Astar's Craft: How to turn a plain fitted jacket into a Channel - 'look- alike'
With Astar
How to turn a plain fitted jacket into a Channel - 'look- alike'
Things to gather
Most materials can be purchased at Spotlight
Plain inexpensive fitted and quite tailored jacket - look in 'op'
shops
Fancy gold or silver embellished buttons - to replace existing
ones
Silver or gold chain
Braid trim in a colour that will stand out when fixed to
jacket
Pins, needles and matching thread
Method
The placement of your trim will depend on not only the
width but also the distance of button/hole positioning.
Once you have this sorted, pin trim down both fronts and across
back. Repeat around cuff of sleeve.
At each end of braid, turn over a good centimetre, before stitching
to make neat and close.
Hand-stitch braided trim into place.
Remove existing buttons and replace with new.
If you have pockets, trim them with braid as well or several drops
of chain, hand-stitched at each end so that they gently cascade in
controlled loops. Don't make the drop loops too long as they
might catch.
2. Faux Chanel Chain and Pearl Necklace
Things to gather
Several metres of either gold or silver chain, this can be
purchased at Spotlight or look in Chinese Emporiums.
Pearls in various sizes
Ribtex Crystals - they come in drop lengths.
Jewelry-maker's tools - especially pliers
Small 'o' rings
Closing mechanism - connector toggle/ring - these come in various
sizes (go for the bigger ones as they are easily to work
with).
Gold or silver head pins - 15gm - go for the longer
variety.
Method
Decide on how many drop lengths you want.
Lay them out flat on a work surface allowing sufficient drop
between each chain.
Open a chain link at each end of each drop and then rejoin to from
drop lengths.
Add another several chains at each end, before fixing toggle/ring
as your closing mechanism.
Mark the middle of each drop with a little piece of cotton.
Take a pin wire, and thread on a small crystal followed by a
pearl.
Repeat until you have sufficient pearls threaded to fix to each row
of chains.
Determine the interval spacing desired then work from the middle
out, by threading a wire through a chain link, pulling it through,
before twisting around back down on pin. Use the wire cutters
to remove excess wire.
Squash the cut portion so that it doesn't dig into your skin.
NOTE - the chain is CHEAP and does not respond well when misted
with perfume!
(Broadcast 29 May 2012)
