Silk and Shears DIY: Rose Wedding Headpiece from Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Hello everyone and welcome to another Silk and Shears DIY, this time the first of a series of DIYs!

Today we are going to make the rose wedding headpiece from the cute mobile game, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp!

I always see so many cute things for my villager to wear, so I became inspired to make a series of tutorials of my favorite picks from Pocket Camp!

If you have other suggestions of what I should make from other Animal Crossing games, please let me know in the comments below!

Level: Beginner

This tutorial is fun and easy for anyone at any sewing/crafting level to do, and you can get creative with this however you like! In fact, I actually made a Gothic version of this headpiece earlier!

Materials Needed:

-1 Large Ivory Rose, and 1 Small Pink Rose (I bought the fake roses from Dollar Tree, but feel free to make the roses out of ribbon or fabric any way you would like!)

-1 Yard of Pink Tulle Fabric

-Pearl Decals/Beads/Buttons (Make sure they are not heavy, as they are going to be placed on the tulle!)

-Thread, Pins, and Hand Sewing Needles

-Pink Felt

-1 Hairclip

-Fabric Glue or Hot Glue (Fabric-Tac is an excellent heat-less alternative to hot glue! You can find it at WalMart for a pretty good price!)

Let's start!

Step 1

Cut out long and wide strips of pink tulle for the main part of the headpiece. The longer the piece, the more ruffle you can gather. Sew some strips together if needed to add length.

What you want is just enough to make a ruffled circle that's just big enough to cover your hand, so don't cut the strips too thin! If they are too wide, that's okay, because you can cut them shorter if you need to.

If the tulle is thin such as the one I am using, you may want to cut multiple strips for layering on top of each other.
I cut mine about 5 inches wide. Remember, it's always good to have too much at first so you can dial it down as much as you need if necessary.

Step 2

Sew the ends of the strip(s) together. I suggest overcasting by machine so the ends are stronger and the tulle is less likely to rip apart.

Gather the trips together to form tulle flowers. Layer them on top of each other.

If the flowers are too big, you can make them smaller by gathering from the top with your hand, then cutting from the top as much as you want off.

Step 3
Once the tulle flowers are sewn together, cut two felt circles.
Set one to the side for later, and sew or glue the other to the back of the tulle flower, forming a base for the roses.

Step 4
Once the main piece is done, sew or glue the roses on.
Place them right next to each other.

Pro Tip: if the rose has an unsightly center, make a better-looking center by placing a little ribbon knot or a pearl bead there.

If you are using fake roses, cut the stem off before sewing them on.
This makes them easier to adhere to the tulle.

Step 5
Time to take out the pearls!
Adhere a few pearls to different spots on the headpiece.

Step 6
Take out the other felt circle and glue or sew it to the other felt circle on the back of the headpiece.
Glue the hairclip to the center of the felt with the flat side facing the felt.

And we are done!

Now you have a cute and unique little headpiece that is perfect for a wedding!

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp (Nintendo Co., Ltd.)

Thank you for viewing and following this tutorial today!

Please remember to follow me on Instagram @silk.and.shears

If you have any suggestions on what I should do a DIY on next, feel free to leave them in the comments. I'll have more DIYs up soon!

See you next post!


-Blandis

Silk and Shears DIY: Ghost-Inspired Lace Cross Headpiece

Hello everyone! Happy Friday the 13th in a September, and welcome to another Silk and Shears DIY!

Today, metal band Ghost released a new single! My love for Ghost is so strong, I was inspired (at the very last minute I admit!) to make a Lace Cross Headpiece inspired by Cardinal Copia's colors!

For this little project, I referenced to Moi-même-Moitié's Lace Cross Headbow for inspiration!

Level: Intermediate

This DIY is just a little bit above beginner's level and for those already familiar with a sewing machine and have a pretty good sense of what is good lace quality. (We will discuss different kinds of lace and such in another post!)
Also, although there are many ways that this sort of headbow can be made, I wanted mine to be more like a hat than a bow, hence why the head piece from this tutorial is going to turn out a bit different than Moitié's.

Materials Needed:
-Black Fabric (Use a slightly sturdy fabric for this headpiece. Any opaque cotton or polyester-like fabric will do.)
-Interfacing
-White Wide Lace Trim
-1 Large Rose (This is for the center of the cross, but you can choose whichever center you would like!)
-Black Netting or Tulle
-1 Hairclip
-Sewing Machine (You may also sew everything by hand if you so desire.)
-Hot Glue (Fabric-Tac is the easiest way to go, but since this piece is for Cardinal Copia, we're using hot glue today~!)
-Hand Needles and Thread

Let's start!

Step 1
Cut the pieces.

First, cut 2 short strips of fabric, and 2 long strips of the fabric.
The long strip 10 inches long, the short strip 7.5 inches long, both 2.5 inches wide.

Cut pieces of interfacing using the fabric pieces as a pattern.
Iron the interfacing on.

Step 2
Cut the lace.

After the strips are cut and ironed, take out the wide lace and cut to as long as the main cross strips are. This lace is supposed to run down the middle of the strips.
Cut one piece for the front of the cross. Repeat for the short piece.

Once all the lace pieces are cut, sew them to the main fabric.

Overcast stitch the raw edges.

Step 3
Form the cross!

Sew the short pieces together, and the long pieces together making both parts of the cross.
Leave an end open on each piece to be able to turn inside out.
Turn the pieces inside out and take a look at the lengths of each piece before you continue.

Now there is a reason the pieces will be too long.
It's so you can easily adjust the length to however you would like.

To do this, cut to the length you want from the open end of the piece, overcast stitch the raw edge very carefully, then close with a blind stitch.

Pro Tip: It's always good to have too much fabric.
While you can always cinch in fabric, you can't recreate it once it has been cut, so be a little bit generous!

Iron the pieces down to press them as flat as you can.
Form the cross and sew or glue them together from the center.

Step 4
Time to decorate!

Get the tulle or netting and cut a wide strip or two of it. Sew the ends together using an overcast stitch.
You want just enough to form a flower that is just a bit bigger than the rose.
I cut my netting about 5 inches wide.

Form a netting flower by gathering it to the center.
For delicate fabrics like tulle or netting, I recommend gathering by hand.

Sew or glue the rose in the center of the netting flower to form the center piece for the cross.
Place the completed rose and netting piece in the center of the cross.
Sew or glue it to the cross. (I do a bit of both for extra reinforcement and for hard-to-reach places.)

Step 5
Create a little backing for the cross by cutting a little circle out of fabric and interfacing.

Iron the interfacing to the circle and overcast stitch the edge of the circle.
Sew or glue it to the back of the center of the cross.
Hot glue the hair clip to the backing.

And we are done!

Thank you for viewing and following this tutorial today!

Please remember to follow me on Instagram @silk.and.shears

If you have any suggestions on what I should do a DIY on next, feel free to leave them in the comments. I'll have more DIYs up soon!

See you next post!


-Blandis

What to know before seeing a Seamstress!

Hello everyone and welcome to another blog post!

Today I'm going to give you some things to know before seeing a seamstress or a tailor for any of your clothing repair/alteration needs!

As a seamstress, I sometimes have customers who are not sure how to tell me what they want done, or how to prepare their clothes for me, or what may need to be done before I can get started.

So here are some helpful things to do!

1. If you need something hemmed, it helps to put a pin or mark where you want it. 

The job gets done a lot faster that way, and it helps you to make sure it will be exactly where you want it! The seamstress should know what to do from there. If you don't have any pins or fabric chalks/pencils/markers, be dressed to change into the garment when you get to your seamstress/tailor so they can measure where you want the hem properly.

2. If you need something repaired or altered, always consider the sewing level of the seamstress you are going to!

If it's a small tear that can be easily fixed by hand or a button that needs to be reattached, that sort of job is usually inexpensive and not very difficult for the seamstress to do. However, if there is an extensive amount of damage, or a complicated alteration, expect to either have the job turned down because they don't feel strong enough to do it well if the seamstress or tailor is not a professional, or if they are professional, expect for the job to take a while, and be expensive to do.

3. If you are getting something commissioned, either purchase materials in advance or be ready to add the material cost to your seamstress' rate.

Most people who see a seamstress forget how much time, effort, and money is put into a custom garment, and how expensive sewing and crafting materials can be.

The average rate of a seamstress is at least $15 an hour, so always ask for an estimate of the total. Also, always ask if they take payment plans, and how they receive payment, either via app or cash.

4. Tip Generously!

If you support artists, you should support seamstresses and tailors too! In a way, they are artists as well! Tip your local artists!

So those are just a few things to consider before seeing a tailor or seamstress! It is really great to get to know one. You could save your favorite clothes, save your money from not having to purchase new clothes, and save the environment from having your clothes made more sustainable!

Thank you for reading, and make sure your garments are in good hands!

-Blandis

Silk and Shears DIY: How to make Mini Felt Strawberries!

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Silk and Shears DIY!

For this first DIY, I decided to show you something that is very easy that literally anyone at any sewing level can do!

Today we are going to make some cute strawberries out of felt.

These kinds of strawberries are often seen on old school sweet or country Lolita!

You can put these on hats, wrist cuffs, chokers, headdresses, what ever you can think of!

Level: Beginner

This tutorial is although a teensy bit meticulous, is super easy!

Materials Needed:
-Red Felt

-Green Felt (This is for the leaves and tops of the strawberries. You can pick a different color of felt, or you can substitute the felt for fake leaves and stems from fake flowers!)

-White Embroidery Thread (This is for the seeds of the strawberries.)

-Embroidery Needle

-Scissors

-Fabric Glue or Hot Glue Gun (Optional for the top of the strawberries. I recommend Fabric-Tac glue! you can find it at Wal-Mart!)

Let's start!

Step 1

Make a pattern for the strawberries. Make the pattern bigger than how you want them to come out to leave a good seam allowance.

Step 2
Cut the strawberry pieces out!

After cutting the pieces out, fix the edges a bit so every thing is even.

Step 3

Embroider the strawberry seeds!

Tip: Keep the stitches close, but not too close! If you do that, the thread will go right through and make a hole in the felt!

Step 4

Sew the main berry pieces together by hand, if not by machine, and stuff them.

I chose cotton balls for the stuffing and used a crochet needle to stuff with.

If sewing by hand, make the stitches as tight as you can. If the seams are too lose, the stuffing will come out and the strawberry will rip easily.

Step 4

Sew or glue the top on.

I chose to sew it on, but whatever works better for you!

And we are finished!

Now you can make all kinds of cute strawberries to decorate almost anything you want to add a bit of sweetness to!

Thank you for viewing and following this tutorial today!

Please remember to follow me on Instagram and Facebook!
Both are @silk.and.shears

If you have any suggestions on what I should do a DIY on next, feel free to leave them in the comments. I'll have more DIYs up soon!

See you next post!

-Blandis

The Origins of Lolita Fashion: Part 3 - The Feminist Impact

Hello everyone, and welcome to the third and FINAL part of The Origins of Lolita Fashion!

In the last part, I wrote about how the fashion came to be what it is, and where the fashion took inspiration from. (Read Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.)

Today we will discuss the feminist impact the fashion has despite its conservative aesthetic.

We answer the final question: "Is Lolita fashion feminist?"

Last time I wrote about a feminist impact that Lolita fashion has, I mentioned that in Japan, Lolita fashion was worn by girls who refused to live up to the common expectation of finding a husband and becoming domestic obedient wives, and instead dressed for themselves, and for their own happiness.

Well in the West, it was a bit different.

While many girls in the Western Goth and Punk movement preferred fishnet stockings, short skirts, lace-up combat boots, and corset tops as their choice of weapons to fight the suppressing, man-made "Good Girl" image that demonized any girl who preferred to behave otherwise, I believe the conservative side of Lolita Fashion fought a different form of suppression: an American archetype I like to call, The Malibu Barbie.

Throughout most of the early 2000s in America, most girls in the magazines and on TV were often clad in questionably tacky and revealing clothing, mostly in bright colors. Most girls featured in TV shows, pop music, and movies targeted towards young girls were also perky, white, rich, and blonde.

That made very little room for any other kind of representation that broke away from that model.

Paris Hilton during that time was a prime example of The Malibu Barbie.

Paris Hilton during the 2000s.

In commercials, if super models weren't in tight-fitted tops and short skirts eating food in a questionably suggestive way, they were in lingerie or swimsuits. They had skinny waists, perfect cleavages, and shaped butts in small panties. (Remember those controversial Carl's Jr. ads that got taken down?)

It was an unhealthy boost of hypersexualization and promotion of the super model build of women in the media, and it became a problem that still goes on today!
It was the perfect way to make girls and women feel insecure.
It was the perfect way to entice young girls into believing that if they spend money on products listed in their favorite magazines that tell them how to lose weight and look hot, they will get a boyfriend, become popular, and be satisfied.

I believe Lolita Fashion, especially Gothic Lolita, fights that.

It runs far away from the male fantasy,
it denies men the view of the naked female body,
it strengthens the idea that a girl should dress for herself instead of catering to a desire for popularity and the male gaze,
it strikes fear into people who refused to understand alternative fashion, music and culture.
and it refuses to let the wearer become sucked into the media that profits off of insecurities and low self-esteems.

Gothic Lolita Psycho 2010

To me, Lolita fashion really takes from the liberal spirit of Punk rock. The same spirit that called for people to break away from the oppressive Government and the mainstream media's idea of how everyone should be. The same spirit that called for people to be who they are and embrace it. The same spirit that tells women that no matter what they wear, they are NOT made to be objects of sexual interest, they are people who have the right to what they wear, and what they do!

Now, I am not saying that grown women can't dress however they wish to, because they certainly can!
I am saying that grown women ALSO have the right to keep their bloomers on, and their shoulders covered should they wish to, and women deserve to be seen for who they are as a person rather than by the sexualized parts on their body.

Lolita fashion, unintentionally enforces a girl's right to protect her own body from those who have little to no respect for her privacy, and her right to pursue her own personal happiness over catering to a man's wishes.

I say, that's pretty damn feminist!

So now we come back to the questions at hand.

When did Lolita fashion first begin?

Answer: During Japan's Goth and Punk movement in the late 1980s-early 1990s, and the fashion took a lot from the earlier days of that movement in its style and attitude.

How did Lolita fashion become what it is?

Answer: Lolita fashion is said to have taken a big majority of inspiration from the Victorian and Rococo eras, and that inspiration was combined with Gothic and Punk fashion to create a new style. A couple of the biggest contributors to the fashion are the magazine Gothic Lolita Bible, and prominent designer brands Moi-Même-Moitié, and Vivienne Westwood.

Is Lolita fashion feminist?

Answer: Personally, I believe Lolita fashion IS feminist. It certainly fights against the male fantasy, as well as certain forms of female suppression, even if it's unintentional.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope those wanting to get into Lolita fashion or are already into the fashion feel proud to wear it, and really feel the spirit of it!

-Blandis

The Origins of Lolita Fashion: Part 2 - The Gothic Lolita Aesthetic

Hello everyone and welcome to Part 2 of The Origins of Lolita Fashion!

Last time I wrote about what the fashion is and a little about the history of the early Goth and Punk movement that inspired the fashion to come onto the streets. (Read Part 1 here.)

Today we talk about the fashion itself: The inspiration behind it, and the biggest contributors to the fashion's foundation.

We now answer the question: "How did Lolita fashion become what it is?" 

Now while Goth and Punk began around the late 1970s, Japan's Gothic and Punk movement began in the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
At that time, Japanese youth were inspired by all the different sub genres of Rock music, including Goth and Punk, to stand out and break away from a corporate, traditionalist, and conformist culture through fashion and music. At that time, different types of J-Rock such as Visual Kei emerged from that era. Rock bands formed and quickly gained popularity underground, most notably Malice Mizer.

Malice Mizer: 1992-2001
One of the most famous Visual Kei bands.
Guitarists Mana and Közi originally formed the band.
They have had three lead singers over time: Tetsu, Gackt, and Klaha.
(Klaha Era of the early 2000s shown above.)

Lolita fashion was born within this movement.

It rose from the idea that girls should break away from the the norm, which at the time for women and girls in Japan was the "domestic and obedient wife" model, and instead pursue their own ideas, their own aspirations, and their own ways of living out life instead of centering themselves and everything they do around taking care of a husband, and doing whatever he tells her to do.

"Lolitas do not recognize any authority. They follow only the values they have chosen for themselves, regardless of what anybody might say." 

-Novala Takemoto

That kind of attitude was inspired by the heart of Punk.

Most of those girls were of course told by conformist women that they will never be able to get a husband if they dressed in Lolita, to which the response was always, "Good."

If that doesn't define what Punk is all about, what does?

As for the Gothic Part, most people in Lolita fashion argue that Mana, former lead guitarist of Malice Mizer and designer of Gothic Lolita brand Moi-Même-Moitié, pretty much set the standard for the Gothic Lolita look.

Mana took a lot of inspiration from the Romantic period, and also from the traditional Catholic aesthetic. It shows in Malice Mizer's aesthetic, and in some of the religious motifs found in the dresses Mana designed for Moi-Même-Moitié.

Album Cover for Malice Mizer's "Bara no Seidou"

Lace Cross JSK

Stained Glass Print JSK

Divine Cross JSK

Another contributor to the fashion is one of the most iconic Punk fashion designers that I believe EVERY Lolita should know of, considering that she was referenced to in Novala Takemoto's Lolita fashion manifesto Kamikaze Girls a few times:

The one and only Vivienne Westwood!

Vivienne Westwood in the late 1970s

One of the original Punk designers during the UK Punk movement, she became very popular among Japanese youth, especially when she introduced the Rocking Horse shoe on the runway in 1985.
Later on the shoes became a staple in Lolita fashion!

The Iconic Rocking Horse Ballerina Shoe

The high-fashion brand of the same name made its way into Japan during their Gothic and Punk movement. Other notable pieces are the heart bag, orb jewelry, and three strap shoes. Other brands soon followed these trends that Westwood set.

Heart Bag

Orb Earrings

Three-Strap Mary Jane Heels

Westwood pieces have been featured in a lot of manga and anime that feature Japanese Street fashion, and have been also featured in the fashion magazine for Lolita fashion, Gothic Lolita Bible. (The magazine discontinued in 2017.) Here are a few scans from my own GLB volumes.

Novala Takemoto (Right) shown wearing a Vivienne Westwood Orb brooch.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 5 

Vivienne Westwood Orb Pearl Choker Necklace and Plaid Blazer
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Vivienne Westwood Jewelry featured in an ad for Japanese brand retailer I-LOVE BRAND.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Vivienne Westwood Accessories picked by the woman above.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Closet Child ad along with an Old Baily ad featuring Vivienne Westwood.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Vivienne Westwood Accessories.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 7

Orb earrings, an armor ring, and red three-strap shoes that resembled Westwood's were featured in the Murder Mystery visual novel DanganRonpa on the character Celestia Ludenberg, a Gothic Lolita Gambler.

Celestia Ludenberg Character Design
DanganRonpa Official Artbook

Vivienne Westwood was also referenced to in the manga/anime NANA many times! Nana Ozaki, a front woman of a Punk rock band, is often seen in Vivienne Westwood. (For any Lolitas looking for an anime to watch or a manga to read, NANA is a really good one, and I highly recommend it!)

(And while we are on the subject of NANA, back at the Alternative Press Music Awards in 2017, I spotted Andy Black, front man of Black Veil Brides, sporting a very familiar look! He was wearing the popular chain necklace from Japanese Punk fashion brand Sex Pot ReVeNGe.)

Left: Ren Honjo from NANA
Right: Andy Black, Front man of Black Veil Brides, at the 2017 APMAS

No one really knows exactly who in particular started Lolita fashion in the first place, it pretty much just came out on its own. 

Why it's called "Lolita," no one really knows that either, but most argue that the name just sounded cute, and it suited the look very well.

(Just to clarify for some of you, Lolita fashion has NOTHING to do with the novel, "Lolita." They just happen to have the same name!)

But where did the frills come from? Now most say that Japanese girls took inspiration from Victorian and Rococo styles and modernized them to fit the lifestyles of most Japanese youth involved in the Goth and Punk movement. (Vivienne Westwood also happened to be heavily influenced by Victorian and Rococo.)

Marie Antoinette: 2006
A Biopic based on the life of French Queen Marie Antoinette and her reign before the French Revolution.

Victoria: 2016-Present
A British TV show based on the life of Queen Victoria.

While today Lolita fashion is mostly worn at organized tea parties and meetups, most Lolitas back then would go shopping, and/or attend underground rock shows or concerts. This meant that practicality was needed much more than aesthetic, hence why the fashion was simpler when it first began.

AKIRA in the live-action movie adaptation of the manga Ai Ore!
Ai wo Utau yori Ore ni Oborero! (Ai Ore! Love Me!)

But now comes more questions!

Why the long skirts? Why the long socks and high collars? Why have the shoulders covered? How could such a conservative fashion style come out of a movement that well, wanted to get away from that?

Wait until the next part, where we bring Western sexism in!

Thank you for reading, and I will see you next post!

-Blandis