Right now, layering 2-20 bracelets couldn’t be more popular. I’ve found myself doing this quite a bit. I’m not one to sport a ton of bracelets, mostly because they get in the way as I type and work on art projects. These leather bracelets are so low profile, I don’t notice them much at all. If this isn’t your cup of tea, check out my other bracelet tutorials. I have enough for you to decorate both of your arms.

Friendship Bracelet • Double-Wrap Bracelet • Magic Braided Bracelet

Bow Bracelet • Bow Cuff • Wallet Cuff • Twisted Leather Bracelet 

Check out the outfit here.

Why not stock up on some leather scraps & make a few more with me? If you’re looking to get leather scraps, head over to your local upholstery shop & ask if they have any leather scraps they’re about to toss. Often times they do. They’re typically big enough for a project like this & you’re doing the Upholstery shop a favor by helping them put scraps to good use. Alternatively you could purchase scraps from your local Tandy Leather supply or online from Freshly Picked.

Read the tutorial after the jump!

Adjustable Knot Bracelet

Supplies:

• leather
• scissors
• nail polish or beads (optional)

Cut your leather into a thin strip to the desired length (I just cut a really long strip, like 3 feet). If you don’t have leather strips long enough, use the following technique: Cut your scrap into a circle.

Cut your leather strip from the small scrap by cutting in a spiral. Try to be as uniform as possible. Variations in width add character so don’t be afraid of messing up!

A 6 inch circle will make a lot of string. A LOT. So you really can get away with a small bit of leather.

Take the ends and, using Chelsea’s tutorial, make the adjustable knot.

NOTE: Chelsea’s tutorial is ideal for smaller string. When working with the leather strips, use the above diagram for tying the first knot, then flip over to the opposite side (so your orientation for the second end is the same as the above diagram) and repeat. The knots will lie mostly flat this way. Once you’re done with the knots, you’re done!!

. . . OR . . .

OPTIONAL: Before you tie the knots, thread the leather with a leather placket, beads or a metal placket. I painted the striped pattern with some nail polish on a strip of veggie tan leather. It’s porous, so it will accept paint and dyes. This is not always the case depending upon what leather (or vinyl) you buy. If you bought a patent, sharpie markers & paint pens work magic!

There you have it, my friends. Go and make a bracelet with nothing more than a small scrap of leather and some scissors. Click the button below for the printer-friendly version of the tutorial.

• Terms of Use •

This tutorial/freebie is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without my consent. I love getting shout outs from around the web, but please, link with love. Do not copy this text, publish more than 1-2 photos or outright steal this idea for commercial publications. If you would like to use this tutorial for commercial purposes, please email me. Thanks!

(see how the wide collar gapes?)

I found a fantastic mid-length dress at Ruche (Way to go, Ruche, for offering mid-length dresses & skirts this season!), but I had the sneaking suspicion that the neck would be too wide. That proved to be true. This idea for a refashion hit as I was debating whether I should keep it or not. I decided it was worth the $40 risk. 

I used a piece of leather to gather the back into a bow-like shape. It doesn’t change much of the neckline, but it does tighten it down a bit so that when I bend over, my girls don’t show.

I’m glad I took the risk! I’m excited to start working this into my regular wardrobe.

Read more for how to do it yourself! You’ll find yourself finishing this refashion in a matter of minutes. It’s really that easy.

Put the top on a dress form & mark the centerline & where you want the gathering to stop. For me, this ended up being about 10-11 inches from the top of the dress. Grab a friend to help you mark the spot if a dress form isn’t available.

Figure out how big a “knot” you want. I used leather, but you could definitely use a tube of jersey or anything else for that matter. If it’s not leather or felt, finish the edges. For me, it was 1 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches.

Make a slit slightly smaller than your “knot” piece, where you made your marking in the first step. Add fray check around the edges for extra stability.

Thread your leather/knot piece through the small slit & sew ends together along the back side. Since my top was actually a dress, there was a lot of weight pulling on the slit I made, creating an ugly gap. I reinforced the slit by hand sewing it into the pleats & the knot piece.

Add more fray check for extra stability.

Turn right side out & enjoy your family-friendly slouchy top!

You’ll love how it looks from the back, you’ll want to wear your hair up. Enjoy!

• Terms of Use •

This tutorial/freebie is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without my consent. I love getting shout outs from around the web, but please, link with love. Do not copy this text, publish more than 1 photo or outright steal this idea for any publications. If you would like to use this tutorial for commercial purposes, please email me. Thanks!

I doubt I’m the only one with this problem. Or am I? I bought these PacSun jean leggings through Groupon at an insanely low price ($5? I’m in.). I was concerned that the fit was going to be a bit tight on my legs, but I ordered just as the size chart suggested. Sure, I fit in my jeans, but they weren’t very comfortable. In fact, they’re too loose in the waist & a bit too tight in the legs.

I’m sure I could’ve taken them back for a bigger size, but unfortunately I had already ripped off the tags. Instead I decided to make them bigger & thankfully it worked! Here’s how:

1. turn your jeans inside out – make sure there’s at least one non-felled seam down your pants
2. sew along the inside edge of the surged seam
3. unpick the inner seam & remove any stray threads
4. launder & wear

This little tip will give you about 1/4-1/2 inch of extra leg room in each pant leg! Easy peasy! You just need to know how to sew in a (relatively) straight line. For best results, do this on a dark wash pair of jeans. If you do have lighter washed jeans & you want to cover up the unpicked line, you might want to try a tuxedo approach like these J brand skinnies (as seen on Taylor).

See how you can’t even tell that I added 1/2 inch of leg room in my pants? I know for sure I’ll get a lot more use out of these ridiculously cheap jeans.

Click here to see outfit details.

When I had Penelope, the biggest shock to my system was that I couldn’t just get up & do things quite like I used to. I was tethered. It caused a lot of frustration for me, but it was (and still is) a good learning experience that I can slow down, do what I can & enjoy the small stuff.

I made this little “friendship” bracelet to serve as my reminder this year. It took about 5 minutes to make. I whipped one up for Penelope, too. Hers says: Love You. I told her that it should remind her that I love her very much (even when I put her in time out). What word or words do you want to live by this year?

• T U T O R I A L •

• S U P P L I E S •

• hammer
• leather scrap
• leather string
• hole punch
• X-acto knife or scissors
• tape
• letter punches (optional)

Print out the pattern, provided in the download, cut out & place on your leather. You’ll want to add tape below the pattern & on top to secure it while punching holes & cutting out.

Cut out the leather, then punch the holes. Remove the pattern & burnish the leather if needed.

With an X-acto knife, cut a small slit into one of the holes. Start small. If you need, you can make the slit bigger, later.

Take your string & tie a knot.

Thread the knot through the hole without the slit leaving the knot facing the right side of the leather.

wrap leather & string around your wrist & thread unknotted end through the slitted hole. Make a mark at the desired length, then take off your wrist.

tie another knot near the marked line & trim the ends. You want to leave at least a 1/2 inch tail on the end that goes through the slotted hole.

Make the slot bigger if you need more space for the knot.

Make one for you & one for a friend. Enjoy!

• O P T I O N A L •

Stamp a little saying or word onto the front of your bracelet.

Click the download button below for the printable version of these instructions & the pattern template.

This tutorial/freebie is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without my consent. Altering the file NOT ALLOWED. If you would like to use this tutorial for commercial purposes, please email me. Thanks!

I didn’t get around to laser cutting the bracelets before my first gift exchange, so I cut 5 of them by hand. I did 5 in under 2 hours (while watching TV). So you can tell that these things are easy to make! There are only 4 days left until Christmas, but that’s more than enough time to head to your local leather shop & make matching leather bracelets for all of your girlfriends (and their pets).

• S U P P L I E S •

• 2-4oz leather or industrial felt
• pattern piece
• 1/2 inch buckle
• scissors
• hole punch
• hammer
• needle
• coarse thread or sinew
• packing tape

• I N S T R U C T I O N S •

If you’re a pet owner or have a friend who is, these bracelets could double as a cat/dog collar. Just add a D-ring & a doggie tag! Also, if you’d like to win one of the lasered bracelets, click here.

Wasn’t that easy? Click the download button below to download a printable version of the instructions, supplies & the pattern.

This tutorial/freebie is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without my consent. Altering the file NOT ALLOWED. If you would like to use this tutorial for commercial purposes, please email me. Thanks!

I guess you could consider me a major scrooge since I don’t really decorate for the holidays. Or any holiday. In the past couple of years (including this one) we’ve moved just before the holidays so I haven’t really had much time to prep for them. Also, I hate buying Christmas decorations. We’ve always been really low on storage space (until now – we have nearly 1300 sq feet of storage space in our new place!), so if it doesn’t fit in a tupperware box, I’m not going to buy/make it.

My mom was always a huge decorator for the holidays & I have such fond memories helping my mom decorate the Christmas tree. It’s definitely something that I want to get into at some point, but perhaps not now. Definitely not until we’re settled in a place for more than a year. So with that said, if I do get around to putting up decorations for the holidays, they’re usually low impact decorations: they don’t cost a whole lot & they don’t take up a whole lot of space. The Hourglass Ornament tutorial over on CraftSnob falls under both of those categories.

Click here to see the full tutorial at CraftSnob.

Even thoughts of quitting blogging have crossed my mind. *gasp*

I know I’d shrivel up & die if I did that.

Thankfully, I planned on participating in a couple of guest post series the end of the month so those have helped me get my rear end in gear. From here on out, you can expect to see me post more regularly. I’ve got some fantastic projects in the works.

Check out Kojo Designs to see the full tutorial on how you can make your own iPhone/iPod + wallet case. It’s super easy & I’ll bet you’ll have one finished within the hour!

You’ll be surprised that this case fits a myriad of electronics. It works for the iPhone 3G – 4s. It works on the touch & would be surprisingly compatible with a few other smart phones. It’s one of those simple patterns that could be easily adjusted for you!

• • •

Hi everyone! My name is Holly and I’m from elevencupcakes. I am so excited to be on ISLY today (one of my favorite blogs!). We have been thinking up some fun ideas for a kids Thanksgiving table for the past few weeks and I am super excited to be sharing how to make this ‘Thankful Box’ with you today. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Kids’ Table: Thankful Box

Thanksgiving is a great time to remember all that we are thankful for. We made these simple ‘thankful boxes’ for each child and had them at their table. While they wait for dinner to start, kids can write, draw, and remember all that they are thankful for this year.

• S U P P L I E S •

• Altoid tin
• white spray paint
• 3″x10″ strip of white paper (fold 3″x2″)
• scrap paper
• markers

Spray paint the altoid tin white. You may need to do a few coats to cover it completely. Take the 3″x10″ piece of paper and fold it over 2″ back and forth, so that you make an accordion. Decorate the white paper with scrap paper and stickers. Once the altoid tin is dry, tape one end of the accordion paper to the bottom of the tin. Decorate the outside of the tin with scraps of paper. We printed the word ‘thankful’ to attach to the front as well. Put out markers and pens to kids can write and draw all the things they are thankful for.

We also made a ‘Thankful centerpiece’ for the main table.

• S U P P L I E S •

• 6 pieces of paper 10″x7″ long (folded in half)
• Scrap paper and stickers
• Pictures
• Tape and markers

MissE shares exactly how I skinnified my jeans back in August, but with actual process photos. Additional tutorials on how to skinnify your pants can be found here: Freshly Picked • I’m Topsy Turvy • Cotton & Curls

• • •

Hey friends! I’m MissE from Made on Main, and I love finding opportunities to create and recreate. Melissa is a super refashionista, so I thought I’d take a shot at altering some of my jeans to take them from “bum” to “fun”. (I tend to use dorky phrases like that a lot.)

I have a story for you. My legs are short, my torso is normal, and jeans are always problematic. My favorite pair of jeans are skinnies from Hollister in 1 short, yet somehow they’re still too long for me by about 2 inches. I’m sure you all have so much pity for me. Anyway, I had some very faded out jeans I was super into, but their 2000-esque flair and crudely cut-off bottoms made me feel a little like a bum every time I wore them. I decided to take action and skinny them, and I couldn’t be more happy with the results! The steps were really quite simple.

1 | I turned the jeans to be altered inside-out, and laid them out, legs spread. I laid my existing skinny jeans on top, lining up the outside seams of the two jeans. Then, in a highly scientific fashion, I copied the outline of the inseam onto the jeans to be altered.

2 | Using a simple basting stitch, I followed the line I had drawn on my jeans. I tried them on (which is surprisingly difficult when they’re inside-out) and determined where I still wanted to bring the seam in a bit tighter. Once I was comfortable with the seam, I followed up with a zig-zap stitch for reinforcement. If I wanted to get more wear out of the jeans, I probably could have used a sturdier combination of stitches, but I think I’ll wear holes in the knees before the seams wear out. I cut off the excess and flipped those babies right-side-out.

5 | I folded the bottom hem over twice and stitched across the top of the fold for the cuffs.

4 | Then I modeled them, of course. I love my new skinny jeans, and they’re actually the right length for me!

I think my next project will be a skinny refashion AND dyeing them a rich purple, like the skirt I did here. It’s such a quick and easy way to get a “new” pair of jeans!

Thanks so much for having me over, Melissa!

My friend just had a baby girl a few weeks ago & I’ve had a few goodies lying around the house waiting to go to her. Since we were going to be visiting her yesterday, I thought it was high time I wrapped up her gift.

Isn’t that cardigan just so sweet?!? I found the sweater, it was hand crocheted (?) I’m assuming and I made the little onesie. I think they’re just adorable together. I needed a little box for it all so I whipped up the above box lickety split. I thought I’d share with you how I did it! This technique is perfect for little treats & gifts! Hope you enjoy the tutorial!

• S U P P L I E S •

• card stock or heavy paper. I’ve doubled up two sheets of regular paper before with great success, too!
• ruler
• bone folder or scorer
• paper cutter or ruler & X-acto
• sewing machine

First, you want to figure out the size of your desired box. I usually just wing it when it comes to these measurements. If you want your side wall to be two inches, you’ll want to measure two inches in from each edge. Makes sense? See diagram below for measurements.

Score along each line. Crease each fold, then match up each corner score. You’ll need to box out the bottom & then crease out to the corner. It’s sort of hard to explain, but in the process of matching the two perpendicular score lines, you create a 45º from the score corner to the corner of the page.

Keep those two score lines together & sew down that score line using your widest stitch. Make sure you test out your thread tension beforehand to make sure it’s tight enough, otherwise you’ll have some loosey goosey stitches in the back of each seam. It’s not pretty. Also, I used a zipper foot in order to sew this seam. I just need a straight stitch & I needed the foot to be as small as possible to get a straighter line.

Trim the excess with pinking shears. Another method which I find a bit cleaner, is to sew the flaps to the sidewall with only a few stitches on each side. The measuring for this is a bit trickier. You have to make sure those two flaps are long enough to overlap in order to sew. So you make sure in your measurements that the sidewall is longer than 1/2 of the length (plus 1/4 inch) of one of the bottom measurements. Example: If I want the box to be 4 inches by 5 inches, I need to make sure the wall is at least 2 1/4 inches tall so the flaps can be sewn together. Make sense?

Check out the video ABOVE to see how I did this.

A big thanks to American Crafts for sending me their CUTUP trimmer. It’s fantastic! Check out the video above to see all of its bells & whistles.