Pika-chooooooo!!!

I did it! I made the Pikachu hat! And with plenty of time to spare! ^_^

(pic up soon, I promise!!!)

As I mentioned in my last post, my brother gave me orders to make this hat for him which he had seen on Secretlifeofabionerd!

Inspiration from Secretlifeofabionerd

My bro gave me until Tuesday to make this hat! But I've actually finished it today!

It was actually rather a fun project to do! Really easy and I couldn't help but smile as the piece started to take shape and look like Pikachu!

It was recommended that you use a stretch fleece, but unfortunately, after trekking all over Dublin city centre... I could not find a fabric store that stocked a yellow stretch fleece (or a stretch fleece!). So I popped into Penneys (Primark in Ireland for those that don't know) and purchased a XL mens yellow tee for €3 after some advice from the staff at Fabric Select (who were very very lovely!).

I still have enough left to make a second hat!... should I? (I think my brother would kill me, either that or die of embarrassment if that his sister has a matching hat! hehe!)

Bina :o)

Teddy Bear Ears

This is a cute little soft hat that I made from an old hoodie that was being binned anyway, after I got it CAUGHT on a bush which ripped a hole in the side!

Secretlifeofabionerd recently posted up a tutorial for a Cosplay Pikachu Beanie Hat. I was watching it when my brother happened to creep up behind me to attack me, but thankfully, he then got distracted by the coolness that is this hat!!!

He had now demanded that I make this hat for him, and he has set me a deadline (Tuesday, 3rd August)! ^_^ Don't worry, I was actually excited by this! He's never asked me to make him anything before and I'm looking forward to making it for him!

But I needed to make a test hat! (I do tend to fail in my sewing conquests! ...and I didn't want it to be a complete and utter disappointment to my bro when I rolled up to him with a pathetic hat... hehee!)

Teddy Bear Ears Hat

So, I whipped up this teddy bear ears hat with an old red hoodie and a white tee I got for free! It's a wee bit small for my head! But I think it'll make a nice little present for my cousin's little girl!

KL Cao of Secretlifeofabionerd actually has this hat on sale in her online shop. It's where I got my inspiration from.

Inspiration from http://klpigmentshop.weebly.com/

I might add a similar bow to make it even more kawaii. Anyway, for now, here's ho

w it looks!

The front

The back

Bina :o)

Bow-tastic!

I know I said I was going to start off easy... but even I surprised myself with this one... (Before making this, I did not have the confidence in myself to produce something that was of a good standard!)

This piece looks so well!!! I'm so happy with it! I was thinking about this project for a long time, but now I am so happy it turned out so well! (I could also have worn it as a headband piece but I didn't have time to take a photo!)

This was the last of the first cotton print fabric I ever bought and I was so glad that I had enough in my scraps to make it! It is such a gorgeous paisley print with enough lilac to make me feel pretty!

Oddly, I found the instructions on lovesewing.com unclear. It seems to skip steps and I had to just improvise, for example, the bow itself seems to just be seamed in the tutorial. But I actually sewed it right sides together and left a gap to flip it inside out.

I also found, when marking the fabric, that the measurement were a bit small. So I added a bit of extra bit to each amount... even still, I think the next time I make one, I'd like a bigger bow, and a longer tie...

I have to admit that I would have not have had the motivation to do this on my own. I ended up giving this piece away as a birthday present. I was making this piece anyway, when I was informed of plans to attend a friend's birthday, albeit, slowly with lots of procastination. But once I confirmed that I was going to head out for the birthday, I instantly focused my attention on finishing the project and I ironed everything before sewing (which I don't always do! I know... big sewing faux-pas!)

But I feel the best motivation for doing anything is when you are doing it for others rather than yourself.
What's the point of having a gift, a passion, a talent... if you don't share it?

I hope that the girl I gave this to, feels as pretty as I did when I wore it!

Bina :o)

I need a drink!

... of OJ!

Unfortunately, over the last while, my creative juices have not being flowing the way I want them too... in fact, they're pretty much non-existant.

I feel as though I have lost a bit of my identity in the last few months. Finishing up at university and more significantly, having no concrete plans for the future have left me lost. I have no purpose in life, and this has had a huge impact on my wellbeing. I feel like I have lost myself in the last while and I am determined to get back to me!

So I'm gonna TRY and start sewing again, boost my creative juices... with a bit of orange juice and a SMALL but significant (to me) sewing project!
I'm going to try out this gorgeous bow tie neckpiece from Kaitlin of myvintagesecret.com.
She posted up this tutorial on lovesewing.com a while ago. I instantly fell in love with this when I saw it... so let's see how I get on!

Bina :o)

Dress Form Tutorial

Hi guys,

I have badly needed one of these forEVER (well, that's what it feels like!) And I had been doing a lot of research online about looking into buying a dress form when... guess what! The internet came to my rescue! Make your own body form... (one that is FAR more accurate to your body shape...AND significantly cheaper....yes please!)

All you need is duct tape, scissors and a tshirt (or black plastic bag).

Saw this idea originally on Threadbanger. This video is great! :)

But also, I read that there was another video available on Mimi Goodwin's blog.
But for some reason, Mimi's video would not load for me.

So I decided, since I was gonna be making one anyway... I might as well make a video for others to check out as well! :)



Note: This is not an original idea by me, it is simply my attempt to produce something I need in a cheap and resourceful way! :o)



Hope this video helps you!

Special thanks to my bestest buddy for helping me tape myself up! lol!

Bina :o)

Recycle Scoop Neck Tee

I absolutely love this tee... but I wanted it to be more fitted, so that it would show off my womanly curves, rather than highlight my boyish build! haha!

So I thought I'd DIY-it and alter it!

Feel less of a bum in it now! :o)

Here's a before and after shot!


I figured I might as well make another video tut... cos I had so much fun making the first one! So here it is...



Bina :o)

Finding Old Treasures...

Cleaning out your room can be such a drag!!! :( Until... I found some gorgeous pieces of fabric!!!!! Unfortunately, they were random sewing scraps that I picked up from some shops... the leftover segments... but they look absolutely fantastic!!!

And I just know I have to do something but what to do?! I was thinking... *I know... it hurts so much!* lol!

A bustier top...?

...and then, pair it with a high waisted skirt to form a lovely dress ensemble... It's pinned quite roughly below just so I get an idea of what it would look like all together!

I took a quick pic of me pinned into it!! (I know... the teeshirt looks so bad with the ensemble! bahaha!)

Here's take two without the tee!!

Can't wait to get started on it! It looks fab! (And that's without even starting to sew it!) Eep!!

I have enough fabric leftover to add a bow to skirt to tie two pieces together! :o)

The skirt... is SO OLD, I can't believe I have gotten rid of it yet! I bought it back in 2004! :-o This is gonna be such a great way to revive this old skirt! Yay! It actually sits at the hips, but I think that if I take it in, it'd would look great high waisted!

Of course, after getting so excited about this new project... getting my room cleaned, just didn't happen! lol!

Bina :o)

My new Yoshimi "Gilet" Vest

Been meaning to post this up ages ago!

I had been wanting to make this forEVER!!! Saw it ages ago, and I finally got round to it back in Nov! It's an upcycle job, used to be boring unflattering linen pants... they were uber baggy and did not look well on! The only part I like was the button detail on the front!

Yucky Linen Trousers

And now, ta-da!!! I have myself a new "Yoshimi Gilet Vest" :) Yay!!!!


But the weather is here WAY too cold for it, so now, I'll just have to wait until the summer! I'm so excited!!

Bina :o)

Lace Cuff Bracelet

I went to Hickey's and got a few bits and pieces (mainly lace) ... cos I've been quite bored over the Christmas break... and I knew that I had to do something to keep myself occupied! My creative juices got flowing and before I knew it, I made myself this little lace cuff bracelet in the afternoon...

I had been planning on making myself some sort of accessory. And when my friend saw all the lace, she remarked on how it all seemed quite garter-like! :o) Which kept me amused whilst I was doing this project!

So with my supply of lace, I went wild...



The tulle lace I bought which was already elasticated... which made this project a whole lot easier!

Sewed the fancy lace on top of the stretchy tulle and turned up my creative dial... added some pearls and chain to decorate, and ta-daaa!!

Lace Cuff Bracelet

This was such an easy project to do, that I decided to post up a little video tutorial. (Sending a little shout out to SecretLifeOfaBioNerd for empowering me and giving me the strength I needed to do what I've always wanted to do... be creative!)

If you're visiting here from Burdastyle... welcome!!!



Hope you guys enjoy! If you like what ya see, follow my blog! Comment if you have any questions...

Bina :o)

N*RDie present

I was thinking of a Christmas present for my little brother, but I hadn't thought of any great ideas...

And I had this laptop case lying around, that I got as a college freebie! A company, trying to attract graduates for recruitment purposes, was handing out laptop bags that were branded with their logo[it's been blurred out in the pic below].

Normally, it's only pens and rulers that you get, but I jumped at the chance to grab something different...it's just what you do as a POOR college student! haha!

Before: Laptop Bag Lying around

Anyway, I decided to applique something over the logo and give it to my brother as part of his Christmas present. I had kept a bunch of socks that didn't have a pair... and I had a scrap of fabric leftover from other projects.

So I decided to applique the word, nerd on it. [Decided later to applique 'N*RD' ...kinda neat, eh!]

After: Laptop Bag with Applique lettering

Bina :o)

Projects so far...

Hi all,

I have mentioned that I have done a lot of projects already! So I thought I'd just post them all up... (just in case u thought I was all talk)...made a lot of random bits and pieces already... some pressies, some for me (hehe...I'm so greedy!)

Anyway, here they are... hope you like them!

(Pic will be up soon!)

Be Proud Of Where You Come From

This is the first thing I ever did on my own... it was a really loose boys tee ...we have tonnes of these! Don't know why, but we just FEEL the need to bring back loads of tourist-y stuff back from every visit home to Nepal, so I turned it into a fitted tank! I found that them straps are not as easy to do as ppl say! Maybe that's just me tho! I am often the ODD ONE! :o)

Purple Floral Print Blouse Top

This was my first proper official project on a sewing machine! I went to a sewing class and everything for it! Bought proper fabric, and ribbon, and a spool of thread! Ten weeks, for two hours of learning how to use a sewing machine properly and some good old girly gossip as well! And this was the outcome!!! Well worth it! :o)

Flower Denim Skirt

I made these from an old pair of skinnies that I absolutely loved!! I thought it would be easy enough... just snip off the legs and cut a straight line through! But then, when I started to do it, I realised, "not so much!"... I wanted a skirt, not a belt!!! So I cut it to the length I wanted... and then realised, it wasn't as easy as that... the crotch bit had to be sorted first! After a lot of pinning and rejigging, I did it!!! And it looks fine! And I added a little custom flower to it, looks uber cute on!

Knitting Projects

I made a few ventures into the world of knitting and crocheting... and I made these little bits and bobs... I've got quite the knack for it! I originally started to make the scarf first (sometime LAST YEAR, probably, summer '08!) and obviously, it took AGES so I got a wee bit distracted... But then I started to crochet this summer and I tried out the hat first, then I made the cute little baby booties!

I'll post up more, so keep an eye out!

Bina :o)