

This dress came out particularly well. Amazing how a different fabric can completely change the look of a dress? See the exact same dress pattern in black cotton - on this link.

Summer sundress

My photos aren't all that. I'm still using an Instamatic camera. Duh! And the look of this blog could do with a professional touch too. But the point of this blog always was - and still is - to show how easy it is to make clothes.

To share what I've made, so other people will hopefully be inspired to DIY and not buy. When you make your own clothes you know for sure they don't come out of a sweat shop. Last week Friday was Fashion Revolution Day. Go to (fashionrevolution followed by org) to read more.

This dress was made from a sheet I was no longer using. And some lace I happened to have. Not only is this dress light on my conscience, it was light on my purse. Total cost = 0.

You need: -
fabric
matching colour thread
lace
long ruler or tape measure
sewing scissors
pins

You do: -

Cut dress from fabric

Cut dress from your fabric. Cut straps from fabric.

Hem armhole areas

Sew side seams leaving space at top ends for arms to fit.
Press seams flat with an iron and hem the armhole area.

Make straps

Make straps as if you are making jumbo sized bias binding just not on the bias of the fabric.
Fold over top allowing space for straps to slide through and sew flat. Make a hem at bottom of dress.

Sew lace to bottom of dress

Sew lace to bottom of dress.

Slide straps through top of dress

Press straps flat with an iron and slide through top of dress.

Pattern

And just like that, this easy summer sundress is done.

Scroll back to the Greenie Galleries to find lots more FREE sewing patterns and DIY inspiration.

See you soon,

Greenie

Sixty Second Scarf Bag

2015-04-23T07:32:00.000+02:00

Make a bag in a minute

Got a scarf? Plus two hoops? And one minute? Then you have what it takes to make this bag. And here's the best bit. When you're done for the day, you can change the scarf to make another bag with your same hoops.

One minute scarf bag

I saw something similar to this on Ari Seth Cohen's blog - Advanced Style. He has a model - her name is - Tziporah Salamon. In a few shots of her, she has bags not unlike this one. I wish she would show how she makes them. I managed to come up with this version.

You need a scarf and two hoops

You need: -

A reasonable sized scarf - so not a neck scarf. Ideally the fabric shouldn't be too thin - it's going to hold all your possessions. But it also mustn't be too thick or you won't be able to tie the knots. You can also use a pretty piece of fabric to make this bag.
Two hoops. Or squares or any other shape for that matter.

You do: -
Spread your scarf out on a table.

Tie a knot at each corner

Tie a single knot at each corner making sure you have about 10 to 15 centimetres of scarf to tie more knots.

Half tie two corners together and add hoop

Now half tie tie two corners together. Add your hoop to the knot.

Complete knot over hoop

Complete the knot over the hoop. Make a few more knots to secure.

Simple as that.

Scroll back up to the beginning of this blog and find the Galleries where there are 100's of older posts. There is a diverse mix of FREE sewing patterns and tutorials to wire and bead jewellery. The focus of this blog is to DIY before being tempted to buy.

See you next week.

Greenie.

Summer Longsleeve Kimono Jacket + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-04-16T18:57:00.000+02:00

FREE Kimono sewing pattern

This is my third version of the same kimono jacket. It doesn't look as good in the pic as it does when I wear it. Might be because my model has a completely different body to mine. You can see the first one my mother made - here. I made a second version and used much bigger seams. It fits just that bit sungglier. See that kimono jacket - here.

Kimono jacket

These kimono jackets have been great for summer. They are cool and light but keep the sun off. I used a black cotton blend fabric with a teeny, tiny white dot. The print goes all weird in these photos!

I'm not going to go crazy with instruction as they are all in the links above. As is the FREE sewing pattern. But I will show pics with all the steps.

First you need to make your sewing pattern.

Cutting back piece of pattern

Next cut out your jacket.

Two back pieces and two front pieces

You should have two back pieces and two front pieces.

Pin and sew centre backs together

Pin and sew the centre backs together.

Sew sides and shoulders

Pin and sew the shoulder and the sides together.

Snip curved areas

Cut snips in the curved sections. Why do that? So the seams splay open and fit nicely.

Hem sleeves

Fit your jacket and pin a hem at the end of the sleeves. Sew hem.

Hem all around jacket

Sew a small hem along the bottom edge of your jacket.

Sew front and neck area

Now sew a small hem around the front and neck area. You can fold this small hem over and sew it again to conceal the raw edges.

Voila! Your jacket is complete.

If you would like more free sewing patterns or DIY inspiration scroll to the Gallery pages. You can also see how I made the necklace - here.

I will be back with more next week.

Bye for now.

Greenie.

Easy Scarf

2015-04-09T17:36:00.002+02:00

How to make a statement scarf

This week is another super fast DIY. Can you tell that I have had another hectic week? I'm trying to squeeze in too much. Xhosa lessons, jewellery lessons, my job, training for a race and trying to facilitate a potentially amazing project involving students and Public Open Spaces with local residents and our City Council. Early days but I'm sooo excited.

Green scarf

The jewellery design thing happened by mistake. I was at a breakfast birthday and a friend of a friend was wearing - The - Most - Amazing - Faceted rose quartz and rose gold ring. Before I knew what happened I had the details of the studio and signed up. I will post some of my pieces in time but no way could I make stuff like that at home. A person needs a proper bench, tools, precious and semi-precious stones and metals. And lots and lots of skill. Our teacher does MOST of the work for me right now. I have quite some way to go. But it's so much fun.

This week I'm reverting the easiest DIY ever. It's a piece of fabric, which is essentially a scarf. NO sewing required. Fabric options - limitless. Well almost. Denim and canvas. Nope. But think soft drapey type fabrics. Patterns can be fun too.

Laser cut florals

I used a laser cut cotton knit in apple green. As you can see I got a nice big square-ish piece. I like big bold scarves. Love, love that nomad vibe. I feel a bit cheated with a wimpy scarf, unless I'm wearing it as a skinny scarf or a neck-tie.

This scarf is great for summer to keep the sun off my neck and shoulders. Heard of a turkey neck? Equally warm in winter. If the edges are inclined to fray on your piece of fabric, then you may have to tease them a bit to create a fringe. No more than that required for a fun new scarf.

See older scarf DIYs - here - and - here.

And if you head back to the top of this page and find the Galleries, you will find 100's of older ideas, FREE sewing patterns and all sorts of fun fashion things to make.

More next week,

Greenie.

Restyle a Shopper Bag

2015-04-02T18:48:00.001+02:00

Kale shopper bag

You may have seen me restyle a shopper bag in - this post. Not meaning to be ungrateful for freebie cloth shopper bags but they are usually emblazoned with the generous companies logo and or product. I prefer to be a little low key on that score.

Kale shopper bag

Since I am 99% vegan. And yoga loving. A Kale shopper bag would be just perfect for me. Not so easy to find. This sturdy hemp shopper was ideal for a Kale makeover. You have to create a side pocket - or one on each side - which only makes it even handier. Space for shopping lists, mobile phone, pens, business card holder or scooter keys.

You could make a Love bag or a Time Out bag. Pick any word/s that you resonate with or want to embrace. Just know less is more. You have to sew them on.

You need: -
1 x shopper bag
similar coloured fabric for side pockets
contrast coloured fabric for letters - I used Shweshwe
matching coloured thread for pockets and letters
pins
sewing scissors
sewing machine
paper
paper scissors

You do: -

You need letters, shopper bag, fabric for pocket, contrast colour fabric for letters

Find craft letters on the Internet. Print them. Cut them out. I didn't cut the middle out my A because it was easier not to.

Cut letters from contrast coloured fabric

Pin the letters to your contrast coloured fabric and cut them out.

Cut pocket and pin letters

Now cut out your pocket. It needs to fit on the side of your bag with enough space all around for a hem on top and a seam allowance on the bottom and sides.

Zig-zag letters to pocket

Pin and sew letters to pocket. I used a zig-zag stitch all round. It's a bit tricky when there are sharp corners or turns.

Pin pocket to side of shopper bag

Now hem straight across the top of your pocket. Then turn ends in all around and pin the pocket to your bag.

Sew pocket to side of shopper bag

Sew pocket to your bag. And just like that your super cool Kale shopper bag is done! Head to your local farmers market and fill with organic goodies.

P.S, Google+ and GMail are marvelous. I get comments and feedback from people on the other side of the planet with suggestions and shortcomings. Those of you who have asked for updates, I will get to them soon. Promise. I know my Gallery is not great on smaller devices and desperately needs to be sorted. I have to get the hang of Bootstrap.

Meanwhile for those who are at a desktop or laptop, my three Galleries have pics of DIYs going back three years. Hopefully you will find something to inspire you to DIY and not buy.

More next week,

Greenie.

Scandinavian Heart Decoration Tutorial

2015-03-26T12:00:00.000+02:00

Not sure why, but I love, love, love Nordic decor. I come from the southernmost tip of Africa. It's a hot spot. Our temperatures can get above 40'C. South Africa the polar opposite to Scandinavia.

Heart decoration

The Scandinavians make hearts from fabric to decorate their Christmas trees. But these hearts also seem to fit in with country decor and I've seen them on door handles or keys.

I made a basic template for my heart using two glasses. See how in the picture. The template may look big but remember that you will be sewing a seam around the outside which will shrink it substantially. Traditionally these hearts are made from a plain red or white fabric. However gingham and a sweet floral print will look good. I used Shweshwe fabric for an African take on this.

You can recycle fabric off-cuts to create stuffing but stick to white or light colours as darker colours may show through. also cut off-cuts as finely as you can or the stuffing will be lumpy. I used left over ceiling insulation. It's similar in texture to batting used in quilting.

You need: -
a pattern - use a glass, A4 sheet of paper, pencil and a ruler
fabric
matching coloured thread
hand sewing needle
ribbon
stuffing
sewing machine
scissors
pins

You do: -
First make your pattern as per the picture using a glass, paper, pencil and a ruler.

Make your pattern

Pin your pattern to your fabric and cut out your hearts.

Pin pattern to fabric

Cut a piece of ribbon about 15 centimetres long and slip it into your heart as per the picture.

Cut out heart from fabric

Place fabric right sides facing and slip ribbon between heart pieces

Place them right sides facing inward or facing toward each other and pin around the edges.

Sew around edge leaving open a space. trim away excess fabric

Sew around the edges leaving a space to turn the heart inside out.

Trim away the surplus fabric.

Turn inside out and fill with stuffing

Place the stuffing inside the heart.

Hand sew closed

Hand sew the opening closed.

Voila! A heart for your door handle, cupboard door, keys or a Christmas decoration.

Find heaps more ideas in the Greenie Galleries if you scroll back to the beginning.

See you next week.

Greenie.

Easy Shrug + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-03-19T12:00:00.000+02:00

How to sew a shrug

Shrug

I have a big fat list going on in my head of things I want to make. As I've said before, there are things I am never going to make. Shoes and hats. Nada. But some things are so super easy that I can't NOT make them. Shrugs are bang on trend. They lend themselves to a light summer cover but I've seen heavier woolen winter ones too. It's an alternative to a kimono jacket and even easier to make. The trick is to get the proportions right.

Pattern

I saw one in a shop and went straight to the fitting room to try it on. I measured it along my body so I could get a sense of the proportions. Came home, measured against my body and wrote the dimensions down on a piece of paper. And promptly threw the paper away without thinking. Duh!

Pin and sew sides leaving space for arms

So I tried to cut it from my head - which was a flop. If I have learned anything about sewing. The proportions have to be right. And fabric choice is EVERYTHING.

My top 10 sewing tips are - here. I got carried away and dished out 10 more tips which you can find - on this link.

Make a hem around the arms

A polycotton, cotton knit or soft drape light weight fabric will work for this top. But a warm jersey should also work well for cooler weather. I'm a size medium or UK dress size 10. This is a loose top so likely fit a few sizes either way.

You need: -
fabric
matching colour thread
sewing scissors
sewing pins

Hem around arms and press with an iron

You do: -
Cut the shrug from your fabric using the dimensions from the pattern above. Or make a pattern first and cut from the pattern. I allowed a generous 2 centimetres seam and hem allowance which is included in the above dimensions.

Pin darts and fit shrug to check the fit

Pin the sides leaving open about 17 centimetres on each side for your arms to fit through. Sew and press with an iron.

Press darts

The darts are to create a slight curve on the shoulders. They are not necessary and can be omitted. I placed two darts - one on each side of the centre point of the shrug. My darts are about 8 centimetres long and just over 1 centimetre wide when folded over. You can make your darts wider to create more of a curve. Or add more darts. My suggestion is to pin them first, fit the shrug and see how it fits and then sew them. You always sew darts from the widest part to the narrowest.

Make ties

You can finish by making a hem around the outside - or - and this is another optional bit - you can make ties. Since this is a loose garment I felt it needed ties to hold it closed in front. Cut two long thin strips - about 50 centimetres long and 4 centimetres wide. Fold the strips in half lengthways and press with an iron. Fold the outer bits in like you are making bias binding and press again. Sew flat.

Pin ties in place

Fit your shrug and pin the ties around the bust area. Sew them in place.

Hem the outside of your shrug

Now fold over the outer area and sew a hem. Finish by pressing with an iron. And just like that you have a shrug.

DIY Bright Coloured Fabric Bag

2015-03-12T12:00:00.000+02:00

Fabric Bag FREE sewing pattern and tutorial

This bag does heavy rotation in my life. I've got at least a dozen of them. They are large and roomy so I can pack them full. But they are light so you are not carrying the weight of the bag as well as the contents. And it's washable. What's not to like?

Fabric bag

I've made them in plain colours and funky Stella Jean type prints like this one. Don't you LOVE her designs? She is one of the most exciting designers in quite a while.

The pattern and sewing instructions are in this post - Slouchy Tote Bag FREE sewing pattern and tutorial. But I show the steps again in this post.

First you need to make a pattern. See below for the pattern dimensions. I use local community newspapers that are routinely dropped in our mail box whether we want them or not. But be aware that the ink can transfer to your cloth.

Bag pattern

You need: -
fabric
matching colour thread
pattern
sewing machine
scissors
pins

You do: -
First cut your two matching bag pieces from your fabric. It doesn't look like they will fit together at first but I promise they do.

Cut two matching pattern pieces

Sew halfway along sides starting at the same end as the notches.

Sew half way along from the same end as the notches

Now fold over so the seams lie on top of each other and notches are at each end and not on top of each other in the middle.

Fold over so seams lie on top of each other. Sew from notch to notch

Sew across bottom from one notch to the other.

This is the notch

Fold notch flat and sew across it.

Fold notch flat and sew. Zig-zag if fabric will unravel

You may have to over-lock or zig-zag the seams if your fabric is inclined to fray.

Sew two loose ends together

Now sew two loose ends together which form the top of the bag that fits over your shoulder.

Loose ends sewn together and edges folded over and ironed flat

Fold over and iron edges so they sit flat.

Hem around edges

Make a hem around the edges.

Fold top in half and sew ends together. Fold in half and repeat

Fold top in half and sew the ends together.

Fold in half again. What you are doing is gathering up the voluminous fabric to make it much narrower and create a shoulder strap.

You can see two more versions of this great bag - Grungy tie dye green and Jade green.

Visit the Greenie Galleries at the beginning of this page for lots more FREE sewing patterns and DIY fashion ideas.

See you next week.

Greenie.

DIY Tassel Key Charm

2015-03-05T12:00:00.000+02:00

How to make a key charm

Each time I set foot into the shops and find myself drawn to gorgeous stuff that I desperately want to have that very moment, I have to remind myself that - no I can't buy it. I must first try and DIY it.

Tassel key charm

Sure, there are plenty things I can't actually make. Well I probably could - but I'm not going to try. Boots, hats, watches, fine jewellery and a tailored jacket or pair of jeans spring to mind. But it's possible - and even dead easy - to make a LOT of stuff. The last few seasons have seen loose, light shapes which are super easy to make.

Making your own fashionable items is a big fat green choice. You know YOU made it and not a child in a sweat shop. And it's fun. And better still - you make your clothes and accessories exactly how you would like them. Longer or shorter. Tighter or looser. All in black or made in a vivid lime green. If you prefer florals to stripes or spots, then you make your clothing in florals.

I make a point of trying to re-use or up-cycle first. Check out the Greenie Galleries at the top of this page to see for example - Bracelets made from electric cable and left-over wire. Earrings from food packaging. Jackets from left-over tapestry fabric and even tops from old curtains.

Two great books that spell out the harsh truth of fast fashion are - Over Dressed by Elizabeth L Cline - and - To Die For by Lucy Siegle. Life changing reads.

On to this weeks DIY. I've been wanting to make a tassel key charm. As per usual, it's easy peasy.

You need: -
wire
pliers
beads
embroidery thread
business card
glue
2 x O Rings

You do: -
Bend a small loop at the end of your wire so your beads don't fall off. Size not an issue. You decide what looks best.

You need, beads, pliers, embroidery thread, business card, glue and O Rings

It's important to bend any kinks out your wire so your beads can slide on easily. Now add beads to wire. You're looking for something a bit more fun than ho hum beads. Swirly perspex or acetate look good. Tin or metal beads are also nice. Semi precious stones have all sorts of wonderful qualities so maybe think about using them?

Make a loop at end of wire and load beads

Now to make your tassel. Wind your embroidery thread around the narrow side of a business card. The more you wind the fatter your tassel with be. Open an O ring with your pliers and slip it through your tassel. Close it and pull it to the top of the card.

Wind thread around business card then add O Ring to make tassel

Slide thread off business card and immediately tie tightly around top end of thread. Knot well and add a spot of glue to make sure knot is secure.

Tie at top end of tassel tightly. Add a spot of glue to knot

Add tassel to one end of your charm. Add an O ring to the other end of your charm.

More next week. Until then, have a great green week.

Greenie.

Easy Kimono Jacket Tutorial + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-02-26T12:00:00.000+02:00

FREE kimono sewing pattern

My mother made a kimono jacket for me in December. Find that version and the FREE sewing pattern on this link - kimono sewing pattern. She gave me a few lovely pieces of fabric. I was keen to make another kimono jacket with the same pattern.

Kimono jacket

Two things I did different this time were -

take a bigger seam allowance which makes it less voluminous
make the sleeves shorter

I think I might prefer this to the other version. But that's the great thing about making your own clothes. You make them as YOU want them, not how the stores stock them. I can always take the other jacket in if I want it to fit a bit snugger like this one.

The steps to making this kimono are exactly the same. I took pics so you can see the process again.

Make pattern

First you need to make your pattern

Cut back

Cut the back.

Cut front

Cut the front. You can see I allowed extra fabric at the front opening for the diagonal piece (See left in above photo)

Sew top and sides together

Sew top and sides together.

Fold over fabric and make a narrow hem

Fold over and make a small hem all around the jacket and sleeves.

Fold over and sew again to conceal raw edges

Fold over again so raw edges are enclosed and make another small hem.

The hem at the neck may have to be narrower to prevent puckering

Your hem at the neckline might have to be narrower to prevent puckering.

And that's a fun new kimono in the bag!

See another version of this same pattern - on this link.
And yet another version - here.

For more FREE sewing patterns and heaps more ideas to DIY instead of buying visit the Greenie Galleries at the head of this page.

More from me right here next week.

Greenie.

FREE Mittens Knitting Pattern

2015-02-19T12:00:00.000+02:00

How to make mittens

Easy mittens

It's the middle of summer in South Africa. Hardly cold. Yesterday was 35'C and the day before was 31'C. My other half is in London where it's a whole 6'C. Night-time temperatures are around freezing point. Can't imagine that in this heat.

I made these mittens a while back and they are super easy. It's a square - folded in half. All my patterns are some kind of easy shape. It took just over an hour to make these.

I like that your fingers are still free with mittens. Can't bear trying to pick things up or touch things with gloves on. Just feels weird.

You need: -
wool
knitting needles
wool sewing needle

You do: -
I used size 0 needles and cast on 20 stitches. This is Stocking Stitch or Rib Stitch which gives these mittens a bit of stretch. (One purl, one plain, repeat.) You can use fatter or thinner needles. And chunkier or finer wool. Remember to adjust the amount of stitches and rows you knit. Fine needles and fine wool = a whole lot more knitting to do. I'm always in a hurry to make things fast so I opted for fat wool and fat needles.

Cast on stitches

Basically you need your mittens to fit around your hand and fingers - excluding your thumb. It's hard to tell how wide your knitting will be when you first cast on. You have to knit a good few rows and then check if it will be wide - or narrow - enough. I had to unravel and start again to get these right.

Knit rows.

My mittens were 14 centimetres wide but they stretched out to about 18 centimetres

Next you need to knit until the mittens are long enough to cover from below your wrist to just past your knuckles. Cast off when your mittens are long enough.

My mittens are 18 centimetres long

My mittens are 18 centimetres long.

Fold over and sew from each end leaving a hole for thumb

Fold your mittens over and sew with a wool sewing needle from each end until near the middle leaving a hole for your thumb to poke through.

And that's it, easy as that.

You can also Google fancy stitches and play around with this pattern. I have yet to try cables but Moss Stitch shouldn't be too difficult. And you can use up left overs and knit stripes!

These should go nicely with my square beanie. (Same size needles and wool.) Find the pattern for that here - FREE knitting pattern for a beanie.

Check out the Greenie Galleries at the top of this page for DIY ideas.

See you next week.

Greenie.

DIY projects for small homes

2015-02-11T16:01:00.000+02:00

Storage solutions for a small house

I really, really hoped our house would be back to normal by this week. But nope. We seem to have rubbish luck with contractors. My other half is finishing off the mess made by the last guy. We have a bloke who did tiling for us before helping him. I cannot wait for our house to be functional again.

In the meantime life goes on. Since our stuff is inaccessible or in boxes - and to keep my blog going - I thought I would show just how handy my other half is. He has made quite a few things for our new home.

Fold down table when up

First up is this fold down table. Our new home is infinitesimally smaller than the last. Which is what we wanted. But we simply don't have space for a decent sized work table and at times we need to be able to work on a proper table.

Fold down table when down and in use

Patrick dreamed up this table which folds away when not in use. It folds down to a nice sized space where I can cut patterns or we can pile papers for filing. It's also right opposite a window which is great for taking pics for our blogs.

Laundry dryer

The next thing is this laundry dryer which hoists up into the air below the skylight. There is simply nowhere to put a clothes drying rack without compromising our space. This uses air space and not floor space. We've seem them in the UK and the only way to have one in South Africa was to make one. We don't have ceilings in our new house which means it's a nice hot space where our clothes dry quickly.

Storage box or bench

Another innovative way to create storage AND seating is a storage box . We call it a kist in South Africa. I think kist a Germanic word for chest. The box is busy getting a fresh coat of paint while the other renovations are going on. It usually sits at the foot of our bed and is great for storing valuables or linen. It becomes a seat when I put shoes on.

Wall mounted coat hooks

As I have already said in this post, we don't have much floor space so a hat or coat stand is not an option. Patrick used wooden off-cuts and clear plastic door knobs to make these coat hooks. The trick is finding door knobs that aren't too big so the loop on the inside of a jacket can fit over them.

Model train track come coffee table

My other half is a huge model railway enthusiast but where do you put a layout in any home let alone a teeny tiny home? He devised a coffee table with a removable glass top. His valuable trains are in the house and he can now create a lovely model railway complete with trees and a station. That should keep him busy for a few years.

The coffee table makes a great conversation piece. Underneath is a shelf with removable storage baskets that I bought at our local equivalent of IKEA. Great place to keep DVD's, remotes, magazines, coasters and the usual stuff people have.

Spice rack

We can never find a spice rack that takes enough spices - or fits the space we have. Patrick made a custom fit spice rack that can take fat or skinny, tall or short containers. Again we are using wall space so our cupboards are free for food. And you can see all the spices at a glance. No more scratching in an overhead cupboard.

Chopping board rack

Since we don't have IKEA in South Africa and we cannot buy another of their pot lid organisers for our chopping boards, Patrick made a wooden non-expanding version. He used wood off-cuts and wooden dowels. The boards take up less space on their sides than if they lie flat.

Custom wine rack

Last but not least is our custom fit wine rack. We happen to have four holes above each other in the wall in our living area. And nowhere to fit a wine rack. My other half used bits of wood to fashion a rack that allows us to rest wine bottles in two of the spaces.

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Since this particular blog post is about how we are creating storage and space in our home, I thought I would add these few extras although they are not my husband's handiwork.

Window seat

We used to have two free standing Parker Knoll chairs in this space before. They took up a lot of floor space. We got a carpenter to build us a window seat with storage underneath. Now we can fit up to five people on our window seat. You don't have to have a window to make a seat like this. You could run one along a wall. I made the cushions - find the instructions for them here.

Bathroom storage

Our bathroom was another area we needed to fit stuff. The same carpenter made us two chunky floating shelves and squeezed a vertical skinny set of shelves to match between the bath and toilet. Now we have space for our towels and toiletries.

Metal coat hooks fit over a regular door

And these last three storage ideas are probably quite common. I just never considered them. The first here is a gadget that hooks over your bedroom or bathroom door and allows you to hang an umbrella, extra towels or a coat. The door still opens. As you can see from the pic I have two of these next to each other.

Magnetic knife storage

I've often seen magnetic knife holders that fit on the wall but never thought about using them in our home. A person uses a knife so often in the kitchen and it's great they are in easy reach. As you can see we stick more than just our knives on them.

Kitchen hooks

The same company that makes the coat hooks above also make these hooks which attach to the wall. We use ours in the kitchen for tea towels, sieves, a tea infuser and a drawstring peg bag.

At the top of this page are the Greenie Galleries with loads of crafting and sewing ideas as well as FREE sewing patterns.

Hopefully I can do a fashion blog post next week.
Until then, have a great week.

Greenie.

Wide Top + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-02-05T15:00:00.002+02:00

How to make a wide top

I have been wanting to make a wide top for a while now. I've made similar deconstructed tops and

Wide top

kimono tops. See them here: -

But this one is seriously WIDE. The sleeves sit near to my elbows. It happened by mistake. I was trying to make a kimono shrug jacket and realised my piece of fabric was too small. It was never going to work. So I changed tack, added a few pieces of black fabric and come up with this!

You can make your top narrower. You could also use even more different pieces of fabric and use up off-cuts. And you could alter the neckline and make a rounded or even a square neck. This pattern is only a guide.

Please forgive the weird stuff in the background of the photos. Our house is packed up and we have stuff all over. There are also rays of light on the table in the pics. And that's not all, my model is packed away so I used a pole against a wall for this top. Stuff happens!

Pattern

Here's the how-to.

You need: -
fabric as per the pattern pieces
matching colour thread
sewing machine
pins, scissors and other sewing items

You do: -

Cut pattern pieces

Cut your fabric pieces and if your fabric will fray, zig zag the edges.

Sew front pieces together

Now pin and sew the two front pieces - or other pieces if you choose - together.

Pin and sew the shoulders together leaving open enough space for your head to fit through.

Pin and sew sleeves

Pin and sew the sleeves to the sides making sure the sleeves are sit exactly in the middle.

Sew all around underarm and sides

Sew all around the underarms and sides.
Remember to iron seams flat as you sew. I explain why in my sewing tips - click here to find them.

Pin and hem neck

Pin and hem the neck and sleeves.

Pin and sew sleeves and bottom of wide top

Pin and sew a hem around the bottom.
And Voila! You're done.

Check out the Galleries at the top of this page for more FREE sewing patterns and DIY ideas.

See you right here next week.

Greenie.

DIY Bracelet Ideas on Greenie Dresses for Less

2015-01-29T12:00:00.000+02:00

Round Up of Bracelet Tutorials

Click on the link below the picture to go to blog post

Rolled Wire Bracelet	Rolled Fabric Bracelet
Large O-Ring Bracelets	Beaded Wire Bracelet	Ribbon Bracelet
Fabric and Hex Nut Bracelets	Pearl and Hardware Stretch bracelets	Fabric Bracelets
Cord and Flower Button Bracelet	Safety Pin Bracelet	DIY Scandinavian Bead Bracelet
Fabric Covered Bangle	Cord and Charm Wrap Bracelet	Friendship Bracelet Tutorial
DIY Charm Bangle	Rope Multi-strand Bracelet	Wraparound Bead Bracelet
Semi Precious Stone Bracelets	Rope Bracelets	Knotted Bead Bracelet
Rolled Plastic Wire Bracelets	DIY Charm or Mantra Bracelet	Moonstine Cuff

Fabric Strip Bracelets

2015-01-22T09:00:00.000+02:00

Using fabric scraps to make jewellery

Fabric strip bracelet

I've said before that I'm not particularly creative. I see things. I like them. I try to make them. Mainly because to DIY is better than to buy, buy, buy. This bracelet is excellent for using up even the smallest fabric left overs.

The original bracelet that I saw had a button instead of a knot. My mother came up with the idea of a knot while she was staying with us

You need a long narrow strip of fabric

recently and helping me with a few projects. A knot works perfectly. Thanks Mom.

My finished bracelet is about 1.5 centimetres wide but by using a narrower strip of fabric you can make yours smaller. Might even look nicer? And maybe tie or sew a pretty button instead of making a knot? Here's how to make these bracelets.

You need: -
fabric off-cuts 55 x 7 centimetres
matching thread
sewing machine
iron and ironing board

You do: -
Cut your fabric strips.

Fold fabric and iron flat

Fold them in half length ways and iron flat. Fold the edges in like bias binding and iron again. And fold in edges yet again and iron flat again.

Fold the edges in yet again and iron flat

Now sew your long thin strip so it holds together.

Sew so that it holds together

Fold your long band in half and pin the sides together making sure to leave a loop at the end for your knot to slide through.

Pin together leaving a loop at the end

Set your sewing machine to zig-zag and sew the two pieces together. Sew away the ends.

Zig zag together

Tie a big fat knot at the end. If your fabric is fine you may have to tie the fabric around twice to get a big enough knot.

Make a knot at the opposite end

And just like that - you have a new fun bracelet - which cost almost nothing.

Wear lot of these bracelets stacked together

I made some bracelets from plain narrow strips of fabric in an older post. See them - here.

And you can see other things I have made in the Greenie Galleries which are at the top of this page.

More next week,

Greenie.

DIY Black Tank with Vertical Beads

2015-01-15T12:00:00.000+02:00

How to sew a tank top

Dressy tank top

This top came about as I was wanting to experiment with a dressier version of the tank tops that I have made in the past.

To see how to make those tank tops and get the patterns/tutorials click on these links -

I used a one way stretch jersey knit to make this. The stretch went horizontally or sideways on this top so I could slip it over my head easy - but it wouldn't hang or gape downwards. Truth is, this top needed a BIT more stretch than this fabric allowed. It's a snug fit.

Cut top from fabric

So to make a similar top, you need to cut a pattern and sew your top. The first tutorial above is for stretchy fabric and the last tutorial above is for non-stretch fabric. I think this top would look fabulous is a metallic material.

Cut neck or sleeves if too small

I didn't hem this top anywhere. I sewed the shoulder and side seams. End of story. I had to go back and cut my neckline a bit more as it was sitting too high. It's always better to cut your neckline too high and be able to trim it afterwards that cut too much too soon.

You do need to cut carefully so you don't get ragged edges. I had to go back and trim off a few raggedy bits.

Neaten raggedy bits

I also cut the corners off my seams so the edges didn't show.

Snip corners off seams

Next you need to mark where to sew your beads or sequins or whatever you use to embellish this top. I folded the front of my top in half and used a piece of dry soap and a ruler to mark a line down the centre front. A Gothic cross would look cool. A heart shape would also look lovely. If you are super creative you could take various colour beads and make an owl or a flower.

Mark where to sew decorations with old dry soap

Next you sew your decorations to your top. I used up what I happened to have - large green flat decoration things. Don't know what they are called. (See how I made stud earrings from them - here) And silver coloured coins. (I made a necklace from them - see that here.)

And just like that you have a new party top.

If you are tempted to be resourceful and inclined to recycle then why not visit the Greenie Galleries at the top of this page. You will find all sorts of ways to make your own and re-cycle or up cycle anything from food packaging to old curtains-

All the best for 2015. See you right here next week.

Greenie.

DIY Single Long Earring

2015-01-10T09:31:00.003+02:00

Long single earring

How to make a long single earring

This blog post is a few days late. Sincerest apologies. Things have been a bit busy.

I originally wanted to show a fabric wrap bracelet that I saw a good few weeks back but trying to recreate it has not been as easy as I thought. Hopefully I will have it figured out in the next few weeks.

While I was catching up on some of the fashion newsletters

You need chain, earring hook and O-Ring

I saw the statement item of the season a few times - a long single earring. Love. Love. Love.

And so easy to make.

Cut chain 10 to 12 centimetres long

Fortunately I always have a big fat stash of DIY equipment and so had an earring hook, chain and a large O-Ring. I used these O-Rings to make - finger tip rings - in an older post.

Here's how you make this statement earring.

You need: -
chain
pliers
O-Ring
earring hook - any type will do

You do: -
Cut your piece of chain to the length that works for you. My chain is 12 centimetres long but that might be a bit too long for you.

The only slight problem with such a long chain is that it may hook and catch on collars or scarves.

Attach your earring hook at one end.

Add earring hook and O-Ring at each end

Attach the large O-Ring at the other end.

Voila! One new - bang on trend - earring.

Scroll up to the top of this page to find older DIYs and ideas in the Greenie Galleries.

More next week.

Greenie.

Kimono Jacket + FREE Sewing Pattern

2015-01-01T15:47:00.000+02:00

How to sew a Kimono

Summer Kimono jacket

I'm in love with these gorgeous Kimono jackets. They are light and cool, but provide cover from the sun. Most of them have almost no sleeves or at best a half sleeve. Right now in Cape Town we have clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid thirties. It's hot.

Pattern

I wanted a kimono that would cover my arms but also be loose and cool. My folks are staying with us for the holidays and my mother brought this lovely lightweight paisley print cotton for me.

We measured up the pattern from a kimono I bought while in Europe earlier this year. This is a basic

Making pattern using mixing bowl for curve under arm

pattern. Please make this jacket as YOU would
want it. If you prefer shorter sleeves or even no sleeves - shorten this pattern at the arm. If you want your kimono higher on your hip - don't make it as long. If you're not keen on the overlap at the front of this jacket - then don't

The back is to the left and front pieces to the right

add it and cut your jacket straight.

You can even fold a cuff at the end of your sleeve if you wish. Or add a contrasting cuff with another fabric. I added a flat collar when I made - this kimono jacket. How about adding braid at the neck and sleeves to give it even more of a bohemian feel.

I am a dress size 10 and this jacket is probably too big for me. But that's how I wanted it. It should fit most people. If it comes out too big for you, can always add a seam at the centre back to take it in. This pattern includes a 1.5

Sew sides and shoulders together

centimetre seam allowance.

First you need to make your pattern. I used newspaper as that's all I had that is big enough. The ink can transfer to your fabric if you're not careful and plain paper is best. My mother and I used a large mixing bowl to create the curve under the arm. (See photos) Then we cut the back piece of the fold. And a left and a right piece with the extra overlap added on the pattern.

Cutting excess fabric from seams

My mother sewed this for me. (Lucky me.) She sewed the side and underarm areas together. Then she sewed the top or shoulders together.

Sewing a flat hem all around the edges

Next I fitted the jacket. Here is the part where you get a perfect fit. If it's too big anywhere take a bigger or wider seam. If it's too tight, let out a seam.

Snipping at neck to allow fabric to lie flat

My mom likes to cut away the fabric away from her seams for a better fit. I don't do that. She also didn't over-lock or edge-stitch the raw edges as cotton is highly unlikely to fray or unravel. I only bother with zig-sagging edges if I know they will fray.

Fold over and make a second hem all around the edges

Then my mother folded over all around the edges of the jacket and made a flat hem. So think ends of sleeves, lower edge and fronts.

I pressed the jacket with an iron and my mom folded the flat seam over a second time and hemmed all around the edges a second time. That conceals any raw edges. My mother likes to snip any curved areas so they fold over nicely. So that would be the neck area on this jacket.

Fold a second time and hem

The jacket needed one last ironing and that was it! I styled it with the shiny big black bead necklace I made last week and a black Tigers Eye necklace my mother gave me.

See another version of this same jacket on this link - kimono tutorial.

And yer another version - here.

At the top of this page are the Greenie Galleries with hundreds of older blog posts. You will find more free patterns and inspiration to hopefully help you DIY and not buy.

I will be back with more next week.

Greenie.

Greenie Dresses for Less

Electric Cable and Amazonite Choker

DIY choker necklace

Spiral Sundress Sewing Pattern

Anthony Kwok spiral sundress

Easy Pouch Tutorial

Leopard Rain Poncho + FREE Sewing Pattern

DIY Rainproof poncho + tutorial

DIY Running Armband

Arm pocket tutorial

Easy Shift Dress + FREE Sewing Pattern

FREE shift dress sewing pattern + tutorial

Rope and Toggle Bracelet

Up-cycled rope bracelet

Easy Summer Dress + FREE Sewing Pattern

Summer dress tutorial

Sixty Second Scarf Bag

Make a bag in a minute

Summer Longsleeve Kimono Jacket + FREE Sewing Pattern

FREE Kimono sewing pattern

Easy Scarf

How to make a statement scarf

Restyle a Shopper Bag

Kale shopper bag

Scandinavian Heart Decoration Tutorial

Easy Shrug + FREE Sewing Pattern

How to sew a shrug

DIY Bright Coloured Fabric Bag

Fabric Bag FREE sewing pattern and tutorial

DIY Tassel Key Charm

How to make a key charm

Easy Kimono Jacket Tutorial + FREE Sewing Pattern

FREE kimo﻿no sewing pattern

FREE Mittens Knitting Pattern

How to make mittens

DIY projects for small homes

Storage solutions for a small house

Wide Top + FREE Sewing Pattern

How to make a wide top

DIY Bracelet Ideas on Greenie Dresses for Less

Round Up of Bracelet Tutorials

Click on the link below the picture to go to blog post

Fabric Strip Bracelets

Using fabric scraps to make jewellery

DIY Black Tank with Vertical Beads

How to sew a tank top Dressy tank top

DIY Single Long Earring

How to make a long single earring

Kimono Jacket + FREE Sewing Pattern

How to sew a Kimono Summer Kimono jacket

FREE kimono sewing pattern

How to sew a tank top

Dressy tank top

How to sew a Kimono

Summer Kimono jacket