#UPCYCLE SEQUIN DRESS TO BUSTLE TOP IN MINUTES

#UPCYCLE SEQUIN DRESS TO BUSTLE TOP IN MINUTES

Made by Upcycling a sequined dress that was too tight

 1. Cut to the length that you want the top to be

2. Cutting through both lining and dress cut an arch on both sides

3. Should look a bit like this. This is the back

This is the back.

4. This the bit left over from the bottom of the dress

5, Cut it as wide as you want the side bustle to be then cut away the front and back so you end up with 2 pieces. It's a good idea to keep the finished hem.

6. With the left over bit of lining from the arch that was cut out of the top......cut a small rectangle that will be used as ribbing on the centre front and back hem on the top

7. This is where you attach it.

 8. Stitch it right sides together

9. Stitch three quarter of a cm away from the edge

10. Press the ribbing as I have in the above photo

Then fold back ready to stitch in the ditch (the bit where the sequin fabric joins the ribbing)

11. Stitch in the ditch as in above photo

12. Then on the reverse side, cut away the excess fabric.

13. Photo above shows the wrong side with the excess fabric cut away

 14. Then when it's done it should look like this on the right side.

15. On the sequin, side start sewing using a zig zag stitch to hold the lining and sequin fabric together. (the zig zag stitch allows the fabric to still stretch)

16. This shows how it should look like on the inside.

17. Take one of your pieces from the bottom of the dress

18. Open out the lining as in the above photo

19. Put the lining right sides together with the sequin fabric and work out how long it needs to be to fit the arch on the top.

20. Stitch up both sides and turn the right way round. Then press with an iron.

 21. When pressed should look like the above photo

22. The above photo show the right side. Make 2 of these. 

They will become the bustles for your top.

23. When you have done both rectangles, zig zag the raw edges to make the lining and the sequin fabric stay together. Then mark out, using chalk as I have in above photo.

24. On the actual top you also need mark with chalk notch show the centre of each side. You will use these chalk marks to line up with the bustle bit of fabric when sewing together

25. Put the bustle fabric and top right sides together.....

Very important to start sewing from the side seam going down one side, matching your chalk marks as you go. And then go again from the side seam and work your way down the other way.

VERY IMPORTANT 

You must use a zig zag stitch to sew these seams together.

 It should look something like the above picture. 

Then do the same to the other side.

AND YOU'VE FINISHED!

This is the view of the back

And this is the front.

To watch a video of how to make a T-Shirt version of the Bustle Top click on this link.

HOW TO MAKE A TOP WITH SIDE BUSTLES

ULTRAMOD lovely haberdashery shop in Paris

CHAINMAIL STYLE PURSE MADE OUT OF A SCOURER

CHAINMAIL STYLE PURSE MADE OUT OF A SCOURER

 I'm on holiday at the moment on Greek Island.

I broke my old purse so went looking in the local grocers shop for ideas for making a new one. Found some Metal Scourers used for cleaning pans, perfect!

 This is what you need to make this fantastic purse:

2 X Metal Scourers, cut open so you end up with 2 big pieces.

1 X heavy duty 8inch Zip

1 X Keg ring fog.

Strip of leather or fake leather.

 The Scourers also come in gold.

Here you can see the original Scourer and then when they've been cut open.  I used 2 Scourers to end up with these 2 pieces.

 Get your zip and see how it will look when you lay it on top.

 This is important.

When sewing this tricky fabric with the zip I really reccommend using a zig zag stitch.

Also, because I'm using a Mini JL sewing machine (always take on holiday cos it's light) which only has 1 sewing foot, I can only lay zip on top of fabric rather than embedding it.

 This is what it should look like when you have done 1 side.

Do the same to the other side.

 It's a good idea to zig zag the end of the zip where the ends are not together.

 Above is what it should look like so far.

 Get that strip of leather and pop through the kegring.

Then using a zig zag stitch, stitch into the side seam near to the edge of the zip. 

 Then fold right sides together.

 Very important!!

Before you start sewing around the edge,, you

MUST LEAVE THE ZIP A BIT OPEN.

 Again, because of the tricky fabric use zig zag 1st to go around the edge when stitching together.

Then go around again with a straight stitch, just inside of the zig zag stitch.

 When you have turned it the right way round, it should look like the above picture.

 WOW!!