This sewing tutorial explains how to make a pocket, gives you a pocket pattern, and tells you how to add an in-seam pocket to any dress (or pants, or anything really), making it SO MUCH MORE USEFUL. Pockets are essential, otherwise, where are you going to hide your hands and uneaten snacks?
Keep reading for the pocket pattern/tutorial, or you can check out my other DIY patterns.
Step 1: Print out the pocket pattern (And start hoarding your snacks)
Download and print out the pocket pattern; cut out 4 pocket pieces. (the pattern stretches a little into the margins — sorry, i like big pockets!)
Step 2: Rip those Seams
Beginning about 3 inches below the natural waistline, start ripping the seam until you have a 10" hole. **Note, this is your natural waistline, which is much higher than where your pants waistline is. Your natural waistline is a few inches above your belly button.
Step 3: Sew your Pockets
Place 1 pocket piece on the front of the skirt, right sides together, 3.5" below the natural waistline, lining up the edge of the pocket with the edge of your skirt. Pin in place. Now do the same thing on the back of the skirt, pin another pocket piece, in the same location (also, right sides together).
Step 4: Start Stitching
Stitch the front pocket to the front of the skirt, using 3/8” seam allowance. Stitch the back pocket to the back of the skirt the same way. (You are using a 3/8” seam allowance so that in the end, your pocket fabric actually starts a little inside the skirt seam allowance…making it invisible from the outside)
Step 5: Press
Press the seam open...
Step 6: Press again
...then fold over the pocket and press it flat.
Step 7: Stitch all the way around
Turn your skirt inside out. With front and back skirt pieces right sides together, stitch along the seams and around the pockets using 5/8” seam allowance…in one continuous stitching line. Make sure your seam allowance matches the existing skirt seam allowance, and stitch over the existing side seams at the top and bottom just a bit to make sure everything is put back together nicely.
Step 8: Clip and snip
Clip into the seams where the pockets join the skirt. (This makes your seams lie flat without any bunching.)
Step 9: Finish things up
Press side seams open. Turn right side out.
Now, repeat steps 2-9 for the other side of the skirt.
Now fill them up with stuff!
this DIY necklace tutorial tells you how to make a necklace with beaded fringe. it's super easy, and you only need a few supplies, which you can pick up at your local craft store, like Michael's.
every year, I try to make almost all of my holiday gifts, or give something handmade by others. handmaking gifts means you have to get an early start, so i'm starting a handmade gift series, featuring some easy tutorials for things you can make yourself to have your gifts ready by the christmas season.
for the first post in the series, i'm making a geometric beaded fringe necklace, perfect for women. read below for the full tutorial, or pick a beaded necklace up from the shop, if making one is not your thing.
Materials:
to start, you’re going to need the following. you can pick everything up at your local craft store, like michaels.
* round nose pliers
* wire cutters
* chain - cut to 28” long (or your preferred length)
* beads — probably 2 colors. or lots. go crazy.
* head pins (little wires with a flat end)
* eye pins (little wires with a loop at the end)
Tutorial:
next, sketch out your design, based on how many beads you can fit onto each head pin. here’s one i did with a simple geometric colorblock triangle design, with 18 beads fitting on each headpin — a total of 7 pins.
next, start adding beads to your head pins.
then, after your beads are on, take your round nose pliers, bend the top of the headpin to a 90 degree angle. (beads aren’t in the photo here, but they would be in your project.)
next, take your round nose pliers, grab the tip of the end of the head pin and rotate in the opposite direction of the bend, forming a loop.
then close the loop all the way so it fits snugly against the base (you don't want it slipping off of your necklace!)
once you finish adding all of your beads, you’ll have a bunch of beaded sticks. now, take an eye pin (the one with a loop on one end already) and start threading them through (horizontally) each of your beaded sticks (vertical ones). make sure to put a bead on the eye pin in between each beaded stick that you have, so that they are space apart appropriately.
now, make a loop at the end of your eye pin, just like you did for the head pins — so that you have a loop at each end of the horizontal pin. now, thread your chain onto each of those loops at either end of the horizontal pin. close the loops tight so the chain doesn’t come off.
that's all! layer it on with other necklaces or wear it all by itself.
check back next week for the next gift guide tutorial.
looks like i'm a bit late on this one, but I just stumbled upon the showstudio site featuring sewing patterns for several fashion designer pieces. I think my favorite is this sharp, tailored kimono-inspired jacket by alexander mcqueen. check out the other patterns too, including Yohji Yamamoto, Maison Martin Margiela, John Galliano and others.
this weekend, i worked out a new crochet pattern for a new necklace, which is aptly halloween-appropriate, but i could see wearing it year-round just as well. the pattern is for a crochet skull, which i made into a layered chain necklace, but the possibilities are really endless with this guy. the pattern is below - or if you're not so inclined, you can always pick one up from the shop.
PATTERN
Gauge, yarn and hook size are not critical. I used a G hook with Peaches and Creme cotton yarn, but you can play around with different yarns and hooks to get different sizes.
Crown:
-CH 2
-2 SC into 2nd ch on previous row (2 sts) CH 1 and turn
-2 SC into each ch (4sts) CH 1 and turn
-3 HD, 2HD into last ch (5sts) CH 2 and turn
-1 HD, 2 HD into next st, 1 HD, 2 HD into next st, 2 HD into next st (8sts) CH 3 and turn
Eyes:
-2 DC, CH 7, SL into 3rd st (center of face), turn and slip into first st on chain, turn, CH 7. DC into the 3rd st. 1 DC. CH 3 and turn
Nose:
-SL into 1st st of chain, SL into next st of chain, CH 5, SL into 5th st of chain (after the center), skip a dc, DC into next st. CH 1 and turn
-SC into each st (8sts) CH 1 and turn
Mouth:
-skip first st, SL st into next 5 sts, on the last 2 sts remaining dec 1 sl st (6 sts) turn
-CH 5, SL st to last st, CH 1 and turn
-SC across 5 sts, SL st at edge of bottom jaw
Abbreviations:
SC = Single Crochet
HD = Half Double Crochet
DC = Double Crochet
SL = Slip (stitch)
CH = Chain (stitch)
Break yarn (leaving a longish tail). weave yarn through nose, and tidy up the eyes by weaving in any loose chains under eyes (if necessary).
now your skull is ready to be attached to a long chain for a necklace -- or use it as decoration!
the pattern for this coiled crochet medallion uses the bullion or roll crochet stitch. it's pretty fun to do, but takes a little practice before you can do it in one easy swoop.
the pattern and instructions for the little coiled medallion necklace is below...or if you're not so inclined to crochet, you can find the crochet necklace in the shop. bullion stitch instructions
the actual bullion stitch is done by wrapping your hook 5-10 times (start small for practice) somewhat loosely, but very evenly. insert into your foundation stitch, wrap once, pull through foundation st. wrap once and pull through all of your loops. wrap once and pull through last loop.
PATTERN
*size C needle
*small thread
you can use any size hook and yarn/thread that you like. the smaller the daintier!
Round 1 - create loop (to knit in round) and dc into loop 10 times
Round 2 - ch 3 st, then into each dc, do 2 bullion 10-loop stitches
tie off end and weave in ends. attach to a chain and you're done!
**Pattern is for personal use only - not to be reproduced for sale, nor to make items for sale**
I wanted to put together a simple mesh crochet necklace, almost like a kerchief-style scarf. here's what i came up with. pattern is below, or if you're not so inclined to make your own, check them out in the shop. Pattern
Materials:
E/4 - 3.4mm crochet hook
DK weight yarn (I used a cotton/linen yarn)
gauge doesn’t really matter.
CH 40 sts
row 1: dc into 4rd ch from hook, *ch1, skip 1 ch, dc into next st*, repeat from * until end of the row (ending with a dc). turn.
row 2: sl st into first st, ch 2, *ch 1, skip dc on previous row, dc into next ch st. repeat from * across row. (always end row with a dc, which will be 1 st shorter than the previous row. you’re decreasing 2 st each row - 1 at the beg and 1 at the end).
repeat row 2 until 1 st remains. bind off.
to make it bigger or smaller, just do your initial chain in any odd number of stitches + 3.
**Pattern is for personal use only - not to be reproduced for sale, nor to make items for sale**
i've noticed a few ideas and tutorials popping up out there that i'd like to try around my apartment. first there was the most beautiful toilet paper roll decor from design*sponge that i've ever seen. originally designed as "kid art"...hmmmm...
i really liked the idea of it, but something about toilet paper rolls just seemed...not fitting. then i came across this design with cans!
green + sturdier than cardboard rolls + functional! i love that you can actually store things in the cans. maybe this would be the perfect decor/storage in the craft/office room.
ever since the summer, i've been plotting in my head the perfect cape for this fall/winter. it just seems like a much easier thing to make than a full winter coat. and with the ease of making it, comes the ability to make multiples ones. i could see having a new winter cape with every outfit.
originally i was inspired by this beautiful red cloak by the super talented maryy from burdastyle. she makes the most creative and beautiful clothes, all without using a pattern! i'm always envious of all of her creations.
other beautiful capes started popping up, including this plaid version worn by jane from sea of shoes. i love these rich beautiful colors.
so, in searching for a pattern, burdastyle offers this beautiful version, which they've made up in a wonderful gray wool. and no arm holes = super easy.
the cape seems like such an easy thing that it probably doesn't warrant spending the $4 on a circle pattern. so, i searched around and found this easy tutorial for cloak-making, which i'm hoping to test out very soon.
i was recently at a yard sale, where i came across a ton of vintage knit patterns, some of which are dated back to the 20s and 30s, which i believe are all now public domain. i thought i'd pick out a few of my favorites and post.
this knit bow pattern will show you how to knit a bow headband in the moss stitch (aka seed stitch) pattern. originally, i created this bow a while back for a friend's birthday present, but now i'm thinking of creating these little bows for everything. bow necklaces? and bracelets? bow ties?
the pattern is pretty simple here, and you really only need the idea to make your own. the yarn, gauge, needle size, or following the measurements in the pattern are not critical. make it as big or little as you like. all of the details i used to make this bow are listed below to make your own! also, i have a mini knit bowtie necklace in the jewelry shop!
- Worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids and Heathers) Less than 1 skein
- US #8 knitting needles
- size G crochet hook
Gauge
18sts and 24 rows = 4”
Notes
Gauge, nor yarn weight is critical for this project. For a larger or smaller bow, add or decrease cast-on stitches, making sure to keep the total number an odd number.
Seed stitch pattern: K1, *P1, K1. Repeat from * across.
Repeat for all rows.
Pattern
Main bow:
Cast on 13 stitches.
Work in seed stitch until work measures 5.5 inches.
Bind off in pattern.
Loop:
cast on 5 stitches.
Work in seed stitch until work measures 3 inches.
Bind off in pattern.
Headband:
Using crochet hook, chain stitch 3 ropes about 20 inches long (or size to fit around your head).
Piecing it together:
To make the bow, wrap the loop around the center of the main bow and stitch it together on the backside. Run the 3 crochet chains through the back of the loop and join to the beginning of the chains.
**Pattern is for personal use only - not to be reproduced for sale, nor to make items for sale**
i know, the holidays are like, a quarter of the year away still, but i like to give everyone a little something handmade, and hate feeling rushed when there's two days before christmas and i *only* have to finish knitting and sewing a million things. so, just to get started a little early this year with some ideas, this will be part 1 of the handmade holiday gift ideas. this set includes quick knits and crocheted items.
item: denim knit kerchief
pattern: from the book last minute knitted gifts. (i checked this out from my local library). OR a similar free alternative is the silk kerchief.
yarn: i used elann den-m-knit pure indigo cotton (1 skein)
perfect for: daughters, moms, nieces, or perfect for just about anyone, probably a female, but whatever -nobody's judging.
notes: i made it out of denim cotton and like to pretend like i'm a robber when i wear it.
item: oh my god these are so cute - mitts!
pattern: french kit (4 euros)
perfect for: daughters, moms, nieces or any female whose hands need stylish warmth.
notes: i love love love these! i currently ordered up some peruvian pure alpaca to make these beauties (for myself...ahem)
item: knit purse
pattern: ipbolaget.com (free)
perfect for: daughters, moms, nieces, grandmas, aunts, or any female
notes: i haven't personally knit this one up but it's been in my queue for a while. i love how simple and clean the design is.
item: amy march slippers
pattern: tiny owl knits (free via ravelry)
perfect for: anyone who has feet
notes: adorable! this is on my queue, and i will be making them...for myself.
item: urchin beret
pattern: ysolda teague via knitty (free)
perfect for: women with heads
notes: i made this (again, for myself...selfish) and love love it. it was so simple i made most of it during a meeting at work, and wear it constantly throughout the fall.
item: owlets
pattern: roman sock (free)
perfect for: children or anyone who doesn't hate animals
notes: i've yet to make these, but again, on my list (i even bought the eyes). looks like a perfect way to get rid of that fuzzy lion brand yarn that would actually look good all matted-up on this owl.
item: finally something for men! a cute hat with a twist at the top.
pattern: marsan watchcap (free)
perfect for: men! boyfriends, dads, grandpas, uncles. or women too. i think it would look nice on women. but i've been seriously lacking in my gift ideas for men, so here you go.
ok, that's enough for now. but i've got many more and will do a handmade holiday gifts part 2 soon.
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