Saturday, July 30, 2011

CLOSET DIVA

Here is a sassy little gift you can make in no time at all.   My daughter designed this one.  It is for hanging in your closet to keep your clothes smelling wonderfully fresh and lightly scented.  You could stick one of these little babes in your drawers too.  
Dresser drawers that is............. 


She found vintage napkins at a thrift store for this one.
Four of them for a dollar!


Wild Diva!
Then she dug around in my stash and found some slinky black.  I have no idea what I used it for in the first place but I do know it was NOT something slinky for me.  It did work for this little Diva though.  When she first made it, it just didn't have enough going on.  I looked at it and decided it needed some WOW factor.  I put on some rhinestones and a little belt and buckle and some fringe at the bottom of her dress and she looks like she is ready for a wild night on the town.  (Maybe I should have made something similar for myself!)  



MATERIALS NEEDED:

  • Downloaded Pattern - Click Here
  • 2 pieces of fabric about 6 x 8 in. or use a vintage embroidered napkin or handkerchief.
  • 1 - 15 inch piece of ribbon or cord for hanging
  • Any embellishments you may want to add     

Print out the pattern and cut apart on dashed line.
DO NOT cut out the pattern. 



Place fabric with right sides together. Place ribbon on the inside, making sure it is not twisted and leave the ends exposed through the top.  This is only so you know where to put the shoulder points of the pattern.  


Pin on the pattern making sure that the ribbon ends
will be centered on the shoulder points as in the picture.
Your pattern can be positioned over a fancy corner on a napkin or any part of the fabric. You can take into account any of the design elements in the fabric you are using.   Again DO NOT cut out the pattern or fabric until later.  




Now you can sew directly on the black lines using a very small stitch,
being careful not to catch the rest of the ribbon into the seam.  Also note on the

pattern where NOT to sew.  See arrows!


Sew the ribbon into the seam only on the shoulder points and I stress again...don't catch it in the seam anywhere else.  Be sure to leave the bottom open where designated.  


When you have finished sewing you can then cut out around the entire body
preferably with pinking shears about 1/4 inch away from the black line.
 
Tear off excess paper.  Clip the neckline and curves being careful not to cut through the stitching. You don't want to get too close to the stitching on this...just a little trimming will do or your ribbon will pull out and the neckline will tear open and you will toss it in a corner and you will get all huffy and no one will get a Diva.




Turn right side out and iron but not the ribbon.  It is at this point
that you may want to add some rhinestones, especially if you use the
heat set glue back ones.  Even if you glue them on,
now would be the time because it is nice and flat.
Stuff the top 1/3 with stuffing very firmly.  You must have a firm bust don’t we all? Fill the rest with flax or rice, lavender flowers and lavender oil. You can use any scent you choose and you can use just stuffing but the flax or rice do add some nice weight to the Diva and she hangs so much better.  You can glue the bottom shut or sew it.  

I put it upside down in a can while I filled it and added the glue to the edge.
You don't have to turn in the seam when gluing, no one will see it once
you add the lace or fringe.  Just glue it shut...nothing fancy needed here!

Glue or sew on lace or fringe to the bottom to hide the opening.  I prefer to glue it as it was a lot easier to do.  I use Unique Stitch Glue, also called Liquid Stitch glue to close the opening but I use a glue gun to put on the fringe.   If you iron that Unique Stitch Glue, it dries immediately and it is a done deal! I have no idea why they would want you to wait 24 hours to let it dry when the iron will do that in seconds!  That same company also makes an iron on glue but this works just the exact same way...they are not fooling me...or you now!

Well, here is the latest little Diva.  
She will fit into my closet just fine.  
  


Have fun with this and if you have any questions, please feel free to email me.