DIY Friday: v-neck redo

When you think about constructing a garment, it may be a bit daunting, but it really isn't. Especially a t shirt.  You just need the fabric, the pattern, the seeing machine, the iron, the thread. With this project I'm taking some of the steps out of it. 

This project does take a sewing machine... 

But if you have a crew neck or a short vneck that you want to customize into a longer vneck, this is the DIY for you! ; ) 

I'm all about longer v-necks. It looks better on my décolletage. And you can buy men's t-shirts for the roominess & bagginess without compromising a femininity in a t-shirt. 

What you'll need: 

Sewing machine

Pins 

Thread 

T-shirt (I got the tshirt from target men's section)

Knit

Embroidery thread 

Needle

(You can also do a u-neck. But make sure when you cut the neckline you curve the cut. )

I used a patterned rayon jersey as the 

"new" neckline, and I must say, I wouldn't probably make more necklines with material, unless the tee is rayon jersey aswell. 

Iron out any wrinkles the neckline fabric has. And starch it. 

Then cute a strip about 20"x2 1/2in.

Fold the fabric over and starch and iron.

I serged the edge of my neckline, but if you do not have a serger, just use the raw edges.

Then you'll want to find the center front & back, by using the shoulder seams back to back, pin together.. Mark the centers, And then eyeball where you want you V to start. The cut. Back to front. Starting at the neckline seam and then gradually making a longer V.

See?

Then mark the center back. And the middle of the neckline strip.

Then pin the middle of neckline to the center back. 

Use your sewing machine and start sewing. 

Stitch a second seam.

Sleeves:

I then folded the sleeves. Folded the sleeves up twice.

Pin the sleeves in place.

Then use your needle and embroidery thread to stitch 1/4in segments 3in apart. Totaling to 4 segments each sleeve.

Any then you are done! 

It was a bit complicated but not terrible! If you need any help, don't be afraid to ask! Here's my email: www.styledbyryn.com :)

Have a great Friday! -Ryn

DIY Friday: Button Cardigan

Have y'all been enjoying the DIY's?! I need your input & feedback! Please comment below! 👇👇👇

This is probably the easiest ways to change a look of a garment. It's so easy, it only took me about 20 minutes! (And I took pictures) 

I won & bought this sweater off of eBay, for $23.00!!! It's all cashmere, big and slouchy, which I wanted and totally the perfect color! I'm guessing you can now call me an eBay ninja! (Just kidding!) but around the same time, I won/bought a turquoise ring too! 

So, I for one, didn't want to look like a man's sweater. I wanted a feminine touch to it. So what I did was change the buttons. It's easy peasy! 

Go get yo supplies together:

Small Scissors or seam ripper

New buttons ( I used glass & covered buttons, I mixed & matched the buttons, it gives it character!)

Thread 

Needle

Cardigan

Step 1. Lay out your cardigan. 

Step 2: snip buttons of the sweater.

Step 3: It should look like this.

Steps 4 & 5: thread your needle. And tie it off.

Step 6: pull the thread through the sweater. 

Step 7: load your thread with a button. (And no, there isn't an invisible button on that thread, I just forgot to include a pic for this step!)

Step 8. Attach the button securely by tying it off. 

Step 9: snip the remaining thread.

Step 10: yay! We're 60% done!!! Only two more buttons to sew on!

Step 11: and done! Complete! It's cute right?!

P.S. Save your old buttons, in case you ever decide to give or sell your sweater. Or use the buttons on a different garment. You'll find a way to use them again, I promise!

So there ya have it! Let me know how it goes for y'all! I'd love to hear! 

Oh and there's upcoming things I going to share with y'all soon! Can't wait! 👏☺ 

XOXO, Ryn

DIY Friday: Elbow Patches



Since it's a bit chilly where I live, its still a great time to utilize sweaters! And by borrowing from the boys, we can add elbow patches to sweaters or anything that has long sleeves, and have be oh so chic!

 

 

What you'll need:
Marker
Pattern
Fabric (I've used everything from sequins to denim to moleskin! You can pretty much use anything)
Embroidery thread
Needle
Scissors
Pins
Iron

What you'll want to do is try on your sweater, stand in front of a mirror, bend one elbow, take a marker and put an X where the tip of your elbow is, then repeat.

Then you'll want is take the pattern of the elbow patch, lay it on the fabric of your choice, cut out the patch.

Next lay the sweater on a flat surface, elbows facing up, where you can see them.

Then place the patches on the X part, try to make them even. Then you'll pin the patches in place.

 

 

You will then thread your needle with embroidery thread (it come with 6 strands I use 3 strands, since its a bit thick using all 6) and I like to use the blanket stitch, but you can use any stitch you'd prefer!

(Here is a tutorial for blanket stitching : HERE)

And run a stitch along the borders of the patch onto the sweater. I usually fold under the raw edges and stitch, you are more than welcome to leave the raw edge and every time you wash your sweater you'll see frayed edges, which would be cool! P

Then you will tie off, and I say press it with the touch of a hot iron!

And then you'll have an awesome kind of sweater!

One other thing you could do is change out the buttons, maybe to some chic flashy buttons. It takes any ordinary sweater to the next level for sure!

 

You'll want this shape... But it doesn't have to be perfect!!!
Yayyyyy!

XO -Ryn

Happenin': Taught at ETAD

So the last weekend in February, I taught for two days at Education of Textile Arts Dallas conference hosted by the Ever so lovely Peggy Sagers from Silhouette Patterns( if you sew you need to go to her site and buy her patterns, so worth it!), about sewing, fabrics, patterns, DIY's & style/fashion. I had 10 wonderful ladies in each class. It was soo much fun! Wish it didn't have to end! : ( but now I'm looking forward to next year and anything that arises this year!
www.silhouettepatterns.com

Seriously! It was so much fun! I only regret not taking a group picture, so I can show you how beautiful they were! 😔😊

So the second class I taught was on getting out of the box: pairing different prints with the patterns you are using. And making yourself appear youthful in your dressing & wardrobe.

One of the things I told them was how they should mix prints, say, a stripe and a polka dot in the same garment/outfit, or mixing stripes with florals, or florals with polka dots, florals with gingham. It's youthful, but not over the top!

If your not trying to wear your daughters clothes, but you still want to look hip and cool, just tweak the way you buy fabric and use patterns.

Just because you have a pattern that gives you 3 pattern pieces in it, doesn't mean you can't switch it and make, say the yoke in a stripe, the back in a solid and then for the front add a punchy floral print! The skies the limit! Or color block, if you made a tunic, you can use one fabric for the body of the tunic and for the sleeves pair it with a whole other color.
It's easy once you wrap your head around it! : )

So if you can tell, I'm still pumped about that weekend! You'll see throughout, I will blog about new things! I would really like to incorporate DIY's, sewing, beauty finds and of course styling & shopping! Also thinking about a face lift for this blog, more of an update per se! Super excited! Another thing, I'll be having more guest bloggers writing for me too! So definitely subscribe and I'm also on bloglovin as : styledbyryn
So please feel free to comment and ask questions!

P.s. I had this lady in my class, for both days, and I was thinking oh my goodness this lady's skin was so pretty, I wonder what she uses on her skin, she looked about 35! Guess how young she actually is, 5-0!!! When I grow up I want my skin to look like hers! Oh my goodness! ( and the great thing is, her mom told her never use anything on your face! And she hasn't!) gorgeous skin, I tell ya!

P.s. if you were in my class I would love to hear from you and see your projects you've been working on!

Have a beautiful day y'all! -Ryn

Soul Searcher: Happy Valentines Day, y'all!

Soo, I had this really awesome idea to make cute, cunning and funny/quirky valentines... But the chances of me actually doing them are mighty slim... Since I still have yet s boatload of sewing & paperwork to do before next weekend for ETA Dallas! : /

So, I'll greet you with these kind words:
Happy LOVE Day! Eat chocolate. Laugh. Be spontaneous! Pay it forward. Buy someone coffee. Don't do anything you don't want to do. Find love. Expect love. Love LOVE. Love people. Love God. Be a lover of His presence. Send presents. Give Love. Surprise someone. Be a lover not a fighter. Smile. Get dressed up. Be a hermit and stay in. Love on someone!

Love each and everyone of ya!
-Ryn

Procrastination & a Birthday...

Everything seems better than trying to do an outline for some classes I'm teaching at the end of February at ETA Dallas! I've cleaned my bathroom, my bedroom, organized my jewelry, wrote this and put away the final part of Christmas... (I know it sounds bad!) and I've been thinking about how I am turning 25 in the next two weeks! : / I love my birthday, but I'm a quarter of a century! What have I done in my 25 years of living?! I was talking with My friend Holly, and I let these words come out of my mouth: "what do I have to show for it?" And she said:"if you dont see something you like, change it!" Brilliant words, right?! So this year I'm going to do at least 26 things I haven't done yet that I want to! I'm excited about it too! 25 is about taking risks! Life & fashion : ) The Lord be with me the entire time too! : )

Question for you! What was your favorite birthday memory ever?!

-Ryn

Organizing a New Year : )

So I may have started something before I knew how to finish it! My studio is a chaotic mess! I'm trying to clean and organize it but it seems as if the mess is getting bigger! Have you ever felt like that?!
I needed to take a break and get my mind on something different! While cleaning I've had on NeedToBreathe, to make it a livelier task! But still slightly overwhelming! Before I had a studio, my creative corner was in my bedroom! Not the smartest choice! But so Thankful for an extra room now : ) Not sure why I started a feat like this when I'm taking a trip in a few days... But I decided to attack this project early on... : / It's January right? The organizing month! I can do this! : )

I may have to design some business cards first... You know.. to pump up myself for more organizing ; )

All this to say Happy New Year!!! May each day bring us unspeakable joy & may this year flourish with opportunities, expectancy & grace! Let me remind you, The Lord is always Faithful! If it's seems struggling this year, remember He's always faithful! I always seem to think of like a game show on TV where you're supposed to earn so much money but when you reach it, The big-wigs match your money and double it! The Lord is the same way! He will match what you are believing for and double it! He wants to bless ya! Love y'all! - Ryn

Lord help meh! (He will) I'm ready to get back into making clothes and jewels : ) and selling them too!