Instagram - September Round Up

September, the end of the summer and the beginning of autumn.  See what we got up to on our Instagram account: 

From top left going across the rows:

1. We tried out Essence's DIY gel manicure range. Does the manicure last 10 days like they claim? Here's our review: http://goo.gl/L7OChI

2. The gel manicure looks amazing with a high shine and professional finish!

3. Remember to clean your makeup brushes at least once a month. We recommend using a gentle baby shampoo.

4. A second By Hand London Georgia Dress Pattern Hack! Details on what we did can be found here: http://goo.gl/lEQd2F

5. The front of our By Hand London Georgia Dress Pattern Hack.

6. New Chelsea boots and Dinosaur socks. I'm ready to face the day.
7. The next three patterns we're working on. We have a couple of McQueen inspired projects coming up soon...

8. Some pretty black lace we used for a quick and easy pencil skirt.

9. Our finished stretch lace pencil skirt. So quick and easy to make and a staple in any wardrobe. Tutorial will be up soon.

 

Come join us on Instagram: fashiontodiyfor or use the tag #fashionDIY so we can find your makes :)

Love,
F*2DIY4 x
@fashiontodiyfor #fashionDIY

Pattern Hack: Badgley Mischka Evening Gown for Vogue

When one of our team was invited to a black tie wedding we just had to take the opportunity to make a gorgeous gown.  Having decided on a fishtail/mermaid style dress we set about finding a suitable dress pattern.  None were quite perfect for the deign we had in mind so we settled for a Badgley Mischka for Vogue pattern (V1374) which we could use for a hack.

 

The most striking change we made was to remove the drape from the back  This was straight forward as it is its own separate piece so we just took this out of the pattern altogether.  We also cut the skirt of the pattern closer on the thighs down to the knees to give a more figure hugging shape and leave a more dramatic fishtail.  Finally we added small flutter sleeves rather than full length ones.

In general we followed the instructions which came with the pattern.  These are very clear and simple as the dress is made stretch fabric so no zips or fastenings are needed.  In the original pattern the main dress is made up of just two full length pieces (the front and the back) sewn together.  However, our fabric was not wide enough to accommodate the length of the dress so we simply cut the pattern pieces along the waist line to give us a front bodice, front skirt, back bodice and back skirt.  If you are doing this yourself be sure to add a seam allowance to your pieces where you are going to sew them together at the waist.  Finally we added a row of beads around the waist to accentuate the figure and also help cover that seam!

For the fabric we used a turquoise lace layered over a nude.  We tacked these two fabrics together and treated them as one when constructing the dress.  Although the finished dress is impressive it really was one of our most straightforward makes!

So, what do you think of our evening gown pattern hack?

Love
F*2DIY4 x
@fashiontodiyfor #fashionDIY