DIY Butterfly Sleeve Tunic

Just thought I would share with you all this super easy top that I made! The fabric is knit – I picked it up from the Spotlight remnants section for $3.50.  That’s the total cost of the whole project: $3.50!

I knew I needed to base the sizing on an existing top, but other than that it was all very much trial and error! The major error being that I cut the neckline too wide, so much so that it stretched right down over my shoulders! Quick fix: I used the fabric left from the cut-out to make a little collar that I re-attached.  Note to self – cut small first, then cut more if you need to! A minor error was that when I sewed the lines down the sides I did them too close together, so I couldn’t get the bottom of the tunic over my hips! Not-so-quick fix: I pinned out a wider seam, UNPICKED the existing seam and sewed it again.  Note to self – allow for 1” either side more than you need!

Result: LOVE! Its loose enough around my chest that its not constricting, and snug enough around my hips that its flattering.  Perfect for a cocktail night out, over a black singlet and a pair of leggings.

Favourite photos of the night – being a poser with Becs before she smothered me in a bear hug!

Anyone interested in a tutorial? I’d love to have an excuse to make another one of these!

FOs: Crochet Blankets

Remember last week, I told you I was making something from this?

Well, I’m all finished! Here’s the end result:

Here’s the link to my Rav page with the pattern details.  Basically its a huge crochet granny square using double crochet.

I was using up stashed yarn I’ve had for a while, a shopping bag full of unknown weight and fibre, so I just kept going until I ran out of yarn.  I was hoping I would have enough to make a blanket for my bed, but sadly no. It measures 1.2m x 1.2m so its still a pretty decent size.

While I was channelling my inner-Nanna I decided to stay on the crochet path and try out a pin I saw on Pinterest last week.

I had a big piece of woven fabric that I was going to bind with ribbon to turn into a proper blanket, but I thought this was a better idea.  I used leftover yarn from my February Lady Sweater (which I haven’t shown you yet – its not quite cold enough here to get away with wearing a wollen cardigan!), and the whole thing took about two hours.  The link has a great photo tutorial, very easy to follow.

I’m well and truly set for winter!

And, for my next project…

Homemade Laptop Sleeve

I recently got a new laptop – yay! Because I only had a big padded backpack to carry it around in, I started looking around for a slip cover for it, something a bit more compact. Sadly, the stores only had 12-13″ and 15-16″ cases – and my laptop is 14″! Of course, this got my crafty wheels moving, so after much thinking and trial and error I came up with this.

Originally it was just black quilting fabric, but I wanted it a bit more sturdy, so I found this thicker almost felt fabric to cover it with.  Then came the decorating part! I used a couple of quilting pre-cut pieces on the front and the back, with the front one being a little pocket, and embellished that with an iron-on butterfly I got for my birthday (in amongst a whole box of buttons, all hand-picked – talk about lucky me!!).

The part that took the longest was figuring out some way of keeping it closed.  My original idea was some way of folding the top so it wouldn’t need any other closure, but the fabric was too tight for that.  Idea number two was using some magnetic closures I bought a while ago, but I realised they were at my parents house and I was too impatient to wait for them to send it to me! So I went with idea number three – winding string around buttons, like a vintage envelope.  Love it!

Also – it doubles as a mat for when its sitting on my lap, because it gets pretty hot.

I really love the black stitching on the cream fabric, it adds to the vintage feel of it.  The only other thing I would do to it is find some kind of binding for the sides, so the quilting doesn’t show, but in the meantime it works!