The First DIY Of Lets Hope Thousands More!

FINALLLLLY its here, the first of many many more DIY tutorials. Boy do i hope you like it!

A while back in dunelm mill shopping with my mum in the fabric department (this was back when the textiles was a priority) she wanted to buy tie backs, for the african fabric curtains i made for her en-suite (a whole other post which im sure i'll eventually get round to photographing). So we had a quick looksy at the tie backs they had, and at £10 each (not even a nice colors to match or stand out), i was adamant that i could DIY the basic braid tiebacks, from a navy tshirt for £2, and save her a hell of alot of money. So i did.

             But after looking at the end braid tie backs, i thought it would be cool to turn it into a versatile belt, or scarf, or even bag strap (though additional rope would be needed for strength).

Scarf DIY, t-shirt H&M, Shorts Primark, Shoes New Look, Watch D&G.

This is the basic tutorial, to which you can make anything your crafty minds can conjure up, and i am making mine into a nice neck tie (as pictured finished in photos above).

You will need.. 

• one very baggy tee in the color of your choice (im using a mens XL tee, courtesy of matthew)
• a pair of sharp scissors
• water soluble marker/tailors chalk.
• Ruler
• Two rubber bands/hair bobbles
• Hair clips and a bobble to help fix the strips whilst you braid (optional)

Start by removing the sleeves (cutting away the seams), and then cut down the shirt under the armpit (As shown above) to get a more proportional straight rectangle shape.
Next depending on the thickness you want of the tie, and the amount of strips you want at the ends deduce a measurement. The tie i made had 7 strips per section of the braid, and they were 1.5 cm wide. I like the overall look of it, but next time i intend to use less strips but thicker ones. Remember when you pull the strips later they will curl.

Taking my 1.5cm measurement, i laid the tee flat and measured from the seam of the neck to the end of the shoulder, making marks at every 1.5cm with my water soluble marker pen.

I made snips with my sharp scissors at each mark too.

Next insert the scissors at the cut mark, and cut from the shoulder seam down to the end of the front of the tee, in a roughly straight line.

Then repeat for the back of the tee. Making a strip, with a seam in the middle joining the two pieces.

Repeat these steps for the whole of the shirt, this is the boring repetitive bit so, cup of tea and music recommended!  If you have a rotary cutter this will save you time, use a ruler as a guide to ensure you have straightish even strips. 

The idea to have from the shirt is the longest possible strips of the tshirt, and to have strips in a multiple of three, plus an extra one. However, if you can only make a suitable measurement and get the multiple of three, have no fear as the side seams you cut away can be reused for this purpose.

Unpick the hems of the ends of the strips, this will give a ragged fringing look that curls better and, overall longer length strips.

Also i havent photographed it, but i cut the shoulder seams in at angles on the ends, giving almost a triangular shape. This i find hides the seam a bit better when you then braid it later.

Next detangle the strips, and separate them into three sections. I had three piles of 7 strips, and one strip left over, which is perfect as you will need an extra strip later.

Flatten the ends of the strips, and layer them on top of each other for each section. Then pin together (or use a hair clip). Then using a hair bobble tie the three clipped sections together close at the ends.

Now begin braiding, you can use something like a book, or a friend to hold the strips in place. You can braid very tightly or loosely depending on the effect you want to get.

Now secure the ends with elastic bands, leaving as much or as little fringing as you want at the ends. Remember that you will loose about 1.5 inches of the braids length if you want to fix them together.

If you wanted just a plain untied braid that you can tie and layer as you please, then this is where you use that convenient extra strip i mentioned, cut in half and wrap over the elastic bands tightly. To secure the ends tie a knot underneath then push the ends underneath the area you have wrapped.

This is what the open braid would look like (however mine is pictured without the elastic bands covered)

If you would rather the tied version of this tutorial, then you line the elastic bands up. Line them up so that its the fringing against the braid either side of the band (you will see what i mean in the final photographs) This gives more of a loop/tube shape. I personally prefer this structured shape.

Once they have been lined up, take that spare strip and begin tightly wrapping around the two strips squashing them together (basically tying to get a tube).

You want to ensure you keep pulling taught and wrapping in a 1.5-2 inch area.

Tie a knot then tuck the ends under then VOILA. Your done.

Hope you liked the tutorial, i already have some requests of friends to make them some.

If you want to do your own, for whatever reason thats fine :) but please link back.

I would appreciate any comments, and answer any questions, you have.

stay creative xx