WHAT MOLLY WORE: Crochet Poncho

WHAT MOLLY WORE:

WHITE TOP > H&M

SILVER CAT SHOES > H&M

SKINNY JEANS > MATALAN
PONCHO > MADE BY ME
 

Just wanted to share a little crochet project I just finished the other week. I made little Mo a bright pink poncho as she had outgrown her last one. I was given an old 70s pattern a little while ago and this is what inspired me to make this little poncho for Molly. Unfortunately I have a tendency to start a project, get distracted and don't touch it for awhile. So, on returning to finish the poncho I had forgotten about the pattern and had to make the rest up (way to not setting a good example on how to do things, yeah?). 

I'm quite pleased with the results and most importantly Molly loves it! She's been eagerly watching me make it and even helped me pick the colours. Of course, every poncho for a little girl has to have pink in it! I think she will get a lot of wear out of it over the Summer.

Over the next week, I will try to put together a pattern for anyone who would like to make it. Send me a message if you're interested!

Big love,

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DIY: Crochet basket

I just wanted to share a really easy crochet tutorial I recently discovered from Nimi Design. I've been looking for storage solutions and came across this tutorial on Pinterest. It's incredibly easy to make and within 2 hours or less you'll have a crochet basket to store jewellery or any other knick knacks. Plus, it hardly cost me anything to make as I simply used some thick charcoal wool I had in my stash. I'm definitely going to make more in different colours and sizes.

You can find the tutorial here. Happy crocheting!

Big love,

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DIY: Embroidered love token

Earlier on this year I decided I wanted to improve my hand sewing skills by dabbling in a bit of embroidery. Being inspired by all the embroidery hoop art I've seen on Pinterest, I decided to make a love token for Mr D. Using some of my favourite Blur lyrics and a series of chain stitches and French knots.... I made this! Whaddya think? 

Mr D loves it! Whoop Whoop! And it's now hanging up proudly on our family photo wall. Such a lovely and simple thing to make somebody. I definitely want to make more in different sizes! 

Have you tried making some embroidery hoop art?

Big love,

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DIY: Fresh Princess of Bell Sleeves

If you follow me on Instagram you'll noticed I've been working on altering a dress for Brighton blogger, Sarah Harris (aka English Rose).  Whilst Sarah was thrift shopping in Hove, she bought a dress for £4. She fell in love with the fun geometric print but wasn't too keen on the sleeves and the length of the dress. Knowing that I'm pretty handy with a sewing machine, she asked me if I could work some magic and turn it into her dream dress. Liking a challenge, I couldn't refuse!

Here's a pic of the dress beforehand. As you can see it's quite long and by taking the hem up I was left with a lot of excess fabric. It involved a lot of unpicking but it was worth it, as it gave me an extra 2" to play with. Then with a bit of rouching, sewing and hemming, I had bell sleeves! It completely transformed the style from being quite 90s into a beautiful swinging 60s dress. This is a perfect example of why you shouldn't be put off buying vintage just because the shape or cut of the dress isn't for you. If you find a pattern you love, the dress can always be altered.

I'm so pleased with the results. It's very rewarding knowing I have given this dress a new lease of life and that Sarah is going to get so much pleasure from wearing it. The only problem is that it's given me the bell sleeves bug. I want to add bell sleeves to everything!

So, when you're out shopping and you see something you like and it's not quite right, don't be too hasty putting it back. Have a closer look. It could be transformed into something wonderful! I do this a lot with my thrifty finds (you might remember me transforming a dress I found in Beyond Retro in this previous post) and it's definitely worth asking yourself the following questions...

1. Can it be taken up?  

Changing the length of a dress or trousers can give amazing results. Plus you might be able to use the excess fabric for something else

2. How much seam allowance is there?  

Be careful with thrift items as they don't always have the standard seam allowance that new garments have. Also if something is 2 sizes too small there won't be enough fabric to make it to the desired size.

3. How much will it cost to alter?  

Certain alterations can be quite expensive (especially if there's a lining). Taking up a hem or changing a zip can cost between £10-12. Whilst taking in sides or tapering trouser legs can cost between £15-£20 (these costs are for items without a lining)

4. Are there any holes that aren't on the seam?  

Holes not on the seam are very difficult to cover up, unless you plan to use a patch or applique motif. This might not necessary suit the style of the garment though

Hope this post has inspired you to have a bit more fun with your thrift hunting. If you have any questions or anything you'd like to alter I would love to help. I charge cheap rates :) Simply send me your enquiry to vintageowl@me.com for more info.

Biig love!

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BEAUTY: Retro hair on a bad hair day

Howdy peeps, and welcome to my first attempt at vlogging! Having made videos in the past, I was in two minds about dabbling in 'talkies' and the experience has definitely been a learning curve, with lots of cussing and tears when editing wasn't going my way. But I did it! WHOOP WHOOP!

In this little tutorial I show you a quick and easy way to style retro bangs and also how to tie a headscarf in true Rosie the Riveter style. It's a perfect up-do when your having a bad hair day. 

If you have any questions please comment below. 

Big love!

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WHAT I WORE: Quartz Crystals & DIY Creations

WHAT I WORE:

DRESS > MADE BY MOI

NECKLACE > MODERN VINTAGE STYLE

ANKLE BOOTS > NEW LOOK

As regular readers will know, I just love to sew. Not long ago I found some great vintage patterns at a car-boot sale. It was the perfect excuse to use some vintage fabric I had squirreled away and just a day later I'd completed making this 1960s style dress! What do you think?

I, personally, love how it's turned out! It's proof that with the right pattern and fabric, you can recreate certain vintage fashion in no time at all, and it was much more thrifty than shopping on the high street. The only thing I would change is to make the sleeves more bell shaped, but apart from that, it's perfect and I feel very proud wearing it.

I kept my styling simple for this OOTD by pairing the dress with some thick black tights, lace-up ankle boots and a beautiful purple quartz pendant necklace from Modern Vintage Style. My hair was put up in a messy beehive, a huge change for me as I usually hide behind a hat or just leave it down.

If you don't know them, you should absolutely check out Modern Vintage Style. They have a beautiful collection of antique and handmade jewellery, perfect for any vintage/jewellery lover. And watch this space if that purple quartz necklace has caught your eye. We will be giving one lucky reader the chance to win it! More details on that will be coming very soon.

What have you been making lately?

Big love!

 




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DIY: Ombre Button Phone Case

Recently, I was asked if I would like to become a member of Fantastic Ribbons' review panal. This was an offer I couldn't refuse as I love trying out new products and making things.  This means I will be providing you with regular reviews on their wonderful products and also showing you easy tutorials on how you can get your craft on!

For my first review I was sent a mixed bag of buttons in different shades of pink. I've always had a fascination and love for these small fasteners since my childhood. This all stemmed from a large jar of buttons my mum used to keep on the mantelpiece. I would spend hours sorting, examining, counting and playing with them and that fascination has continued into my adulthood.

I've been wanting to decorate a phone case for sometime and been loving the decoden craze that has hit the craft world. Inspired by decoden and the different shades of buttons, I decided to make an ombre button phone case. Here's how I made it....

YOU WILL NEED

Phone case (must be hard plastic case)

E6000 glue

Mod Podge or sealer

Buttons from Fantastic Ribbons

Paint brush

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1.   I wanted my phone case to have an ombre effect, so first of all you will need to seperate your buttons into colours. 

2.   Test out the layout of your buttons on the case and then take a photo for your own reference. 

3 - 5.   Using the E6000 glue, start sticking your buttons down on to the case. The E6000 glue is very strong and the one I bought came with a very handy nozzle. I started where the camera hole is (that area is a bit tricky and wanted to make sure it was perfect) and worked my way down.

6.  Once I had stuck all my buttons down, I noticed there were some gaps so I decided to add a couple of extra buttons to cover them up. This gave a textured effect, which I love! I also added some pearl beads around the camera hole as I didn't have any buttons small enough to fit round that area. Once your happy with your design, leave the case to dry for a  couple of hours.

7.   Once dry apply a layer of Mod Podge. The Mod Podge will act as a sealer and make sure all the buttons are secure. I used the 'hard coat' version as it dries quite hard and I thought it would help my case to endure every-day use for longer.  

8.   When applying the Mod Podge, make sure you cover any gaps.  Once coated, leave to dry for 2 hours

9.   Once your first layer is dry, apply a second layer. Allow this layer to dry for as long as possible. I left mine to harden overnight. Once dry, you will have a cool ombre phone case that no one else will have! 

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The bag of buttons from Fantastic Ribbons were such good value and were enough to make at least 3 button phone cases. They have different packs available and if you can't decide what colour you want you can take them up on their special offer of buying 4 packs for the price of 2... BARGAINO! 

If you were given a bag of buttons, what would you make? 

Be inspired and get crafty!

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WHAT I WORE: Finding the perfect dress

I had a bit of a shopping haul at Beyond Retro last month. I bought a green maxi dress (which needed some work to it) and a 70s brown velvet jacket. As you can see from my pictures, the length of the dress was quite long and unflattering but there were little design features I just fell in love with when I saw it hanging on the rail.  Especially the über cute velvet peter pan collar! I just knew if it was shorter it would be perfect. So, with a little bit of DIY know how, I set about customising the dress.

It didn't take long to-do once I'd decided how long I wanted it. I carefully removed the excess and then re-hemmed the skirt using a sewing machine. It was done in under an hour and, voila, I had a dress I loved and adored. Don't you think it looks SUPER cute shorter? Plus it now goes perfectly with my new 70s jacket! LOVE IT! 

So, the moral of this post is; don't be too hasty if you find a garment that isn't perfect when your thrifting. With a little thought and skill you can make changes and customisations that will turn it into something you'll love forever. It's certainly a cheap and easy option to keep your wardrobe up to-date. If your not particularly brilliant with a sewing machine, getting alterations done for you are not too expensive these days. I highly recommend Alma's Alterations in Brighton. Only costs from £12-£20 (depends if there is a lining) to shorten a dress and she also offers a dressmaking service if you want something made from scratch.

Do you like to customise garments you've thrifted?

Big love,

P.S I got a curling wand for Christmas (thank you Mr D!) so I've been having fun making my hair curly. You can see the results in my 'after' photos. Best pressie ever! Tutorial coming soon :)

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