DIY Athletic Phone Arm Band

With Spring and warmer weather to look forward to soon, I thought I'd share how to make a phone arm band for workouts. I use this arm band for running, hiking, biking, and just general outdoor play with my kids. It's "handy" to not have to worry about your phone and I also like the Dritz 1/2" Grommets opening used for earphones. Use Dritz 2" Soft Waistband Elastic that works great for grip but also soft enough against the skin. Get the DIY tutorial on how to sew your own running arm band below. 

Supplies:

• Dritz 2" Soft Waistband Elastic 
• athletic knit with 4-way stretch (lycra jersey, spandex, polyester/nylon blends).
• Dritz 1/2" Grommets or 1/4" 2-Part Eyelets & Tools
• Brother Sewing machine 
• Twin needle (or zigzag stitch).
• General sewing, cutting, and measuring supplies

DIY Last Minute Halloween Costumes

 

With the Halloween festivities just around the corner whatever they may be, here are some quick costumes you can put together that work great from children to adults. All you need is some basic garments like a t-shirt and a few Dritz supplies. Below I show you how to make a mom and me skeleton costume and a bat costume that can be made for all sizes. 

Supplies:

• long sleeve and short sleeve black shirt
• black leggings/pants
• adhesive vinyl sheets (white, black, red)
• templates (all templates I found online or I just made them myself).
• Dritz Omnigrid cutting mat/ 28mm rotary cutter
• tailors chalk
• basic sewing supplies

DIY Face Mask Lanyard and Accessories

With face masks becoming a part of our daily life, I wanted to share some simple DIY hacks and projects with Dritz products that will make wearing masks a bit less complicated. From DIY lanyards to a handy Carabiner these projects also help with the kids as they head back to in-person school.

Lately I've been using this free mask pattern from Dritz. I love the level 3 version. I did a couple for my kids for school and myself. It's my new go-to style. 

Shopper Bag with Snap Closure

Lately I've been doing a lot of bag sewing these days because they're practical (never-ending grocery store runs is my new job) and easy to sew. I have been enjoying testing out the different innovative snap closures Dritz offers from magnetic to sew-on there is a list of them to try for your sewing project needs. I wanted to shared a couple of my new favorites that I recently tried out and share the simple application process. 

DIY Hands Free Belt Bags

Elevate your accessories with these fashionable (hands free) belt bags. I look at these as an updated version of a fanny pack. Make a removable belt and now you have two custom accessories. Add Dritz Double-Cap Rivets for an edgy detail. These supplies now come in bulk packages so I can embellish as much as I need. Get the details below on how to make your own vinyl belt and bag. 

Supplies:

• Double-Cap Rivets
• Heavy Duty Snaps
• 1/4" 2-Part Eyelets
• Fashion Belt Buckle
• Stitch Witchery Bonding
• Vinyl/leather
• hammer/mallet
• Brother Sewing Machine

DIY Custom Bag Straps

I love the unique bag straps that I've been seeing lately. From runway to ready-to-wear brands are showcasing fun prints and extra wide strapping on purses and bags. This is a simple project to DIY and a great way to customize or jazz up a plain bag. I like the idea of simply changing the strap to go with my look instead of having different bags for all occasions. You can create many looks and styles with these. With Dritz 1-1/2" Belting/Strapping, Double Cap Rivets, and bag hardware making your own is simple. I couldn't help but make a lot of different options and because I was making so many (great for gifts too) it was a good idea to get these products in bulk (coming soon). Get the details below and make your own. 

Supplies:

• 1-1/2" Dritz Belting/Strapping
• 1-1/2 Swivel Hook (2)
• 1" Swivel Hook
• 1- 1/2" Adjustable Slide Buckles
• Fray Check 
• Double Cap Rivets
• Mallet/hammer
• Hard cement block
• Additional trim/fabric
• vinyl/leather for tabs
• optional supplies (fusible interfacing, fabric glue)
• Brother Sewing Machine

Let's Get Organized

 January is a cold month for most so I like to use the indoor time to get a head start on "Spring Cleaning." Because come Spring I want to be outside! This is a good time to go through the studio (house in general) and de-clutter, donate unwanted items, and organize. This can be a lot when I have a studio full of supplies and not that large of a space to work with. It's all about getting creative with how you store and organize your materials. Here are a few of my go-to products, projects, and hacks that instantly make it easy and visually appealing to keep studio supplies organized!

Sew your own "faux leather" leggings

 I wanted to kick off the New Year (Happy New Year all) with something futuristic and FUN for 2020. I've been eyeing the recent trend of faux leather leggings lately so I went ahead and bought some. After trying on a couple of brands I felt all of them were too restrictive and uncomfortable to actually wear. I assumed they must all be like this and they weren't for me. Then I got this Metallic Foil material from Stylish Fabric that had the shiny appearance of a faux leather legging in all sorts of colors with 4-way stretch for movement. Once I got the material I knew it would work for these leggings with the weight and coverage of the fabric. I made a sample pair and ended up making another pair. I compiled this blog post to share the steps and tips to sew your own "faux leather leggings" you will actually want to wear. Using Coats & Clark Eloflex Stretchable Thread for the waistline and seams was essential to a comfortable yet fitted legging. I like that they work for casual to dressy, and even athletic wear. I made a gold and black pair for our family's "Resolution Run" we do every New Year's Day (photo below). Get the details below and sew your own. 

Supplies:

• Coats & Clark Eloflex Thread
• Coats & Clark Surelock Serging Thread
• Stylish Fabric: 4-way Stretch Metallic Foil Fabric
• Dritz 2" Soft Waistband Elastic
• Sewing pattern for leggings or draft your own
• Cutting materials: rotary cutters, mat, and pattern weights best
• Brother Sewing Machine SE1900
• Brother Serger 1034 DX

Sew A Cozy Robe

One gift I planned to sew myself and my boys this year is a cozy house robes. For the pattern I went with this Indygo Junction's Kimono robe as the base and added a hoody and pocket. Especially for my boys since they call these their "Gaming Robe." I used Dritz Fold-Over Elastic for the belt loops and it can also be used as a binding for the interior and exterior edges. I wanted a quality fabric that was soft and cuddly and the pro's in this field is Shannon Fabrics. 

Supplies:

• Dritz Fold-Over Elastic
• Dritz Loop Turner
• Indygo Junction Klassic Kimono pattern
• Dritz Sew-On Snaps (for pocket closures)
• Shannon Fabrics Lux Cuddle Sherpa
• Shannon Fabrics Buffalo Check Cuddle (Navy/Snow)

DIY Coat Sew Along

The cooler temperatures have inspired me to start sewing some coats and jackets lately. I've noticed I always wear a sporty puffer coat to keep warm and want to add more prints and styles to my wardrobe. I've been wanting to sew a classic coat to wear to dressy occasions and with a neutral color like beige/camel (I already have a black one). I liked this simple yet elegant Sophia Swing Coat pattern from Indygo Junction. I can pair this coat with anything from a sweater and jeans to a holiday dress. To finish off the center front closures I used Dritz Sew-On Toggles. These add instant detail and professionalism to any coat and are easy to apply. Get the details below and make your own.  

Supplies:

• Sophia Swing Coat Pattern
• Sew-On Toggles black/tan
• 1" Fold-Over Elastic
• Brother Sewing Machine
• 3 yds. material suited for a coat. I used a camel wool.
• Sewing notions/supplies

DIY "Paper Bag Waist" Skirt From Men's Shirt

I have been wanting to make a "Paper Bag Waist" skirt for while now and really liked the look of buttons down the center front. As I was organizing our closets I saw this buffalo plaid shirt my husband didn't want anymore. It was just the fabric, print, and color I was looking for with buttons right down the front. So why make life harder when I already have the buttons and hem sewn into place right? The trick was figuring out the "paper bag waist" which is a wide waist band with elastic or a sash to cinch and give a ruffled look. I got resourceful with the sleeves and excess shirt portion to create the waist, the tie, and the belt loops.  It turned out cuter than I thought and a great fall skirt to add with a sweater and boots. 

Get the details below to sew your own. 

Supplies:

• button down shirt (I used my husband's XL)
• Dritz Non-Roll Elastic 1 in.
• Dritz Loop Turner
• Basic sewing notions
• Brother Sewing Machine