[DIY Tutorial] Safety Pin Shirt

Here is our DIY Destroyed Safety Pin Shirt, inspired by Balmain from their Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. Learn how to make it yourself without paying the $2570 price tag!

Materials needed:

Plain black shirt (any style)

Safety pins in a variety of sizes 

Fabric shears

Chalk

Instructions:

1. Use the chalk to mark where you will cut. Experiment with straight lines, diagonals, curves, longer, shorter lines.

2. Cut on the chalked lines. No need to be extremely precise; jagged cuts add an edgier feel.

3. Start pinning! Smaller safety pins will keep the fabric closer together, larger ones will let the fabric move more.. and show more skin. Experiment with various sized safety pins to get a different look each time. Try spacing them out or pinning in different directions.

Here's the final look! 

Celeb Inspiration:

Fergie was spotted in the Safety Pin Destroyed Shirt & she owns many other safety pin pieces from Balmain as well.

Korean girl group, 2NE1, also recently sported many of Balmain's safety pin pieces from their Summer/Spring 2011 Collection in their music video "Lonely".

CL in the Safety Pin Destroyed Shirt and Leather Safety Pin Jackets

Minzy, CL, Sandara, Park Bom in White Leather Safety Pin Jackets. Other pieces from Balmain's Spring/Summer Collection as well.

Photos & Credits to:

Balmain
Net-a-porter

Eiffel in Seoul

Black Vneck from Forever 21

Safety pins from Dressew

Davie & Chiyo Upcoming Trunk Show!

This Thursday, July 14th at 4:30 - 7:30PM, our resident design team, Davie and Chiyo, will be hosting their first ever trunk show right here at SWFDS Sewing Studio! We decided to check out their site and pick out some of our favourite clutches to get ready for the trunk show!

Shabby Chic Leather in Taupe - $115

Sexy With Lace in Champagne on White - $78

All About A Bow in Pearl Blue - $78

Check out all their other clutches on their website and Etsy shop!

Happy Sewing!
SWFDS Sewing Team

DIY TOMS - Makeover Edition

I think I died a little when I saw this!
I'm not sure how I feel about the whole Toms trend, they look comfy yes (summer ugg?), however they don't look so good. When I saw this project, I thought of all us DIY enthusiasts... If you like Toms, might as well jazz em up.. beware: please don't make them look like the collaboration between Jimmy Choo and Uggs PLEASE.

Happy Sewing!

TOMS Get a Makeover for more Custom Toms Click Here

DIY Summer Accessory: Dramatic hair piece

Happy first day of summer! It is only fitting that today we show the best summer sewing project that we could find. The sun is finally shinning and the sand is cozy warm, why not take your project to the beach, soak up some rays, and make yourself a new accessory while your at it. This project will also look super cute with that new tan and bikini you've got going on.

Have a lovely summer and happy sewing!

DIY Dramatic Hair Piece

What you will need:

- Old T-Shirt

- Hair Clips

- Scissors

- Super Glue

- Twine

- Feathers 

1. Cut/Rip T-Shirt Into Strips

Here a black t-shirt is used to create a subtle look with the dark hair. Cut/Rip 3 different lengths of fabric. One really long, one medium and one shorter length. Add knots and tie ends together for a detailed look. 

2. Attach T-Shirt Fabric To Clip

Using the twine, simply tie and tightly knot the fabric onto the end of the clip. 

3. Wrap Twine Around T-Shirt Strips

Wind the twine around all three fabric pieces separatly. Wind certain  parts tighter then others to add interest.

4. Glue the Feather

Super glue the end of the feather.

5. Attach Feather

Slip the super glued feather through the wrapped twine.

6. Secure Feathers

Secure the feather again with a snippet of twine. Knot it good, just to be sure. 

7.  Repeat the Process

Repeat the steps 3-6 until you have the desired amount of feathers and twine on your hair piece. In the demonstration 3-5 feathers are used on each t-shirt strip. 

Summer Camps

SWFDS summer camps are officially available! Every summer we launch fun and creative camps for girls to learn how to sew. Join us this year to sew your very own designs. Our summer students will even get to display their collections in our end of summer fashion show.

Check out the info below. 

Happy Sewing!


Learn to Sew: Girls Only Camps

Learn to sew 1:
*No previous knowledge is necessary

• Beginner sewing lessons
• Learn to sew a tote bag, high waisted skirt, clutch, & headband

Dates: July 6+7 or 11+12, August 3+4

Duration: Camps are from 9am-3pm

Cost: $160 +hst

Learn to sew 2: 

*Pre-requisite: Girls only level 1 or beginner sewing knowledge

• Intermediate sewing lessons
• Learn to sew a boyfriend t & maxi dress

Dates: July 21+22, August 15&16

Duration: Camps are from 9am-3pm

Cost: $110 +hst (+ fabric cost for trip to Dressew)

Up Cycle Your Closet

*No previous knowledge is necessary

• Bring in 3-4 pieces of clothing and learn how to turn it into something new. 
• Learn to sew an eco stash bag & patch work scarf

Dates: July 20, August 17

Duration: Camps are from 9am-3pm

Cost: $70 +hst

sewing camps

DIY Jewelled Flip-Flops

Summer's approaching! It's time to put those rain boot's back into hibernation and slip on a pair of sandals. Flip-flops are the go to summer staple, in saying this they are far from being the classiest shoe. Here's an idea to help you spice them up!

Happy Sewing!

DIY flip-flops

What you will need:
- A pair of plain flip-flops
- Beads (plastic, wood, or glass. *keep in mind glass will be heavy)
- Scissors
- Elastic thread or fishing line

Step 1:
- Use elastic to measure out a piece that is 4x the length of the flip-flop
- Use elastic to make a double knot on the thong (part that is close to the bottom of the flip-flop (this is the anchor loop)

Anchor the elastic to the flip-flop with a double knot

Step 2:
- Slide the knot on the thong towards the bottom of the thong.
- Pull the remaining elastic under the thong and thread a bead.
- Tuck the end of the elastic through the anchor loop.

Thread a bead, then tuck the end of the elastic into the tied loop

Step 3:
To make sure the beads don't slide around the thong, we are going to loop the elastic again.
- Slip the end of the elastic through the bottom of the anchor loop we tied on, then again under the elastic that holds on the second bead (refer to photo for help).

Loop again to secure the bead to the thong

Step 4:
- Add more beads, while knotting twice

Add a bead, tuck in the elastic at the top, then again on the loop before it.

Step 5:

- As you work, push the knots on the back of the thong down towards the bottom or top of the thong. *This will make wear more comfortable, if your feet are sensitive you can even cut a thin piece of felt and hot glue in to the back of the thong to prevent irritation against the skin.

Beaded flip-flops

Step 6: 

- Make sure that you are getting a uniform row of knots alongside your beads as you work. *A knot that looks different means that we messed up somewhere along the way. 

Add beads, making a uniform pattern as you work

Step 7:

- To add smaller beads, loop them just like the large beads, stacking them on top of one another.

Adding smaller beads

Step 8:

- Create a mirror-image pattern of beads on each side of the thong. *Large beads look really nice on the middle of the thong.

Add different sized beads for a finished look