DIY Project: Polka dot sweatshirt

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Here we go with another DIY! This isn't actually what I planned to do with a sweatshirt, but I wanted to do something with polka dot, and I decided to go for it this week. However there are a few more projects with sweatshirts on my "DIY Ideas Excel sheet", where I note all the ideas that come up to my mind. They're now on standby, but I'll probably make them before the summer.

The reason why I love sweatshirts is because they're much easier to customize than a knitted sweater and they're also great for the period between seasons. I know the technique is not going to surprise you guys, because it's the same I used for my cupcake sweatshirt last year (tutorial here, and more pictures here). First I thought of making the dots with leather, but I couldn't bear with the thought of cutting a large amount of circles and making them perfectly rounded.

I think that sequins provide a cool sport-deluxe effect that I love. It's like some kind of contrast between formal and informal. If you are wondering if the sequins fall off, you should know that  I did my cupcake sweatshirt last year and it's still perfect. Although I always wash it with care (backwards and hand wash). Here's the video!!

The song from the video is by Michelle Rene, a subscriber of my Youtube channel who wrote me to let me know her music. She lives in Nashville and she's trying to make her music known. Isn't her voice awesome? I love the way she sings, and she also writes her own songs. She's really talented and so beatiful! You guys can listen to her music on Soundcloud, on her Youtube channel, and also on iTunes.

Hope you guys liked this. If you just want to make a subtle DIY you can just apply these polka dots just on the sleeves. That would also look son nice and will be faster to make.

xxx

Sylvia

DIY Project: braided skirt

Pictures by Borja Skarsgård

Leather jacket: Massimo Dutti, Boots and top: Zara, Skirt: DIY (basic skirt for the DIY from H&M) 

y Butterfly clutch bag: DIY

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So here's my endless DIY I told you about this week. I think it's going to be a great example of my own personal learning method, which is based on trying, making mistakes and trying again. You guys can't imagine the amount of times that I regretted starting such a huge DIY... Fortunately, I didn't give in. I managed to finish my skirt and I also learned a few things that I'm going to share with you guys.

I started hand-sewing the braids, in order to make invisible stitches. But I got exhausted and decided to give a try with textile glue. It didn't work well and I ended up sewing the braids with the sewing machine and a zig zag stitch. If I had started doing this, I would have saved the 75% of my time. But here I am to experiment and share my experiences.

If there's an easy way to make things, I usually go for the long path. This is how I am. Now that my DIY struggle is over (and I know the best method to achieve this result) I definitely would do another braided skirt in brighter colors. However, I'll wait for a while, just to forget all the hours I invested here. Hope you guys enjoy the video. It doesn't have english subtitles because it takes a lot of time to do so on youtube. If someone knows how to do it easily please tell me! Anyway, if there's anything you don't understand just ask ;)

First mistake: Ignoring which materials would make your work easier

When I had all my braids done I discovered this cotton straps that come in balls. They're used for knitting, instead of regular wool. I totally ignored the existence of this, but it would have make my work much shorted and easier.

Second mistake: hand-sewing
It's ok to be a willful woman, but we better save our efforts using the sewing machine. Textile glue didn't work so well..

So... What's the method?
When I finished hand sewing the braids on the front I was totaly exhausted. So I decided to try with the sewing machine. I wish I had done that before! Probably, if I had bought the straps already done, and if I had started by using the sewing machine, it wouldn't have taken so long. But here we are to make mistakes and trying again!

xxx

Sylvia

IGers who Dare to DIY: 27 ideas to have fun

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These Easter days are being so chilly here in Spain. That's why today I came up with a new compilation of instagramic DIY ideas. They're perfect to stay at home and have a lot of fun, I was starting to yearn for my "Igers who Dare to DIY"...

This week's DIY took much longer than I expected, you'll understand it when you see it. I thought it was going to be easy and fast, but it turned out to be one of the most toilsome projects I've ever done. The video and the post will be ready this week, so stay tuned! Meanwhile, here you have 27 ideas to have fun.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Receta de polos de Nutella aquí
Sincerely Kinsey

DIY Tutorial: How to make a tote bag

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Another week, another DIY tutorial. As I told you it's a tote bag! And it's actually a variation of the bag that changes its color. To add a special touch to this tote bag, I put a transparent pocket in the front that lets you put photos, magazines or whatever you want. Just like this transparent clutch bag.

Top from Zara, leather skirt from Asos & DIY shoes

Pictures by Borja Skarsgård

I've always been told that it takes the same effort to make things well, than to make them poorly. I'm not really sure about that, but I know for certain that making things poorly only leads you to waste your time. Because you'll probably have to do the same thing twice. This is why today I'm going to show you guys how to make a real bag, as professional as possible. However, you'll see that it's not so hard to make. This make is made of just two pieces, it has no base or sides. In fact, it's much easier than the envelope clutch I showed you guys last year.

In the beginning I thought of making some sort of window in the front piece, to change the design from the inside. But that would have been too complicated, and it made no sense... In the end I decided to put a clear plastic sheet between the front and the back to create a pocket just with one stitch.

SUPPLIES

_ Leather or fabric for the outside of the bag

_ Fabric for the lining

_ Transparent plastic

_ Thick fusing

_ Pins and double sided tape

_ Cardboard (to make the patterns)

_ Tailor chalk

_ Sewing machine and iron

Optionally you guys can make some seams on the edges, on the sides of the straps and on the two sides of the main seams. I didn't do it because I don't really trust my sewing machine. It's not a professional machine and it sometimes makes awful stitches on thick fabrics. I didn't want to take that risk.

Hope you guys like the video too. It's in spanish again, sorry about that, but 80% of my readers on my main blog (daretodiy.com) are spanish speakers. Anyway, everything is explained on the illustrated tutorial above. Hope you guys enjoy it anyway! 

If you have any question just ask ;)
xxx

Sylvia

Tote bags: from the hipster to the shopper

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Of course tote bags are not the latest fashion, but they've earned some kind of status, the same way t-shirts did decades ago. Despite their plain shape, every well-known designer has made his own interpretation of what a tote bag is. However, tote bags are really close to basic cotton bags, like the ones we use for grocery shopping. In fact, these cotton printed bags (so hipster, aren't they?) are not so far away from designer shopping bags, even if they're made of some sort of  exotic leather. Materials are not the same, but they have the same spirit.

This kind of bags are a perfect sewing exercise for beginners. Probably it would be great as a second sewing project after a basic skirt, like the one I showed you guys here. This week I'm going to show you guys how to make a real tote bag, with facing, lining etc. Something we can be proud of. And it won't be so hard, I promise! It will be much easier than the envelope clutch I showed you last year.

Pick your DIY: the 7 DIYs you chose

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So we're ending this week with a huge DIY binge! These are the 7 DIYs you guys picked on Pinterest for our Pick Your DIY Challenge. Thank you so much to all of you who voted and those who submitted your DIY suggestions. Here are our projects:

Chanel Butterfly bag by Carly from Chic Steals (Portland, EEUU). Don't miss her tutorial. Really awesome!!

Alessia from A Matter Of Style (Italia) made these amazing shoes by L.K. Bennett. Click here to see the tutorial.

By Charley from Chic. Tutorial here.

Cross back shirt by La vie en Rose. Tutorial here

Donatella from Inspiration & Realisation dared to recreate Dolce & Gabbana's Spring collection. And she did a great job, don't you think? Tutorial here.

Cat from Cut Out & Keep (Edimburg UK) made this supercute bow clutch. Tutorial here.

And the last one: my DIY. These ballerinas with dettachable lip brooches. See the tutorial here

Hope you guys liked or projects. Have fun and seize the weekend!

xxx

DIY Project: Ballerinas with detachable lips

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So finally we are starting to see the results of Pick your DIY Challenge in which I was invited to take part, alongside 6 other prestigious DIY bloggers worldwide: Chic Steals (Oregon, US), A Matter of Style (Milán, Italia), Chic Cheat (Inglaterra, UK), Inspiration&Realisation (Massachusetts, US), Cut Out and Keep (Edimburgo, UK) and La Vie en Rose (Michigan, US).

I picked Charlotte Olympia's "Dolores" shoes from the most voted pictures on Pinterest. I really loved her cap toe lips heels. However, I'm not in favor of those kind of DIYs which main purpose is to look exactly like some luxury product (but in a rough way, of course). I think that DIY must be a process to personalize our clothes and to materialize an inspiration. A good DIY should have it's own personality. So I took Olympia's cap toe lip shoes as a reference and created two detachable leather brooches for these pair of silvered ballerinas. 

The technique is so easy. You guys just have to cut and glue, as we all did in school but using leather. On the other hand you can also follow my DIY steps to create an infinite range of designs, or even use this brooches to create accessories such as rings or necklaces. Here's the vídeo:

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE DARE TO DIY'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

I used leather (as I always do), but if for some reason you are unable to find leather near where you live, you can also use felt. 

As I always say, I hope you guys got inspired or, at least, had fun watching.

xxx

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOWAD THE LIP PATTERN

Click here to see another DIY project with ballerina flats (the same ones in pink)

DIY Inspiration: Kiss me baby!

"Dolores" shoes - Charlotte Olympia / Print T-shirt - Markus Lupfer / Jewelry - Marc by Marc Jacobs / Lacquered silver ring - Solange Azagury-Partridge/ Gloves with padded lips - Bimba & Lola/ Lips printed jeggings - Dr. Denim, en Asos / Red leather bag Charlotte Olympia / Lips patent clutch bag ALDO / Turquoise snake and leather clutch - Diane von Furstenberg / Pink sequined jumper - Markus Lupfer / Pink plastic clutch - Lulu Guiness / Shorts with lips badge - River Island

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As a surreal icon, lips are often in fashion. However, sometimes they disappear and they suddenly make a strong come-back from the hand of some great designer. This is when some kind of kissing fever spreads throughout many designers and low cost stores. This week I decided to give in and succumb to the temptation of lips and kisses. Who could resist that? Soon we'll have a DIY version, so stay tunned ;)

Happy Monday!
xx

DIY Project: butterfly clutch bag

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Hi everyone!
I'm doing another DIY with rubber bugs! Sorry about that, but I really love them and they're so inspiring! Anyway, this week's DIY issue is "how to make a clutch bag out of a sunglasses case". It's going to be a super easy and affordable DIY. Hope you guys like it!!

I am using a big sunglasses case because I couldn't find the perfect clutch I wanted for this DIY. However, my sunglasses case is actually bigger than many clutch bags out there in stores. I recommend using synthetic spray paint, rather than acrylic. It works better on plastic surfaces, acrylic paint will probably take much longer to dry. 

At first my intention was to wear it just like a clutch bag, with no shoulder chain. But I changed my mind in the last moment and added two eyebolts. Actually, if you want to add a shoulder bag, you'd better put the eyebolts before glueing the butterflies. 

Have a nice week 

xxx