Posts Tagged "DIY"

Agnes Headband

Posted on May 31, 2012 in Do You DIY?, Musank's Projects, Photoshoot Projects | 2 comments

There are times when you’re left with a lot of leftover holiday decorations that you just ended up staring at for the longest time during spring cleaning (or summer cleaning, or fall cleaning, or winter cleaning — it’s up to you). For me, it was a sparkly silver branches decoration leftover from last Christmas.

So one day, I thought about making a headband from the branch’s sparkly silver leaves; a little bit Grecian and girly, but a bit more grown up. I named it Agnes Headband.

Convertible Fabric Clutch

Posted on Feb 24, 2012 in Do You DIY?, Musank's Projects | 2 comments

Clutches are all the rage nowadays, and it’s hard to see fashionable gals without a clutch or two in her possession. The thing is, it’s actually pretty easy and fun to make one yourself!

Quite a while back, I made this convertible fabric clutch using instructions found on page 63 of Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader’s Hip Handbags book. This book is full of highly customizable projects, and the instructions are quite clear and concise. Even though the customization examples highlighted in the book tend to go towards the older crowd (the term “hip” here might result in snickers for Generation Y and below), but the basics definitely open so many doors for the creative minds.

Versatile Sleeveless Blazer

Posted on Oct 17, 2011 in Do You DIY?, Musank's Projects | 0 comments

Let me just quickly share how versatile a piece of sleeveless blazer can be. I certainly did not expect it, but now I have three long sleeveless blazers that work in heavy-duty rotation every so often since late August.

Of course, this item’s hike to popularity has been in public’s eye since late spring / early summer this year, but I personally tend to skip the wear-it-as-a-dress route and personalize it more towards late summer / early fall, this awkward in-between season we currently live in :)

I wear variations of all three looks since late August.

DIY for Spring 2011

Posted on Apr 6, 2011 in Muses | 0 comments

It’s truly nice to see beautiful DIY sites while surfing around the internet.

Wonderful blogs offering creative, fun, and addicting projects are always welcomed in my book. Thank you Elle Apparel and Say Yes! to hoboken !

What I love most about Elle Apparel is that her skirts DIY tutorials are very thorough and detailed, the pictures are helpful, and most importantly, they make me want to go back to my sewing machine ASAP and create more things. I don’t consider myself to be good at sewing and sometimes the results of my DIY projects don’t come up to par, but blogs like hers really repels me from my self-misery and I just want to try again and harder. So thank you very much, Leanne. I hope one day I can be as good at sewing as you.

On the other hand, Liz Stanley’s hoboken offers a great array of DIY projects, and there is sure to be something for fashionistas and DIY enthusiasts on her blog. The pictures are equally as stunning as her blog entries, and I can’t wait to dig into her blog more and find more inspirations for future projects!

So thank you ladies,
Musank

DIY – Transitional Piece 3: One-LongSleeve Shirt from Tomoko Nakamichi’s Pattern Magic Vol. 3

Posted on Jan 28, 2011 in Musank's Projects, Tomoko Nakamichi - Pattern Magic Series | 0 comments

When I first saw this reconstructed long-sleeve shirt project on Tomoko Nakamichi Pattern Magic Vol. 3, I thought I can bring new life to that ill-fitting grey long-sleeve shirt that I almost gave away to Goodwill. So I dug it out from my charity pile and a week later, this casual piece is born.

Out of all three pieces, this took me the longest since the fitting is rather…..interesting. Basically, you cut out the right arm of the long sleeve shirt and make it the place you slip your head in (yes, that’s right). From there, mark the place in the right seam where you need to make a hole for your right arm and make that right arm hole. Adjust the rest of the side seams and this shirt is born. Easy? Not for me.

For starters, it took me several fittings to mark the place to make the new right arm hole. Then I have to adjust the hole on the left shoulder (it was originally the place you slip your head in), decided that the left arm needs zipper to make it stand out more, and then I have to fix the neck line since the one outlined in the book doesn’t sit well with the fabric.

Of course, this finished garment is far from perfect. But I really enjoy making it and I’ll have fun wearing it as well :) I’ll wear it with sheer sleeveless black top underneath it or solid-colored tank top. Skinny jeans work best, I think, with high heels. A fedora hat or beanies can complete the look, as well as one arm warmer for the right arm. I can’t wait.

Have you ever reconstructed your shirt?
Musank