Tracy Maurer - Fabulous Fashion Crafts

2010 Rourke Publishing LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Author Acknowledgments

Thank you to Meg, Tommy, Kim and the crews at Rourke and Blue Door.

Photo credits: All photos Blue Door Publishing except: Bobby

Deal/RealDealPhoto, jackhollingsworthcom, MaszaS; Travis Manley

Editor: Meg Greve

Cover and page design by Nicola Stratford, Blue Door Publishing

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Maurer, Tracy, 1965

Fabulous fashion crafts / Tracy Maurer.

p. cm. -- (Creative crafts for kids)

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-60694-341-0 (hard cover)

ISBN 978-1-60694-503-2 (soft cover)

1. Handicraft for girls--Juvenile literature. 2. Dress accessories--Juvenile

literature. I. Title.

TT171.M167 2009

745.5--dc22

2009010699

Printed in the USA

Post Office Box 643328 Vero Beach, Florida 32964

Styles change over time. Boys no longer wear short pants called knickers. Girls no longer wear , such as jewelry, hats, and shoes, give fashion its flair.

Changing Styles

may change about certain styles over time. Until the 1970s, girls who wore denim jeans to school were often sent home by their teachers. Today most students wear jeans to school, and so do the teachers!

Are you dressy, sporty, or casual? Whatever style is your favorite, you dont have to spend a lot of money to look terrific. Start your own fashion from head to toe with the fun ideas in this book.

Find supplies for these projects at a craft store or around your home. Collect ribbons, beads, thin wire, yarn, buttons, broken jewelry, and extra pieces of fabric and felt for your fashion projects. Always ask for an adults permission and help with cutting, pinning, or sewing.

Starter Supplies

Gather these supplies in a box or bucket to keep them handy for your projects.

T i P

If possible, label a new pair of scissors just for fabric. Using them on paper will dull the blades and tear fabric.

You Will Need:

T i P

Create a pattern with your beads. To test your pattern, slip the beads onto an extra strip of wire. Hold this wire against your bobby pin. Does your pattern fit on the bobby pin?

Fashion covers you from head to toe. Hair accessories top the list. This project uses a bobby pin and beads. For different styles, try adding silk flowers, bows, or feathery trim to barrettes, headbands, combs, and elastic bands.

Make a 1/2-inch (1.25 centimeters) hook at the bottom of the wire. It should look like a J.

Hook the curved end of the bobby pin. Twist the short wire tail around the base of the long wire.

Bend the remaining wire so it stands straight. Thread one bead onto the wire. Hold the bead snug to the bobby pins shorter top arm. Wrap the wire around just the top arm.

Bend the wire upright again. Repeat with a second bead. Again, hold the bead snug to the bobby pins arm and wrap the wire. Continue until no more beads will fit on the arm.

Finish by twisting the remaining wire tightly around the end of the top arm at least two times. Snip off extra wire.

Here are a few more ideas for your hair fashions.

• Make beaded dangles. Cut a 6-inch (15-centimeter) wire strip and bend in half. Thread beads onto the wire. Twist the ends around the closed end of a bobby pin or barrette.
• Add glitter fabric paint to the tips of silk flowers. Cut off the plastic stems. Glue the flowers to a barrette or headband. Use fabric strips with sticky backs to attach silk flowers to elastic bands.
• Cut 20 strips of thin ribbon, each 4 inches (10 centimeters) long. Wrap each strip around the top arm of a barrette and tie in a knot. Scrunch as many ribbons onto the barrette as you can.

Who knew that paper clips could look so pretty? Choose beads, ribbon, and a . This project also makes a pretty Christmas tree ornament in any color.

You Will Need:

Fold the ribbon in half, making a long U. Slip the U under the back of the clip and around to the front. Pull the two long ends through the loop. Pull the long ends to tighten the loop to the clip.

Slip the bead for the angels head onto the two long ends. With the two long ends, tie two knots on top of the bead.

Slip four or five beads for each wing onto each of the paper clip wires and push into place. Ask an adult to help you lift the wire.

Dab glue under the bead for the angels head and on the fronts of the crisscrossed wires. Center the ribbon rose in the glue over the crisscrossed ends. Let it dry overnight.

Tie a knot in the long ribbon ends to make the necklace.