Bell Bottoms/Flares From Scratch

I don't know about you all, but I really love 70s fashions. I really love 50s fashions, and I really love 20s fashions. The fashions of 2000, everything that has been "in" or "out" since I've been born has been so horribly mediocre compared. I understand not liking the "hair bands" because of their hair and outfits, but when you look at Lady Gaga's new line, suddenly you appreciate everything so much more(don't get me wrong, Lady Gaga is great, but a dress made out of bubbles?). Since I got my hair cut about 2 months ago, I've been wanting to make more clothes to go with it. I haven't really been styling it most days, so at first all I wanted was to break out the leather and go Joan Jett. But then I thought of how much I really love my (suicide) blonde locks, and went in another direction. So here is how I made my flares and bell bottoms from scratch and made my own pattern. Please notice the striped pants are drapery material and the flowery pants are a thick and velvety material. Don't use thin cottons. 

Step 1: Making the Pattern
I'm no expert pattern maker, and I usually just use clothes I already have, so this was a new experience for me, as it might be for you. This is really easy and I got it on my first try.

You will need:

• measuring tape
• newspaper or other large paper
• writing utensil (thin tipped markers will work best)
• ruler, book, or something with a straight edge
• optional for people with flat butts: zipper/buttons

Take the following measurements: inseam, hips, natural waist line, above knee when knee is bent at a 90° angle, from top on inseam to natural waistline(front and back), the very top of your thigh(like the very very top)and how large you want your flare/ bell to be. 

The pattern drawing is the easiest part. Use the ruler or straight edge to draw the lines for everywhere but the crotch curve thing(I didn't use one but I draw really straight lines, the curse of geometry). It will look something like the image on the right. 

*** is the measurement that changes, like "inseam + inseam to NWL". Basically, the 2 front pieces will have the inseam to NWL(natural waistline) front measurement, and the 2 back pieces will have the inseam to NWL back pieces. Just think of it as the extra space you need for your rear end. 

You should also know that the curve goes in to your hip measurement, and there is a diagonal to the NWL measurement(I forgot to draw that in). Now all you have to do is cut out the pattern pieces. You just need 2, one for the front and 1 for the back, which will look the same but one will be a little longer. 

Step 2: Cutting and Sewing

You will need:

• fabric(I used old fabric, but I think I had about 1 1/2 yards?)
• pins
• thread
• sewing machine*
• the pattern you just made!

*I suppose you could hand sew pants, but there is a greater chance they won't survive the wash and/or pop a seam. 

CUTTING!

Fold your fabric in half, pin the pieces on, cut out with seam allowance, you know the drill. If you had a big difference in the front and back pieces, make sure you have 4 pieces. For me, it was only about 2 inches, so on the striped pair I only had 2 pieces. Make sure when you lay it out you have 2 front pieces that are opposites and 2 back pieces that are opposites(or 2 half pieces that are opposites if you have a flat bottom and only use 2 pieces). 

SEWING!

Here comes the fun part... Pin a front piece to a back piece on the straight side with wrong sides out. If you are using buttons or a zipper, here is where you would put it/them in. Do the same on the other 2 pieces(but without the zipper or buttons). From the start of the curve, sew down to the bottom on each piece. be sure to not go above the curve or start below it, you need to start on the exact point where it meets the inseam measurement length. 

This next part is a little harder, and I would recommend slowing down on the speed. Pin the back pieces to each other, wrong sides still out, and continue pinning all the way to the top of the front pieces. The first pair I made, I sewed it like that, but you could also turn one leg right side out and stuff it in the wrong side out leg so the raw edges line up. Both ways are challenging, but I found the first way easier. My sister, who is studying costume design in school, said the second way was easier, so use whichever way you think will be easier, and sew from the back to the front on the raw edges. The hardest part of here is turning around where the curve starts, because it looks sharp. DO NOT stop your machine and turn the piece, it makes it super uncomfortable to wear! DO slow down even more and take the turn and the clash of multiple seams very slowly, so slow you think back to your first time using a sewing machine, and you went the faster on purpose. Yes, go THAT SLOW.

 

At this point, you can hem the legs and waist and turn the pants right side out. Put them on, and look dang fine in them! For both of the pairs above, I went back and tightened from my thigh to the long knee thing measurement because they weren't as snug as I wanted them to be. 

I hope you have lots of fun making your own pants, because I certainly did! I've worn them to special events and just out for the day. They're nice to chill in, or they're nice if you have a 70s dance to go to! They're great, and I can honestly say having pants that touch my skin and are the right length is a new experience for me, and I really love it. ☮

Pimp Yo' Phone

I don't have a fancy iPhone, and while that sucks, I decided to make my phone cool too. So here is what I did with my Samsung Intensity II.

1.) Take the back off your phone. Make sure you have
enough fabric to go over the back snugly. 

2.) Trace the back on a piece of news paper.
Go around the edges of the back loosely.
The curve should peel up, just keep your pencil
straight up and down and you will be fine. 

3.) Cut out the pattern you just drew.
Make sure you cut out the holes for the camera and
microphone in the paper. An exacto knife is very useful
here. Trace it onto the fabric and cut it out. 

4.) Put it on the back right side up. Make sure
it fit correctly. Using lots of tape, go over the
entire back, holes included. The two microphone
holes were too small, so I combined them into one
long hole. 

5.) Flip it over and make sure any pieces that stick
out from the sleep shape do not have tape over
them or you will have a tough time putting the
back on. Use an exacto knife to cut the excess tape
off. Also, cut out the holes for the camera and
microphone. 

Tent Dress Comeback

I love tent dresses. This is a classic sleeveless. If you had better fabric, you could probably make it better. I also used a million layers because all the fabrics I used were see through. You could cut the layers down to 1 if you wanted to. They look best with a belt. I put a belt on it because tent dresses have been know to "make even the skinniest of girls look pregnant", according to my Fashion 101 book.

I tried to draw you some pictures, but it didn't really work. Basically, I used a sheer tablecloth and some silk-like material. I folded the green silk in half and the fold went on the bottom of the tablecloth. You cut the tablecloth to about 3 inches over the desired length before you layer the two on top of each other and sew down the middle. My tablecloth already had a loop in it, so I didn't sew that part when I went down, and just put a few stitches at the top of it. Thread some elastic and secure it, and you've got it.

Please ignore the clutter in the corner of the big picture. It's glue gun stuff from me trying something that didn't quite work. :P

I Wish

I need to get some knits. In love with this dress ----> Grecian Sundress <---
Side note: I dropped my lunch band today to be in Living Arts. So exited for the rest of the year to be spent in that class! The teacher is a riot too. I have her for Health the band after that, as well.
And I haven't made anything in a while. I'm having major sewing withdrawals(that's a thing and you know it)... :(

Sheer Bow-back Upcycled Tee

Love this one.I know, so slouchy in the side pic. But, love love love this shirt.
Inspiration: Red Valentino Bow-Back Cotton Jersey tee.
So yeah.

2.) Using the sliced edge, line it up
with the corner of a delicate fabric.
Making sure the edges are both the same
size as the cuts, cut diagonal across. 

1.) Cut the back of a shirt up to
just about above where your bra-
strap would start.

3.) At the bottom of the same delicate fabric,
cut a strip about 4" wide. The strip should be at least 1.5'. 

4.) Using a sewing machine, sew the triangle
into the cut. Hem the bottom of the triangle
BEFORE you sew it onto the shirt. Make sure
the seam is on the inside. 

6.) Tie a bow! I found it looks super floppy
unless you secure the bow loops. I hand-
sewed in the middle and top of where I wanted
each loop to rest one stitch that I went over 5 times. 

5.) Folding the center of the strip so it
is about 1/2 an inch thick, sew it at the
top of the sewn in triangle so it rests almost
exactly where tour bra strap would be. 

Re-Vamp a Picture Frame

I'd like to apologize in advance for the crappy pictures. My phone doesn't have the best camera. 

Materials - Frame, beads, fabric
strips, needle and thread. 

Step 1 - Fold a strip of fabric in half.
I pinned it in half so I could take better
pictures. 

Step 2 - Using a running stitch, sew
down the raw edges of the fabric, pulling it
tight occasionally to see how much it will curl. 

Step 3 - When it curls into a full circle, stop sewing. 

step 4 - And cut the extra fabric off. 

Step 5 - Sew the ends together so it is
held in a circular shape. 

Step 6 - Sew a bead in the center.
I used pearl beads(I'm currently in love
with pearls and pearl jewelry). 

Step 7 - Create other flowers of different
shapes and sizes. I cut slits in one to
make it splay out more. 

Step 8 - Figure out how you want the flowers
to go on the frame. I was covering up bite
marks. 

This is the final outcome. I don't have a picture for it yet, so
I drew one of my family :P This is for my mom this mothers' day. 

UpCycled Peplum

1.) Using a tee that fits, find where the
peplum should start. Cut off from that point. 

2.) Make folds every few inches
 on the cut-off part. Pin them down
and sew them on. **MAKE SURE THE SHIRT
 IS INSIDE OUT BEFORE SEWING**

3.) Sew onto the regular shirt part again. 

5.) Sew a pearl bead at the top of the oval. Cut a button
 hole on the other side and hem for the pearl bead. 

4.) On the back,  cut a cross shape. Fold and
sew so it makes an oval. The oval should
END before the neck line, but not by a lot.