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Free Tutorials

Free Tutorials, Sewing Secrets & Tricks, Swimwear
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November 3, 2019

Here’s My Full Guide to the Best Swimsuit Fabric & Notions

white one piece close up

I spent months testing different kinds of swimsuit fabric and notions, unfortunately with a lot of fails along the way. That's why I've put together a guide list so you don't have to waste time and money like I did. This guide includes a list of the best stores for swimsuit fabric and lining. It also details all of my favorite go-to tools and notions that I always use when making swimwear. Don't forget to save this guide as a resource to come back to for your next swimwear project! Everything you'll need to make the process easier -- and to make swimwear that'[...]

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Free Tutorials, Sewing Secrets & Tricks, Swimwear
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October 6, 2019

How to Make This Easy Bandeau Bikini In Less Than 5 Hours

woman in snakeskin bikini

If you're looking for a quick and easy, yet super cute bikini to make for your next vacay, this bandeau bikini is the perfect one! It seriously only took me about 5 hours to make (and that includes the extra time it took to film this as well).This is also a great project for beginners to try, because it really is the easiest swimsuit I've ever made. Despite the small amount of time I spent on it, this ended up being one of my favorite go-to bikinis this summer. It's nice and easy to throw on, but still makes you look fantastic. Ready to try it your[...]

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Free Tutorials, Swimwear
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April 23, 2019

How to Make the Perfect Little Leopard Bikini

woman on beach wearing leopard print bikini

 Lately I've been seeing some sort of leopard bikini like this one all over the place. So, naturally, I wanted one too!But I actually wasn't so sure about whether or not I liked the leopard fabric and also didn't want to spend all that money (seriously, when did bikinis get so expensive?!) on something that may not even look good on me.Which is why I decided to just make one myself and see! Considering that this fabric cost less than $6 at Joann Fabrics, I figured it wouldn't be too big of an investment. If you're interested in making a triangle b[...]

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Clothes and other designs, Free Tutorials
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April 14, 2019

How to Make This Off the Shoulder Shirred Top

woman sitting on step and wearing off shoulder top and jeans

Considering that this was the first off-the-shoulder shirred top I'd ever made...It was a ROUGH process.But that's partially just because this was originally supposed to be a dress, which I ended up hating and turning into this shirt to save the project.However, I learned a lot along the way and understanding now how to make this top, I realize that it's not actually that hard to do. All it takes is 8 simple steps. So if you're up for it, keep reading to find out how you can make a shirred top like this one too! Difficulty Level: MediumHere's what[...]

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Clothes and other designs, Free Tutorials, Sewing Secrets & Tricks
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January 23, 2019

How to: Upcycling One Old Dress Into 3 New Outfits

Have you ever tried or considered trying upcycling clothes before? If so, this post is for you! Hopefully it'll inspire you to try an upcycling project of your own.Upcycling clothes is one of my favorite ways to make new designs.Why?You can spend little to no money and still create something exciting and new. All you have to do is dig through your closet or hit up your local thrift store. Upcycling clothes is also environmentally-friendly and just plain fun. And, the possibilities are seriously endless!To inspire you to do some upcycling yourself, I'[...]

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Free Tutorials, Swimwear
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January 13, 2019

How to Make a Tie Front DIY Bikini Top

This DIY bikini top is one of the first swimsuits I ever made... (Successfully, at least). And other than the fact that it's super cute--and makes you look fantastic--it's also really easy to make! It took a bit of trial and error the first time I made this tie front DIY bikini top. It also took several days to make. However, I've made it again for a friend of mine since then and found out how easy it is once you have the technique down. This top took me less than a day to make the second time. That should give you a good idea of how simple it really is. This[...]

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Clothes and other designs, Free Tutorials
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August 28, 2018

Upcycling From 6 Dollar Disaster to This

Upcycling 6 dollar dress for Costa Rica trip

Lately, I've been really into upcycling. It's cheap, fun, and the possibilities are endless. Plus, it's a GREAT way to cut back on waste and reuse old materials! If you're looking for an environmentally-friendly project to try, look no further.So that's why, on a recent trip to Goodwill with my mom, I decided to pick up this $6 beauty.Here's the dress BEFORE my upcycling project: I guess it's not awful, but it's definitely far from special. Which makes it perfect for an upcycling project! Well that, and[...]

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Clothes and other designs, Free Tutorials
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August 24, 2018

Costa Rica Wardrobe – Including My Designs!

Costa Rica is full of beauty everywhere you look. And for a Chicago native, the weather is absolutely perfect! Even though I was there during the rainy season, it didn't rain much during the day. And, it meant that all the plants were still a nice, lush green. Figuring out my Costa Rica wardrobe during the rainy season was a bit of a challenge though.Going in the rainy season, I wasn't sure what to pack and ended up bringing way more than I needed (as usual). Here are the things I actually ended up wearing though.Here's what to pack in your costa ric[...]

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Free Tutorials, Sewing Secrets & Tricks
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July 20, 2018

How to Hand Sew and Why You Need to Learn

Hand-sewing is a skill I think everyone should be able to do. It is SO easy, and yet most people don't know how to do it! Once you do learn to hand sew though, you'd be surprised how often it comes in handy. Like the time I went to a wedding with friends and re-sewed a strap on a friend's jumpsuit. Or the time tightened a button on my sister's wedding dress just minutes before she walked down the aisle! Once you know how to hand sew, you get to be the person who swoops in and saves the day. Although once you've learned, maybe don't tell your friends! I'm sort of[...]

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Clothes and other designs, Free Tutorials, Sewing Secrets & Tricks, Swimwear
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July 12, 2018

My Design Fails and How to Avoid Them

Red swimsuit design fails

In this post I wanted to talk all about my design fails and how you can avoid them. And let me tell you, there are plenty to choose from. I thought it'd be this big inspirational "learn from my mistakes," type of thing, where I'd show you my mistakes and voila! You'd avoid them, just like that.Only problem is...you can't. There's no avoiding design mistakes of your own.I hate to say it, but it's true. Throughout my blog, you can see posts about all the cool things I've made both from scratch, like this bikini, and by re-making clothes of mine or clo[...]

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