Sweetheart Beret Tutorial

I love berets.  They're chic, easy to wear, and fit just about anyone!  Here are a few of my favorite ways to wear one..

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 The "Faye Dunaway".  Quintessential chic.

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Marilyn Monroe.  Sultry beret at a jaunty angle.

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 Nina Foch.  Simple and sweet.

Now that you have some ideas on how to wear one, let's talk embellishment ;)  I am currently addicted to "spiffing things up" with felt shapes and embroidery and berets are the perfect medium for this type of project!  Here's what you'll need:

1.  Begin by cutting a heart shape out of your felt.  When you have it the size and shape you like, decide where to place it on your beret.  Once you have it where you like it, pin it in place.

2.  Thread your embroidery needle with two or three strands of embroidery floss.  Begin sewing the felt heart onto your beret with evenly spaced stitches.  You can choose to do it with a running stitch, as I have done in the photo at the start of this post, or you can use an overcast stitch.

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3.  Once your heart has been secured, use your embroidery thread to create the "arrow".  Create the arrow point on the top, a stitch in the middle of your heart at an angle in line with the point, and complete it with the base of your arrow following the same angle.

4.You can embroider "sweet" in a few different ways.  I chose to do it freehand using a backstitch because I wanted it to have a "handwritten" effect.  If you prefer a different type of font, I would recommend printing or tracing it onto tear away stabilizer.  You can then just place it where you like on the beret, embroider over the letters and tear the stabilizer away when you are finished (be sure to keep some tweezers handy..they sometimes help to pull the stabilizer out from under the stitches.)

5.  Trim all threads and place on your head at the angle of your choice ;)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Wire Crochet Necklace Tutorial

Every now and again, I stumble across a new technique or project that is just too darn fun to keep to myself.  This is one of those projects.

I love to experiment. There is so much joy in learning to do something new, or trying out something unexpected.  (I currently have a thing for paper cutting as well..I'll elaborate on that in a later post..perhaps something along the lines of a Christmas ornament tutorial ;-)

I've been wanting to try out wire crochet since I created this pendant, which seemed to be crying out for something delicate and whimsical to hang from, so I traipsed down to my local craft store and bought some 26 gauge wire to play with. 

I didn't have a pattern in mind, but I have a working knowledge of crochet.  It seemed to me wire would be pretty much the same as working with yarn, so I just started chaining and this is what I came up with!

Here are the pattern details:

Materials

• Spool of 26 gauge wire in your color of choice
• Handful of beads (I used Swarovski bicones)
• Jump Rings
• Narrow ribbon or necklace clasp
• Size G crochet hook (or any size you'd like to try..each one will give a different result!)
• Pendant (optional)

1.  Begin by sliding all of your beads onto the wire.  You will slide them up the wire as you need them.
2.  Create a loop at the end of the wire and chain until you reach approx 16".  (Here's a video on how to chain.)

3.  When you reach the end of your chain, turn and single crochet across in each of the chains you created.  As you crochet, periodically slide a bead to the top of your wire so it nestles next to the crochet hook and crochet it into your piece.

It should look like this

Here are a few clips on single crochet and adding beads



4.  When you reach the end of your row, turn and add one more row of single crochet without beads.
5.  Snip off the end of your wire, leaving a little tail and weave it into the piece.  Then, using one of your jump rings, catch the ends of the row in the ring and close the ring.  Do the same for the other side.
6.  You should now have a 16" crochet necklace with jump rings on either end.  At this point, you could add a clasp and wear it as a choker, or, you can cut two lengths of ribbon, feed them through the ends of the jump ring and wire about 1/2 inch of the end to itself, creating a loop to secure the end to the jump ring as shown in the picture below.

(Note at the top of the picture, the wire wrapped around the ribbon securing it in a loop to attach to the jump ring.)

7.  You can wear the necklace as is, or you can use an additional jump ring to attach a pendant to the center of the chain.

I hope you'll share with me if you create your own!  Please feel free to post it here on my facebook page.  This pendant will be for sale in the ConstantlyAlice shop this weekend.

Hugs and Smooches,
D

(PS..Don't forget to enter to win a piece of jewelry from the ConstantlyAlice Pick Your Prize Giveaway!  Entries will be accepted until 10/6.)

Guest Post - The Paper Necklace Tutorial

Hey friends!  If you haven't already had a chance, head on over to Caught Frenching (my lovely friend Amber's Blog) and check out the guest post I did with a tutorial on how to make a paper bead necklace.  Funnnn!

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Home Ec Tutorial - The May Flowers Necklace

My wee Mum has a birthday coming up on May 31st.  It's pretty appropriate that she was born in the month of "May Flowers" since she has two green thumbs.  Here's a (small) example of her gardens.

So, I decided the most appropriate gift for her would be to make a necklace with a "May flowers" theme.  Here's what you'll need to get started:

• 4 different weight chains (you can re-purpose old necklaces that you don't wear anymore for this, or purchase new chain.)
• Head pins (for beading)
• Jump rings (various sizes)
• Clasp
• Flower shaped beads (I used Laliberi, which I loove, and you can find them at Joann's)
• Bicone beads
• Needle nose pliers and wire cutters
• Flower brooch

First, you're going to take one of your heavier weight chains and cut two pieces approx 9" long.

Next, take the lightest weight chain and cut it to 16.5"

Cut your third chain (preferable one with a little embellishment, like the one here) to 18.5"

Your last chain (this one has some rhinestones on it for visual interest) should be about 20.5" long.

Your next step will be to attach the 3 longest pieces together on each end with a jump ring.  Then add your shorter length of chain to each side.  When they're attached, they should look like this on each side.

Attach the the clasp pieces with a jump ring to the loose end of each of the shorter pieces like this.

Now you're going to add a few clusters of flower beads to the center chain (the one you cut to 18.5")

Start with a head pin and slide a bicone bead onto it.  (You could also use pearls here if you prefer.)

Next, add a floral bead.

Using your needle nose pliers, bend the wire to a 90 degree angle.  Clip off excess with wire cutters, leaving just enough to make a small loop.  (Don't cut too much!  It's easier to make it shorter if you need to, but you can't add length back on.)

Using your pliers, bend and shape the wire into a small closed loop.

Make several of these using different combinations of beads and then attach them in little clusters with a jump ring at even intervals along the center chain.

Attach your brooch to one side of the necklace where the grouping of chains meet the shorter chain and voila!  A May Flowers Necklace :)

If you decide to make your own, I'd love to see your variations!  Post them on my facebook page here.

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Upcycled Wool Jacket Tutorial

I have a thing for boiled wool jackets.  They are easy to find, warmer than a sweater but lighter than a coat and they come in such nice colors!  They typically range in decade from the 1960's-1980's and usually have a great shape to them, pretty buttons and sometimes have little details in the shaping or finishing of the garment.

Once in a while, I'll run across one with some small flaws (moth holes, stains etc.) or one that looks too "dated" (typically the ones from the 80's).  These ones are perfect for the project I'm going to show you.  They can be found in just about any thrift or resale shop and are very reasonable.

So, without further ado, what you will need for this project is the following:

• Felt - You can get this a number of ways.  You can wash a wool sweater in hot water.  This will cause it to shrink and you will be able to cut and use the material like it is fabric.  You can also pick up squares of felt at your local fabric or craft store.  Make sure it is wool felt and not acrylic.
• Needle Felter - This can also be found at any craft store.  I've shown it to the right, it's basically a bunch of long serrated needles attached to a handle.  You will use this to mesh the felt into the fabric of your coat.
• Foam - This is for felting on.  You need something on the opposite side of your fabric for the needles to go into.
• Thread
• Seed beads
• Yarn or Embroidery Floss
• Assorted sized needles
• Buttons (optional)

To begin, consider what you would like your pattern to look like.  I went with a bluebell pattern, but you will want to choose what suits you and what goes best with the color of your jacket.  Some suggestions are bees, anchors, roses, bluebirds or hearts.

Take the square of felt you purchased and cut out the shape that you wish to felt onto your jacket.  I did mine freehand, but you could also sketch them out or use a stencil to trace your design.

Once you have them cut (mine look like little octopus at this point :) pin them to the jacket where you would like them.  Take some time to arrange them carefully because once you begin felting, you won't be able to move them!

Now that you have them pinned, select the area you wish to begin with and place your foam pad underneath.  Take your needle felting tool and begin punching it into the shape, beginning at one side and continuing over the entire shape until it blends into your wool jacket.  Repeat with each shape you have cut out.

After your shapes are felted, you want to give them some definition.  I created a stem for my bluebells using black wool yarn and a basic backstitch.  You could also use the yarn to define the seams of your jacket if it has shaping, or to go around the outside of your object and give it a border.

Then, for a little texture and sparkle, I decided to outline my flowers with small blue seed beads and add beaded leaves.  At this point I would like to add the disclaimer that I don't bead often.  I am not sure if there is an official method for beading, but I basically bead the outline of the shape I wish to add and then fill it in.  Simply poke your threaded needle up from the back of the fabric, add a bead and then insert the needle back into the fabric as close to the initial stitch as possible.  Repeat until you have the desired shape.

That's it!  If you don't like the buttons you can change them out (like I did) but usually these types of jackets come with really gorgeous buttons.

I hope this was helpful.  If you decide to do your own jacket project, I would LOVE to see your finished results!

Hugs and Smooches,
D