Cotton dishtowels, 28" long by 21" wide, from Anthropologie.

Dacia Ray shares a great idea for making the most of Anthropologie's dishtowels, which might be too precious to use for their intended purpose. Try repurposing the dishtowels to use as a sewing machine cover like the one shown at Dacia Ray, or maybe as a pillow or for decorating a child's room. Many of the dishtowels have cute appliques or embroidery so they would be perfect for kids.

Silk charmeuse sash belt measuring 71.5" (1.8 m) long by 2.5" (63 mm) wide with angled ends and edgestitching.

This sash belt also works as a long scarf, especially if you make it wider, like this 5.5" wide Banana Republic scarf, this 9" wide Karen Zambos Vintage Couture scarf, or this 5" wide Porter Grey scarf. Some, like the Karen Zambos scarf and this J.Crew silk twill sash belt, are topstitched. They are generally about 2 yds (1.8 m) long.

Materials: Silk twill and silk charmeuse are common fabrics to use, but any non-sheer woven fabric would work. Heavier weight fabrics would work best for use as a belt; lighter weight fabrics should be used if you want it to double as a scarf.

Instructions

1. Cut a strip of fabric about 2 yds (1.8 m) long as shown in Diagram 1. To determine how wide the strip needs to be, multiply your desired finished belt/scarf width by two and add 0.5" (13 mm).



Diagram 1

Note: Alternatively, you can cut the fabric on the bias. With 44" (1.1 m) wide fabric, you can make a bias sash about 60" (1.5 m) long before having to add a seam.

2. Fold the fabric strip in half lengthwise with right sides together and cut the ends at an angle, as shown in Diagram 2.



Diagram 2

3. With a 0.25" (6 mm) seam allowance, sew the raw edges together along both angled ends and along the length of the fabric, leaving an opening of about 4" (10 cm), as shown in Diagram 3.



Diagram 3

4. Trim the seam allowances at each corner, turn the sash right side out, and press.
5. Finish by either (a) slipstitching the opening closed or (b) topstitching close to edge along all four sides of the sash.

Twisted fringe on the end of a wrap.

While I've shown fringe on a sarong and a scarf already, I haven't covered how to make the most popular type of fringe, the twisted fringe.

First, section off the loose fringe into evenly spaced intervals. Starting at one side of the scarf, divide the first section of fringe in half and twist one of the halves until it starts to kink. Separately twist the other half in the same direction until it starts to kink. See Diagram 1.

Diagram 1

When the two halves are twisted, hold them together at the ends and twist them together in the opposite direction, as shown in Diagram 2.

Diagram 2

Finish by knotting the twisted fringe close to the end. Repeat on remaining sections of fringe.

Zara blouse with three rows of shirring added to the waistline. The shirring was formed with elastic thread with the rows spaced 0.5" (13 mm) apart.

Tops and dresses that are full or boxy, lack a defined waist, or just need a slight change can be quickly altered with some shirring or smocking. To try this out yourself, you'll need elastic sewing thread.

Hand-wind the elastic thread on your bobbin and use regular thread on top. Be sure to sew with the right side of the garment facing up so the elastic thread will be on the wrong side. If you're sewing around the circumference of the garment, start and stop at one of the side seams (or both, especially if you think you may have to adjust the tightness of shirring). As you start and stop each row or each section of shirring, leave long thread ends and don't backstitch. After you have finished shirring, and adjusted the fit if necessary, tie all the loose thread ends.

If you haven't sewn with elastic thread before, practice sewing with it on some scrap fabric first to see how tightly you should wind it on the bobbin or if you need to adjust the tension on your machine. Keep in mind that the smocking will get tighter as additional rows are added.

Here are some ways to try this technique:

Add shirring at the bottom of the shirt (i.e., drop waist) for a blouson effect like I did with the Zara shirt and like these at Topshop and Urban Outfitters.

Add shirring at the natural waist or the empire waist of a dress or top like on this fine gauge sweater at Anthropologie, this Theory dress, and this C&C California tunic.

Add shirring to short flutter sleeves to turn them into puff sleeves like on this Urban Outfitters blouse.

Add a bit of shirring to the center front of a dress just under the bust like on this Vince sweater dress.

Viscose jersey scarf with raw edges, measuring 2.5 yds (2.3 m) by 18" (46 cm).

Perfect for a long strip of leftover jersey fabric. I was inspired by the American Apparel jersey scarf which is as basic as it gets (just a rectangle of raw-edged fabric), but seems to be pretty popular for being so soft, versatile and portable (read what Mighty Goods had to say about it). All you'll need to make your own jersey scarf is 2-2.5 yds (1.8-2.3 m) of a soft jersey knit fabric. Cut the fabric as shown in Diagram 1.

Diagram 1

You can pick a slightly sheer cotton jersey like the American Apparel scarf (which is 93" long by 16" wide). You can also try rayon jersey like this narrow Banana Republic metallic scarf (80" by 7") or this Nordstrom scarf (80" by 18"). Make sure that the wrong side of the fabric looks fairly nice because both sides of the fabric might show when you are wearing the scarf. After you cut your fabric, just leave the edges raw; the edges of many jersey fabrics curl up naturally.

They've used the flowery prints on shirts, a skirt, a makeup bag and kids clothes (really, they are all over the store). You can find the same fabrics yourself, along with other Liberty prints, at intfab.com (which has the red and pink fabric and the navy fabric) and fabricsandbuttons.com (which has the lime and periwinkle fabric).

I'll keep this page updated with any new tutorials as they are added.

1. Head Scarf

2. Wide Headwrap

3. Easy Ribbon Headband

4. Headband with Ties

5. Stretch Jersey Headband

IKEA Katarina cotton fabric, 59" wide.

IKEA Elisabet cotton fabric, 59" wide.

IKEA has some new fabrics in their stores, the bright, psychedelic Katarina fabric and the bright, striped Elisabet fabric. Also, IKEA's 2008 catlaog is now out (found via Apartment Therapy). The catalog is a whopping 372 pages long, full of ideas and inspiration.

Jersey/spandex fabric headband 2" (51 mm) wide by 17" (43 cm) in circumference.

You can find a simple jersey headband in stores for pretty cheap, like this American Apparel headband for $8. But if you have some scrap fabric or a t-shirt that you don't wear lying around, you easily can sew one yourself.

Materials: Jersey knit/spandex blend fabric

Instructions

1. For a 2" (51 mm) wide headband, cut 1 rectangle from your fabric as shown in Diagram 1.

Note for the length: You'll need a length of approximately 17-19" (43-48 cm), but it depends on the stretchiness of your fabric and the size of your head. Try wrapping a folded piece of your fabric around your head to figure out the exact length, adding in an extra 0.5" (13 mm) for seam allowances.

Note for the width: If you want a different width for your headband, multiply your desired finished headband width by two and add 0.5" (13 mm) to determine the width of fabric to cut.



Diagram 1

2. Fold the short sides of the headband in half with right sides together. With a 0.25" (6 mm) seam allowance and using a stretch stitch, sew the long raw edges together to create a tube, stopping and starting about 1.5" (38 mm) away from each end. See Diagram 2.



Diagram 2

3. Turn the tube right side out.
4. With right sides together and using a 0.25" (6 mm) seam allowance, sew the short ends of the headband together as shown in Diagram 3. It will be tricky to get the short ends to lay flat to sew them together, so you may have to pin and sew a portion at a time.



Diagram 3

5. Fold the seam back into the inside of the tube. Tuck the raw edges at the opening to the inside of the tube and slipstitch the opening closed.
6. Press the headband so that the seams lay flat.

This Built By Wendy pattern (Simplicity 3835) has been very popular this spring and summer, as you can see at Soulemama and Shim + Sons. Most people seem to think it's cute and comfortable, well-drafted, and easy to make. It's also a very spot-on style for the season--just look at this similar Puella dress that Kate Hudson is wearing. Judging by some new fall tops and dresses with the same silhouette, like these from Milly, Mint, Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent, and Anthropologie, the pattern should be perfect for your fall wardrobe as well.

Silk headband measuring 2" (51 mm) wide by 17" (43 cm) long with 13" (33 cm) long ties. The headband is connected at the back with covered elastic measuring 0.5" (13 mm) wide by 4" (10 cm) long.

Materials

• Woven fabric, like lightweight cotton or silk
• 0.5" (13 mm) wide elastic--you'll need a length of about 4.5" (11 cm), but you can wait to cut it until the fitting stage
• Safety pin or loop turner

Instructions

Measuring and Cutting

• Main Piece (including ties): Cut 1 rectangle from your fabric as shown in Diagram 1. The 44" (112 cm) length creates ties about 13" (33 cm) long; adjust the length if you want longer or shorter ties. The width range of 3.5" (89 mm) to 8.5" (22 cm) results in finished headband widths ranging from 1.5" (38 mm) to 4" (10 cm), respectively. To determine the exact fabric width to cut, multiply your desired finished headband width by two and add 0.5" (13 mm).
• Connector Piece: Cut 1 rectangle from your fabric as shown in Diagram 1.

Note: Any grainline orientation should be fine, but laying the long sides of the rectangles crosswise (i.e., perpendicular to the selvage) will use the least fabric yardage.



Diagram 1

Sewing

1. Fold the short sides of the main piece in half with right sides together and, using a 0.25" (6 mm) seam allowance, sew the long raw edges together to create a tube, as shown in Diagram 2. Repeat with the connector piece.



Diagram 2

2. Turn the main piece right side out and press so that the seam is positioned at center back (CB). Repeat with the connector piece. (Use a safety pin or loop turner to turn the pieces right side out if needed.)
3. Insert the elastic inside the connector piece using a safety pin or loop turner.
4. Sew the elastic and connector piece together at one end with a 0.25" (6 mm) seam allowance, as shown in Diagram 3. (On the other end, just leave the end of the elastic sticking out for now; you can pin the end of the connector piece to the elastic to keep it in place if needed).



Diagram 3

5. Fold the main piece in half lengthwise and mark it with chalk or a fabric marker 8.5" (22 cm) away from the fold in both directions, as shown in Diagram 4.



Diagram 4

6. If your headband is wider than 1.5" (38 mm), pleat the main piece at each mark to make it about 1.5" (38 mm) wide, as shown in Diagram 5. Pin or baste stitch the pleats to secure them.



Diagram 5

7. Lay the connector piece down on top of the main piece, both with CB seams facing up. Align the stitchline at the end of the connector piece (Step 4) with one of the marks on the main piece, as shown in Diagram 6. At the mark, fold the sides of the main piece over the connector piece (the folded sides will overlap a little), and sew all layers together.



Diagram 6

8. Test the fit by trying on the headband while stretching the free end of the elastic to the other mark on the main piece. Cut elastic to desired length, including an extra 0.25" (6 mm) for a seam allowance.
9. Repeat Step 4 with the other ends of the elastic and connector piece.
10. Repeat Step 7 with the other ends of the connector piece and main piece, making sure the headband is not twisted.
11. Remove the basting stitches made in Step 6, if any.
12. (Optional) Cut the ends of the ties at an angle as shown in Diagram 7.



Diagram 7

13. Tuck the ends of the ties 0.25" (6 mm) to the inside and edgestitch the openings closed.

...drooling over Virginia Johnson's cotton voile fabric with their bright watercolor designs.

Reading the August issue of Lucky magazine, I learned how to get rid of bleach spots on clothing. Use a Tria System Pantone Marker to fill in the bleached area. In the magazine, Tibi deisgner Amy Smilovic said to let it set for a day, then launder as usual. Stop by your local Pearl, Dick Blick, or other art supply store to pick out a match from Tria's 300 colors.