Zipper necklace tutorial on Cut Out and Keep

My zipper necklace tutorial can now also be found from Cut Out And Keep craft community Projects.

Cut Out and Keep craft tutorial favorites

I´ve posted all my trashion tutorials on Cut Out And Keep craft community. I feel that it is an easy-to-use website with just the thing when looking for new craft ideas and instructions. Many craft sites have tutorial forums, but I find them a bit hard to use since you have to post all instructions and images by using html-code and you can´t browse projects wit pictures. With Cut Out And Keep the text and image uploading is easy, you can edit your posts when needed, you don´t have to size down your images and you can post as much steps as you want. You are also able to favorite the how-to´s you like and search them by category or other tags, like material. They also feature tutorials and instructions for cooking! Here are some of my favorite how-to´s from Cut Out And Keep craft community.

Scrap textile coasters tutorial by Jewels.


Elle magazine tie-on slippers tutorial by Tissuepapers A.


Comb bracelet tutorial by Impybat.


Square yo-yo´s tutorial by Sunshine h.


DIY dress form / fitting dummy tutorial by Myam


Leather belt cuff tutorial by Tucker.


Coloring and shrinking plastic tutorial, for jewelry and craft projects by Impybat.


Guitar shaped bag tutorial by Myam.


DIY inspiration scrapbook tutorial by Cat Morley.


DIY envelopes tutorial by Cat Morley.


Plastic cup light fixture tutorial by Sparkleball Lady.


Denim storage boxes tutorial by Holly B.

The art of shortening jeans - Darts

How many times have you left a great looking, worn down pair of denim in to the shop because the legs are too long? I love denim and it kills me every time I see (an expensive) worn pair of denim shortened just by CUTTING them. I´ve been working with denim for years and shortened more jeans for my friends that I can remember. So far I have come up with about six dfferent ways to shorten them (depending on the fit, wash and style).



Darts are the perfect solution when you need to lose a lot or just a little length from the back leg of your jeans, but none from the front. The leg will curve to the back but it will look surprisingly straight when the jeans are worn. Fast, simple and hardly visible!

This is the second denim shortening tutorial - DARTS at Cut Out and Keep craft community. The photos and instructions can also be found from my Flickr Trashion Tutorial Set. The first tutorial was about shortening bootcut jeans.

Isn´t it amazing where 1 1/2 inches (8cm) on extra-length just disappheared! And no cutting needed. So... If I ever wanted to open the darts up again to add length, it is possible! I use only one dart (sewn to hem) if I need to shorten the denim 1/2 inches (3cm) from the back, but leave the front un-touched.

The art of shortening jeans - Bootcut

Picture: www.diesel.com, Doozy 71J

How many times have you left a great looking, worn down pair of denim in to the shop because the legs are too long? I love denim and it kills me every time I see (an expensive) worn pair of denim shortened just by CUTTING them. I´ve been working with denim for years and shortened more jeans for my friends that I can remember. So far I have come up with about six dfferent ways to shorten them (depending on the fit, wash and style). Here´s the first tutorial for shortening abraded/washed bootcut jeans on Cut Out and Keep craft community. The basic idea is to be shortened with an "invisible seam".



Bootcut jeans cannot be shortened with a straight seam because the sewing lines are not the same length. In this tutorial you´ll see how to shorten jeans with a curved seam - no matter how flare legged your bootcut jeas are!

When you are done the jeans are about 3 cm (1/2 inches) shorter from the heel than in front, but they seem to be the same lentgh when you have the denims on. Except that the heel won´t slip under your foot all the time. :) Finally you have bootcut jeans that can be worn with flats and high heels. And nobody notices the extra seam in the bottom...

New tutorial on Cut Out and Keep - Fusing plastic bags to fabric or knitwear

I posted a new tutorial on Cut Out and Keep DIY community about fusing plastic bags to fabric or knitwear. You can find all my step by step How To Projects there.



This technique can be applied if you want to make your own House Of Holland -styled tees!

Many have asked me can the plastic be washed in water and will it crack. I washed this tee very carefully by hand in water and the print stayed on surprisingly well. Plastic can handle water, but not the mechanical stress of thumbling around in a washing machine. Knits I do not water wash.

The plastic hardens when it cools down. It will crack eventually! The more layers you apply, the harder the plastic gets and the easier it cracks... The good thing is that it can be re-melted at any time. Thistechnique is more of an temporary effect that can be ripped off after one evening. The plastic comes off really nicely with out harming the garment. I recommend using this only on loose fitted clothing, because I noticed that the plastic comes off if the fabric/knit is stretched.

Maybe the best solution is to first melt one layer, let it cool down, then SEW a zic-zac along the edges of the plastic pieces. It might help the pieces to stay on better. Finally melt an identical second layer on to the first one with stitching so the two layers will be bound together and the stitching is covered. I have not yet tested this but to me it sounds like it could work!!