DIY Halloween Costume Idea: Tomato Pin Cushion

Somewhere in the rear crevices of my brain I store my "one day" Halloween costume ideas. Those are the concepts I love, but for one reason or another have never gotten the chance to make and wear. For years, I've been amped to be a tomato pin cushion for Halloween, both because I think it's a cute costume, but also because sewing is one of my main hobbies. It's a match made in crafting heaven!

Sadly, I've yet to wear this costume so I'm sharing my tips here in case anyone out there would like to do so!

So, my general concept is a red dress enhanced with green accents, several larger than life sewing pins and a thimble hat (every costume needs a tiny hat!), plus an optional measuring tape to be used where you see fit. Here's how I recommend putting this costume together:

The Dress

Red Skater Dress: Amazon  •  Green Ribbon: Michaels  •  Green Felt: Michaels  •  Flexible Fabric Glue: Joann Fabrics

Find a red dress. Cut tomato leaf shapes from dark green felt and glue or stitch them along the neckline of the dress, front and back. Cut lengths of a matching green ribbon to attach in intervals along the skirt of the dress. If you want to wear the dress again, you could safety pin the green bits instead.

The Sewing Pins

Styrofoam Balls: Walmart  •  Metallic Paint: Amazon  •  Acrylic Paint: Michaels  •  Hot Glue Gun: Amazon  •  Wood Dowels: Joann Fabrics

To make the sewing pins, start with a wooden dowel - these ones are great because they're not too thick and are cut to a good length. Paint them silver or wrap them in aluminum foil. Paint the styrofoam balls in a variety of colors. Add a dollop of hot glue to the end of a dowel and push it into a styrofoam ball. Repeat until you have enough pins. Finally, poke the pins through holes in your dress in whatever locations you desire. You might need a bit of glue to keep them secured. If you don't want to cut the dress, you can instead just hold a few pins.

The Thimble Hat

Silver Paint: Amazon  •  Elastic String: Michaels

To make the thimble hat, paint a plastic cup metallic silver. Use a black marker to draw the dots and lines to mimic a real thimble. Attach elastic cord with a dot of hot glue (don't melt the cup!) to keep it attached to your head.

If you'd like to incorporate a measuring tape (and why not at this point? Go crafty or go home!), you could use it as the headband tie for your thimble hat, a strap to a custom purse, a belt or even a choker.

One day I hope to make this costume for myself, but until then I'll have to put a pin in it. Sorry, I just had to put a pun in it. Yikes, wow, sorry, someone please stop me!

DIY Kimono Tutorial

I love a piece of floaty clothing. Call it a Golden Girls complex, but when I saw a drape-y masterpiece on a store hanger, I instinctively inch toward it. These kimono-style cardigans have been popular in stores for a while now, but I have a hard time spending 30 bucks on what is essentially a piece of fabric with a few stitches in it. The good part about that simplicity is that it makes these kimonos incredibly easy to make yourself. No, I swear! See:

WHAT YOU NEED

1.5 - 2 Yards of Fabric

Measuring Tape

Scissors

Sewing Pins

Sewing Machine or Needle & Thread

HOW TO MAKE IT

First, choose a good fabric. Many kimonos in stores are made from sheer, floaty fabrics because they're light and hang nicely, which is what this look is about. They're often polyester, though, and not very breathable. I wanted something I could wear comfortably in the summer heat so I made this from a lightweight jersey knit. The most important thing is choosing a fabric that drapes well, so see what you like at the fabric store (rayon, jersey and other apparel fabrics are a good place to start).

I got this one at Joann Fabrics.

Next, you need to cut the fabric to size. This will vary depending on how big you want the kimono. I went with a piece measuring 45" wide and 60" long. If you want a longer/shorter kimono, adjust the 60" side; if you want a wider/narrower one, adjust the 45" side.

Decide what size you want and cut away!

Once you're happy with the size, lay down your fabric, right side up, and fold it from top to bottom. In my case, this gives me a piece that is 45" wide and 30" long. Now, fold it in half again from left to right. Mine is now 22.5" wide and 30" long. Put a pin in the fabric at the top left corner.

This is the only corner with no open edge.

Next, we want to cut ONE layer of the fabric. At the bottom left corner (opposite the pin) cut straight along the edge until you reach the pin. You only want to cut the top layer of fabric here. This cut will become the opening to your kimono.

I'm cutting TOWARD the pin we put in.

Did I stress this enough?

Remove the pin and rearrange the fabric so that you have a doubled over rectangle with a slit down the center front, like below (yours should be inside out).

Measure about 10" down the left side of your fabric, starting at the top corner. Place a pin at that point and continue to pin down the side. Repeat on the right side of the fabric. That 10" area will become your arm hole, so try it on while pinned and adjust as needed.

Sew straight down each side of the fabric along where you pinned.

Trim any excess fabric to the side of the stitches. Flip the whole thing right side out.

What an adorable seam!

Now, this is where you'd normally finish the hem of your fabric, but because I used jersey knit, the hems will roll up if you give them a slight tug. Yet another reason I strongly suggest a jersey knit!

Rolled hem = less work and more kimono wearing time!

This is basically a rectangle with some holes on the side. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

This is one of the quickest and easiest sewing projects I've ever taken on. If you feel even kind of comfortable with your sewing skills (or, honestly, even if you don't) you could whip this up in an hour. I plan to make several thousand for the summer. Okay, maybe more like five.

You can belt it too!

Do you like kimonos for summer? What other colors and patterns do you think I should make? Which Golden Girl has the best style?

DIY: Gold Spike Necklace Tutorial

Sometimes projects are born from unprecedented levels of snowed-in boredom. Well, maybe not boredom, per se, because I rarely get truly bored (my mind would need to stop racing for that to ever happen - thanks brain!), but after four days without so much as opening your front door, you learn that there are only so many Netflix documentaries, internet k-holes and weird drink concoctions available to occupy the mind.

When in need of an activity, I often turn to jewelry making, and since I couldn't drive out of my parking spot, let alone to a store, I was left with just my own craft stash to make this little guy. I would've maybe done some things differently if given the option, but I think my little golden Frankenstein necklace, made from random bits and beads, is charming in its own thrown-together way. Here's how I made it, and may you never have another snowed in weekend in which to try this.

WHAT YOU NEED

Gold Stud or Spike Beads (these are from Joann's)

Gold Tube Beads

Gold Round Beads

Beading Wire

Jewelry Pliers

Wire Cutter

Jump Rings & Clasp

Crimping Beads & Crimping Tool {not pictured}

Small Length of Chain {optional}

HOW TO MAKE IT

First, cut a length of beading wire (I like to cut it WAY too long just in case, because I'm paranoid). Start stringing the spike beads on the wire, placing a round bead in between each spike. Don't skip the round bead - it adds just enough space to allow the spikes to fit flush next to each other (otherwise the spikes with splay up and down, like in the supplies photo above).

Continue stringing in this pattern until you're pleased (with the length of the necklace, not just pleased in general...we've already established this is a snowed-in project so that is not possible).

Use the gold tube beads to fill in the space on either side of the spikes along the beading wire. If you use gold wire (which you should if you have it, I was just working with odds and ends in my supplies) you could skip this step and let the wire show for a more minimal look.

To finish off the ends of the wire, I created some loops that can attach right to jump rings. To do this, I trimmed the wire, looped it back over itself so that the end tucked into the last gold tube bead in the row [below top]. Then I slid on a crimp bead over the loop, which I first squished a little to make the bead fit [below middle]. Then I reopened the squished loop [below bottom].   

Next, use a bead crimping tool to secure the crimp bead. Repeat this process on the other end of the necklace. {If you're new to crimp beads, read this post where I talk more about them}

I finished my necklace by attaching a small length of chain with a jump ring to those newly formed loops, before adding more jump rings and a clasp to the free ends of the chain. This is all optional, and you can simply attach jump rings and a clasp right to the wire loops.

You can wear this spiked necklace in a neat and orderly way (above) or jostle it for a wilder look (I mean, it is a metal spike necklace, right?). Just don't let it poke you in the throat. Not that I did that or anything. You know what? Maybe make yours longer than mine.

I typed 'the wire' so many times here that now I want to watch The Wire. You're in my head, Omar!

Are you into spiked and studded jewelry? How many days has the snow kept you inside against your will? Or are you into all this snow?

ROUNDUP: Amazing Fabrics

Bear with me - amazing is a bit hyperbolic…these fabrics aren't exactly the material equivalent of the Virgin Mary appearing in a grilled cheese, but they are fun to look at. Inspired by some vegetable themed fabric I purchased recently for a DIY circle skirt, I wanted to create this list of pretty, fun and all around cool fabrics for my fellow crafters out there. I could literally spend hours in the aisles of a fabric store, my necked craned sideways like I'm reading spines on library shelves, until I find THE ONE. There are too many good fabrics, and too few hours for sewing projects, so here I'll share with you the fabrics I have, want or wish I had the time to sew with.

SOURCES:

1  //  2  //  3  //  4  //  5  //  6  //  7  //  8  //  9  //  10  //  11  //  12 

13  //  14  //  15  //  16  //  17  //  18  //  19  //  20  //  21  //  22  //  23  //  24

Are you working with any fabulous fabric right now? Got any cool fabric finds to share? Can you even imagine owning an ice cream sandwich print dress?!

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