Cheap Style Tip

Cheap Style Tip of the Week:

Read the post below this one. Then get out there and find that wallpaper store! Free paper, here we come!

The First of Many... Tutorials, That Is

Here, at last, is the first tutorial. I have become completely obsessed with making this pretty little headbands; some for friends, more for myself.

Aren't they adorable?

May I also say, I now have a greater appreciation for free online tutorials. It takes a lot of work to put these together! I am in awe!

Here's what you need (I bought all supplies but the glue gun at Walmart):

Headbands. A pack of 5 costs $3.50. Also, they are made for little girls, so they are uber comfy.

Ribbon (2-in wide, unwired). $2 a roll.

Extras (silk flowers, more ribbon, beads, buttons, feathers, etc.).

Here's what you do:

Begin by positioning the ribbon like this behind the headband. (This is the inside of the headband, the rest of it is coming towards me, behind the camera.)

Make sure the shiny side is facing out and the ribbon is at a sharp angle. (It is difficult but VERY important to keep the sharp angle of the ribbon while you wrap the headband. If you are not careful, you will very soon find yourself wrapping around and around in circles.)

Glue down the raw edge, then begin your first wrap. Use a small line of glue on the underside of the headband to secure each rotation of the ribbon.

Continue until you have wrapped the entire headband.

Cut the ribbon, fold raw ends under, and secure with hot glue.

Now you can decorate your headband however you like. For a simple flower, cut out circles of various sizes, layer them, and sew them together with beads in the middle.

Cheap Style Tip of the Week:

Why not try handmade for gifts? If you have a crafty or artistic side, and you're willing to put some time and effort into your projects, the results are often well worth the effort... not to mention, making your own gifts can be cost efficient. Extra plus: the receiver knows you spent time thinking about what they would like, and you can personalize each gift with to match that person's taste. Need I say more?

The Pillow Project

Here are some pillows I made this week... I've had the fabric for them since last summer, but never got around to just putting them together.

I'm glad I didn't, because I didn't find this adorable ruffly design until this month! It's from a "snowdrift pillow" by V and Co., another blog I really enjoy keeping up with. She has a lovely aesthetic--I always love her color combos. For her (excellent) step-by-step tutorial on this pillow, click here.

Anyway, she made her pillow out of flannel, and I used upholstery

material. Why? Because I was looking through clearance fabrics at

JoAnn's for fabric to reupholster a pair of armchairs I got for free, and I found this fabulous toile! I am a toile fanatic. Love the stuff. It's so classy and chic. There wasn't enough left on the bolt to cover a whole chair, but I just couldn't put it down... thankfully, I found a whole bolt of fabric to use for my armchairs--a gorgeous seafoam green for $5 a yard, and it matched my toile perfectly! The brown patterned fabric was a remnant find--it is also upholstery fabric. If I make any more, I want to use a chocolate brown flannel. Yummy!

Now, because upholstery fabric is stiffer than flannel, sometimes I found it difficult to sew the blossom/ruffle pieces together securely. After turning the pillows inside-out and stuffing them, I went back around the ruffly bits and tacked down the edges so the raw edge underneath wasn't as exposed. Since they're throw pillows, and rather small, and I don't expect them to get much wear and tear, I'm not that worried about durability. If I put this sort of detail on a garment, however, I would probably use a nice cotton, turn the tube inside-out after sewing down the raw edge, and stitch it more securely in place.

Cheap Style Tip of the Week:

Shop remnants and clearance fabrics! I've discovered that if you're patient and willing to sort through the purple fake fur and the neon sheers, there are great finds waiting to be discovered. Case in point: my pillows. I bought up the whole bolt of toile, which was probably about two yards... after making two pillows out of it, there's enough fabric left for me to make a skirt. Which, by the way, is another one of my favorite things.

Never seen a skirt made out of upholstery fabric? Come back soon for pictures!