Skirt hemming/Waist band removal tutorial: BEFORE and AFTER

The Story: Thrift store shopping!

 I found this skirt at Goodwill. The length made me want to cringe! But I saw potential in this interesting-or awful- fashion item. All I needed to do was chop off the length, remove the elastic waist, and fit it to my natural waist= easy fix!
After that, this $4 dollar skirt turned into an adorable,  and non-awful skirt. ;)

  The Alteration: 

-FIRST find out the measurement from your natural
 waist to your knees (or where ever you want it to end) and then add
 2" inches to that length.
-NEXT mark your length measurement down the front, all the way around the skirt so you end up with a "line" of pins(see picture). 

Once you've pinned all the way around the skirt,
cut at the pinned line all the way around.

TO HEM: Turn down a half an inch, then iron.
Next turn down 1 and 1/2" inches all the way around, iron and pin.

Since the circumference gets smaller as it gets to the waist, you have to do some
 of these "tucks" in the hem about every 8 inches or so. 
(Don't worry you can't see them from the outside.)

If you happen to have buttons down the front, make sure the hem lines up with each other.
(One side being longer then the other is not cool, hipster, or unique in any way.
 It's dorky :) .... fix asap! haha)


Now how to fix the offensive elastic 
waist band in the back... 

Rip all the seams surrounding the elastic waistband leaving the front
 waistband intact.

The elastic is now gone.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

To cut out the new "back-of-the-skirt-waistband", I used a piece of the hem that I had cut off. Since the hem already has a finished edge, use that edge for the top of the waistband.

(To find what the measurement is, simply measure the empty space where your old waist band used to be and add a 1/2" for seam allowance. SUPER simple.)

***Now make sure you sew the bottom of the waistband on first, and then the sides.

(Right side to right side of course)

Don't forget to put the finished edge at the top! ;)

(If you'd like to keep the belt loops, pin them onto the waist band before you sew the band to your skirt, then hand sew the top of the belt loops on.)

After that YOU'RE DONE!!!!!

Belt: Goodies, undershirt: Francesca's, jacket: Ross, necklace: Garage sale, 
Pendant: created by Elennna Flautt. :) (see tutorial for pendant:

 http://fortheloveofclever.blogspot.com/2012/03/copper-tape-necklaces.html)

_________________________________________________

I SPY: the photographer and her model. :) 

***Thank you Susannah Flautt Photography 

for letting me drag you to down town Franklin for the
 photoshoot of my newly altered skirt! <3 

... and it's all "For the Love Of Clever" :)

Copper Tape necklaces!

    I was inspired by "copper tape" (a.k.a. Stain glass foil), to make some pendants!

($7.99 at Hobby Lobby- They also have black and aluminum.)


Off I went in search of pendant materials to 
cover in COPPER TAPE.

I found this piece of "sea glass" in Maine.  (I believe it's a broken piece of an old 20th century bottle.)
  (p.s. I ADORE Sea glass!) 

This believe it or not, I found in my drive way. :) So classy I know! haha

Here's my process...

Covering it is super easy. Just make sure you press it down well around all of the edges!

For rounded objects like this, I wrapped the tape around the top of it. 
(With more weighty items you might need to glue the copper tape down.)


And now to make the hook that attaches the pendant to it's chain... 

I used .26 gauge.

Cut a small piece of copper wire.

I used needle nose pliers to make the perfect "circle". (If you don't have these pliers then get them ASAP! They are very useful.)
Then, while still holding the wire with the pliers, twist the ends 3 or 4 times.

I glued the "circle hook" on the back of the glass using super glue.
  You could also use hot glue though it might not be as sturdy.  

...and you're DONE! 
The possibilities are endless! You can turn practically ANYTHING into a pendant. I hope you have fun creating your own necklaces and remember that even things from your drive way can turn into something clever. :)


Here's how I wear mine!
(And it would seem that I can't ever wear one necklace at a time.)

....and it's all "For the Love of Clever" :)