Every Beat Of My Heart

Firstly you need to make a stencil to use when cutting out your fabric. 

You also need a selection of beads and trims. 

I use pinking sheers to cut around my heart shape. 

Then I sew around the edge with a piece of trim down the middle,

leaving a whole to fill with wadding before sewing all the way around.

I then add a few beads onto the trim before repeating the process.

I think one, three or five hearts work well as a hanging decoration. I have had this fabric for a few years now and have always been a bit precious about using it as I don't have a lot, but I think it works really well for this decoration. 

I've added a bell or feathers as a finishing touch to the hanging hearts. 

I think the single ones would be good hanging from a door handle, draw or even on a car inside mirror. 

I like the colour palette of this design, it has a girly vintage touch. 

I will be making more of these as I'm moving into a new house with five other girls at the end of summer. I will also be making them for anyone that's interested in purchasing one with their own choice of colour and fabrics. 

Appliqué

Appliqué is a needlework decoration that applies materials to another surface. 

I have used this technique before on previous cushions which you can see in past posts. 

This time I have used it to apply paw prints to a cushion cover for my French Bulldog Neville! 

Cut around the cushion you are going to cover, making one longer to create a flap. 

For the appliqué make a stencil of your choice then trace it onto fabric with tailors chalk, and cut around it.

Place the pieces you have cut out onto the cushion cover fabric using pins to hold them down. 

I always do a sample piece to check my stitch, in this case because it's for a dog bed I want lots of stitching to make sure the pieces will not come off with wear and tear. 

    

Keep the pins in whilst sewing to prevent the fabric from moving. The key is not to pivot your needle, sew slowly moving the fabric gradually. 

Once your appliqué is complete, putt the right sides of your cushion cover together, turn the flap wrong side to wrong side. Pin, and then sew pivoting at the corners. Trim your corners to get a perfect point. 

Put your cushion into the cover and tuck your flap in to in close the cushion. 

I used the flap technique instead of buttons or a zip because its for a small puppy. 

I now have one very happy Neville. 

You can use this technique with any pattern or design, if you don't have a sewing machine it can also look pretty with a neat hand stitch especially a blanket stitch. 

Dior Exhibition

The Dior window display at Harrods

Earlier this year I went on a city trip to London with my university. We had the choice to look around any exhibitions and museums we would be inspired by for the start of a new project. I didn't go with the intention of looking at the Dior exhibition because I've never been one to look at Dior on the catwalk in Vogue or Style.com. However I'm so pleased I went. I love visual merchandising and love looking at window displays, (I save ones I'm inspired by on my pinterest.)
The window displays in Harrods are so imaginative they definitely draw you into the store.
The exhibition itself was very magical with lots of sparkle.
My favourite part was the toiles on the mannequins with the sketches above them. It was nice as a design student to see the working process as well as final outcomes.

Hopefully I will be going to more exhibitions this year, so follow my blog to see more of my posts on fashion, sewing and inspiration.

Dapper Dog

I recently got a French Bulldog puppy called Neville, I've wanted one of these dogs for a long time now and finally persuaded my dad! I want my pampered pooch to be trendy so today I made him cute patterned bow tie out of some fabric I was given from a family member. I used poppers as the fastening so I can adjust it as he gets bigger. 

I'm thinking of making some more accessories or bow ties in different fabrics, so look out for future posts with Neville! If you're interested in one of these doggy accessories they're really easy to make, or give me a message if you would like one made :)

As you can see he loves posing for the camera! 

Metallic Co-ord

Texture                  Before

After 

I'm loving the Co-ords in Topshop at the moment so I decided to create my own using an old dress I no longer wear. The original textured dress was from River Island and I've hardly worn it, so it definitely needed a new lease of life! 

Firstly I cut it where I wanted the crop to finish and the skirt to sit, plus seam allowances. I then cut the sleeves off and finished the arm hole with a lock stitch. The crop top also needed taking in at the side seams. 

Finally I stitched elastic into the waist, making sure the material covered the band. 

I'm pleased with my new co-ord as it can be worn in a numerous of ways, dressed down, dressed up and even worn as separates with other garments. 

I hope my D.I.Y's are inspiring you to revamp your own wardrobes at low costs! 

The Tube Skirt

 

I've recently been trying to brighten up my wardrobe for my holiday and summer (if we get any sun!).

I'm really into the cobalt blue and lime colours for this season. I've seen the blue double layer tube skirt in Topshop for a while now and I think it's over priced for what it is, especially when I can make it myself  for under £5!

The viscose jersey fabric was purchased from Shepard's Bush in London for my colour project at uni, luckily I  had some spare. I cut round the skirt block, eliminating all darts. I then sewed the two side seams on a sewing machine, finishing them with a zig-zag stitch (unfortunately I don't have an over locker). Next I sewed the elastic, pulling it as I stitched then making sure it was folded between the fabric. Finally I finished the hem with a zig-zag stitch and lock stitch. 

I'm really pleased with this bargain and think I will be getting a lot of wear out of it! 

Necklace - Topshop 

Heart Shirt - Topshop

Trousers - Topshop

Dress - Topshop

Pattern Cami - Zara

Lime Cami - Topshop

Skirt - My own design

  

Sun Dress Fix

                    I've had this dress for a while now and every summer I find myself getting a lot of use out of it. I love the colour and the fit, it's easy to wear on holiday dressed up or just put over your bikini as a cover up. 

I'm going to Egypt this summer and was really disappointed when I saw the elastic was coming un-threaded at the waist.

To fix this I brought some shirring elastic, this has to be wound to the bobbin tightly. Then I threaded a pink thread to my sewing machine. 

When sewing, make sure the dress is the right way into the machine so the shirring elastic is on the inside of the dress. 

Dress - Topshop

Shirring elastic - Craft Department