DIY Sailor Chic
Issue #36
By Venus Zine Staff
Published: August 1st, 2008 | 11:10am
A number of the big-name designers are pimping their “cruise collections” these days, but you don’t have to spend a cent to look like a million bucks. Whether you’ll be in the Bahamas or at yo’ mama’s this summer, this feature will show you how to transform your own closet blues into the perfect seaside ensemble.
Altered halter
By Sara Graham, designer and craft editor
From dude’s work shirt to altered halter, get ready for a casual-cruise creation
Supplies
• old button-down men’s shirt
• chalk
• scissors
• sewing gear
1. Lay shirt flat. Starting at back of neck, 2 inches from collar, mark a dotted line with chalk that goes over the shoulders and to the front. Continue to the front, and draw a diagonal line from shoulders to underarm. Repeat for the other side. Cut along the dotted line.
2. Cut a straight line across the back under the armholes. Remove sleeves and excess fabric. You will have a halter shape in the front with the collar providing the neck.
3. Fold over 1 inch of all edges of front of shirt and around the neck and pin to create a hem. Use zig-zag stitch on sewing machine 1⁄4 inch from the edge of the hem (or backstitch by hand), stopping on each side of shirt where the side seams start.
4. Try on your halter. The back will be unfinished and way baggy, so you’ll need to pin the back, pinching the excess fabric until the front looks how you’d like it to fit. Place a pin in the back of the fabric so it is pinching fabric equally on each side of pin.
5. Carefully remove halter by unbuttoning it. Check out the back, and measure the pinch of fabric you pinned. If you pinched 5 inches, you’ll need to chop 5 inches from each side of the back panel — that’s 10 inches total (remember, the “pinched” fabric has two sides).
6. Cutting up side seams, remove back, and unpin it, measuring and cutting excess side fabric according to your fitting in Step 5. You’ll now have a rectangular back piece.
7. Measure so that the back panel is 8 inches tall. Fold 1 inch around all edges and pin. (See photo 4.) Sew 1⁄4 inch from edge, around rectangle to create new, finished back.
8. Pin the back panel to the front of shirt, lining it up directly under the slope of halter “arm holes.” Sew up side seams.
9. Finish raw and original side seams by folding them and hand stitching them. This will create a finished “tail” of the front of shirt, which you bring up to tie in the front.
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Flirty sailor skirt
By Justina Blakeney, Venus Zine DIY Editor and co-author of 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Tie and Rock Your Scarf
Supplies
• a sewing machine (or one helluva thimble)
• scissors
• a boring jean skirt
• fabric remnants at least 3 feet by 3 feet (try using stripes for sailor flavor)
• six vintage buttons
1. Cut the waistband off of the skirt just under the belt loops. Then, cut off the bottom of the skirt (this piece should be at least 7 inches tall).
2. From the bottom of the skirt, cut out three shapes close to the left seam: one rectangle about 7 inches tall by 10 inches wide (Figure A) and two “arrow”-shaped pieces (Figures B). The remaining piece will be one long rectangular-shaped denim piece (Figure C). Cut off the left seam when done. (See Diagram 2.)
3. From the remaining rectangular denim piece, round off the edges as shown in Figure 3 to create a contoured waistband.
4. Take the fabric remnant and cut diagonal strips (about 2.5 inches wide) from corner to corner (on the bias) so that the strips have some stretch. Take piece A, and using the bias strips that you just cut, create a covered hem on both of the 7-inch sides. Cut four small slits on either side of the piece as shown, and zig-zag stitch around their edges to create four eyelets. Hem the two small arrow pieces. Hem the top edge of the piece (C).
5. Use the bias strips to create a covered hem on the bottom of the skirt. Pin the arrow pieces (B) onto the skirt where shown (about 10 inches apart). Then pin the rectangular piece (A) to the skirt’s front and center. Be sure that piece A lines up with arrow pieces (B) as shown. Topstitch arrow pieces (B) in place and sew on piece A as shown.
6. Take piece C and pin around top perimeter of skirt, curved edge down. Leave enough space to sew the buttons on in front. The top of the skirt should have piece C on the back and the sides, and piece A in front. Sew piece C to the top of the skirt, being careful not to sew over any rivets that may be in the denim.
Beach towel tote
By Jodi Kahn, author of Simply Sublime Bags: 30 No-Sew, Low-Sew Projects (July 2008, Potter Craft, $19.95)
Headed out to sea? Haul your stuff in style in this easy-to-make no-sew sailor’s tote. Made from a plush beach towel, this oversized bag is “lined” with duct tape to give it structure and waterproof the inside. The seams are “stitched” together using an ordinary stapler. The bag is surprisingly sturdy and very simple to make. You can whip it up in the morning and still have plenty of time left over to hit the beach, deck, or captain’s quarters in the afternoon. Anchor’s away!
Supplies
• large terry cloth beach towel or bath sheet, approximately 40 inches wide x 72 inch long
• two large rolls of duct tape in a complimentary color (rolls measure 1.88 inches x 20 yards)
• masking tape
• two yards of 1⁄2-inch wide twisted nylon rope (from a hardware or boating supply store)
• four size 4 grommets (holes are 1⁄2 inch in diameter), and grommet tool (from a hardware or boating supply store)
• scissors
• pencil
• matches or lighter
• staples and stapler
Note: 5/8-inch grommets (which can be found at most craft, sewing, or hardware stores) and 3/8-inch wide twisted nylon rope may be substituted above if desired.
1. Fold the towel in half lengthwise and cut out a rectangle that is 25 inches wide x 20 inches tall, with fold at the bottom. The finished side edges of the towel will now be the top edges of the bag.
2. Open the fabric up, wrong side up, on a flat, clean, hard surface. Remove any bits of fuzz or thread. Once the fabric is smooth and clean, cover it with strips of duct tape, placed horizontally and over lapping slightly, until the entire piece has been lined. Make sure the surface you’re working on will not get damaged from the sticky tape.
3. To neaten edges, trim the tape around the fabric outline, then fold the fabric in half again, right sides together, and trim sides so that the piece now measures 24 inches wide.
4. With fabric still folded in half, right sides together, staple each side of the bag using a 1⁄2-inch seam allowance. Make sure the staples are very close together to create a straight, clean line. After you’ve stapled the sides, cover the staples with a long piece of duct tape (folded lengthwise over the raw edge).
5. Create the bottom: With the bag still inside out, flatten one corner to create a triangular point, aligning the side seam with the center bottom of the bag. Draw an 8.5-inch line perpendicular to the seam and 4 inches from the corner point. Staple along the line. Repeat on the other side. Cover the staples, on the front and back, with a strip of duct tape.
6. Turn the bag right side out, making sure to push out the bottom corners.
7. Put in the grommets: Mark a point 7 inches in from each side and 1 5/8 inches down from the top edge. Following the package instructions, insert the grommets.
8. Prepare the straps: Fold the rope in half and place a piece of masking tape around the rope at the middle. Cut the rope (through the masking tape) to create two 36-inch straps. Before removing the masking tape, use a lighter or matches to “finish” the straps by quickly and carefully passing the flame back and forth over the ends. This will melt the edges and keep the straps from fraying. Remove tape. (Note: This works only with nylon or polypropylene rope, not with cotton or hemp.)
9. Attach straps through the grommets and adjust them to desired length. Knot the straps on the inside, and trim and “finish” ends again if needed.
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