WRAP CROP TOP DIY

Jeremy and I have finally returned from our four-month stint in Europe.  While I’ll miss the travelling, excellent food and magical sunsets, it’s always good to come home to San Diego—and all my crafting supplies.  Contrary to most peoples’ European adventures, I usually return with an empty suitcase.  I get so tired of lugging a heavy suitcase around that I donate most of my clothes to charity along the way.  So, left with only a few items of summer clothing, I decided to start sewing my own clothes.  

This wrap crop top is perfect for summer.  The crop top can be worn 3 different ways: knotted in front; tied in a front bow; (or my personal favorite) wrapped around the body and tied at the back.  It’s the first garment I’ve ever made from scratch and without a pattern.  I harvested fabric from a second-hand men’s shirt, sized large (I love a good recycle project!).  This wrap crop top pattern will fit a U.S. size 2-4.

Materials:

My free wrap crop top pattern (includes sewing allowance, print at 100%)

Men’s large shirt / 1 yard of fabric

Matching thread

Pins

Scissors

Sewing machine

Method:

1] Print and cut out templates.

2] Cut out your fabric pieces, as well as 3 long bias strips.

3] With right sides facing sew the shoulder seams at ½ “

4]  Fold the front bottom edge ¼ “ and iron flat. Repeat and sew edge. Sew the back bottom edge the same way.

5] Fold the front angled edge ½“ and iron flat.

6]  With right sides together, sew the side panels at ½“.  Leave the side seam open.

7] Turn the side panels right side out. Fold the top seam of your side panel about an inch towards the center, creating 2 ridges. Do this for approximately 9”, tapering the fold as you go.  Iron flat.

8] Fold one ridge of the side panel down and iron. Do this on opposing sides to create the left and right panel. The flap that is ironed down will be sewn on the inside of the top. I hope my images help to explain this step.

9]  Pin the side seams of the side panel and the back of top together. Sew.

10] Pin the turned down edge of the side panel to the front of the top. Sew to ½” from bottom edge.  Make sure not to sew through the front of the side panel. 

11] Finish the neckline and armholes with bias tape and any raw edges with a zigzag stitch.

This is a really fun little crop top, which I definitely be wearing all summer long.  I’ll be making a few more garments for summer and fall, so stay tuned.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe or follow on Bloglovin to get free patterns and tutorials in your inbox.  You can also share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by, Nicole. 

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CAGE DRESS DIY

Spring has reached Switzerland.  The trees are bearing leaves once again, the birds are nesting and there are tulips everywhere.  It really is a beautiful time to be in Basel and I’m savoring every moment.  It’s finally time to unpack my summer clothes.

I brought along a little black dress that had been hanging in my closet for many years.  It’s one of those handy dresses that you can cram into the smallest corner of your suitcase and doesn’t require ironing (I love those!).  After unpacking the dress, I decided that it could use some spicing up.  A little DIY was in order.  With just a bit of ribbon and thread I converted it to a “cage dress”.  Now it’s ready for a night out.

Clockwise from top left: Boutique Seven, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Rebecca Taylor, Nasty Gal.

Supplies

Little black dress

Black ribbon (width matching the straps of dress)

Scissors

Safety pins

Needle

Black thread

Matches

Dress form (optional)

Method

1) The first step in converting your little black dress into a cage dress is to cut a piece of ribbon large enough to wrap around your head.

2) Burn the ends of the ribbon (to prevent it from fraying) and sew together.

3) Pin the neckpiece in place.  Here it would help to have a dress form.  Unfortunately, I had to try the dress on and pin the ribbon in place.

4) Add a few cross pieces of ribbon, pinning and burning the ends as you go along.

5) Try the dress on to make sure the ribbons are correctly positioned.

6) Once you are happy, sew ribbons in place and remove safety pins.

Voila! Your cage dress is done.

Well the back of the dress could use some tweaking, but it will do for now.

Do you have a little black dress in your closet that you’re bored of?  Why not try and convert it into a cage dress?  If you do, send me some photos of your finished work.  I’d love to see the result.  Till next time… Nicole.

FAUX LEATHER SWEATER DIY

Grüetzi!  I’m excited to be blogging from Switzerland.  The husband and I will be based here for the next three months while he is a visiting fellow at the University of Basel.  I finally have a chance to practice my non-existent German on the unsuspecting masses.

Before I left home I reinvented a few items of clothing and some decorative pieces, which I’ll share in the coming months. I’ll also post a few travel photos and tips, so check back often for some European inspiration.

First up, I converted my husband’s old sweater into a fitted faux leather top.  I loved wearing his oversized sweater on wintery days at home.  But it turns out that the moths in my closet loved it too.  When the sweater became too embarrassing to wear, I decided to reinvent it by keeping the wool sleeves and adding a faux leather body.  Now I have a new piece to wear around Europe, which, judging by all the faux leather jackets in Switzerland, is bang on trend.

Supplies:

Old wool sweater

1 yard of costume pleather (should have some stretch if you want a more fitted top)

Black thread

Scissors

Chalk

Method:

1) Carefully remove sleeves from body.

2) Use the old sweater bodice as a template to cut a faux leather back and front.  If you prefer a more fitted top, cut faux leather to preferred size, using the armholes of the original sweater as a template.  Just remember to add a ½ inch seam allowance.

3) With right sides facing, sew front and back of bodice together.

4) Insert the sleeves and attach to bodice.

Why not reimagine an old piece of clothing from your closet? If you’re stuck, send me a photo and I’ll try my best to help. Nicole