Friday, January 30, 2009

I loves me some spikes

You all have been so patient lately with my atrocious posting, I believe a little treat is in order... in the form of a DIY. I know they always perk me right up, nothing like a sewing project to get the weekend started.
I realized a while back that I have a deep affinity with studs. Yes they're all over the stores and Yes they're on the runways and basically everywhere, but I just can't help it. Remember that studed fake Marni dress I conjured up? Yup, still loves it. I'm stud crazy. I want to make a stud machine and stud everything in my wardrobe, I kid you not. I'm pretty freakin obsessed.
So I thought if little wee metal pyramid studs could make me so eternally happy, then why not some ginormous spikes?! Oh yeah, I think you can see where we're going here... it's spiking time! It's not just for punch any more.

Here's some pic loaded goodness below. I'm like a 5 year old how I rely on pictures for instructions, hope you all feel the same way.

Materials: Foam sheets (craft store), scrap fabric, fabric to cover the spike (any tight weave), glue gun, sewing machine with thread.

You might want to keep in mind where you want to put the spikes later (the possibilities are endless!!) so you know how big you want to make them. Cut out a circle from a foam sheet with the radius of how tall you want the spike to be. You can use a cup or other circular object to trace the shape on the foam. I did it free hand, so really it doesn't matter if it's not perfect.
Now you want to cut a slit in the circle. The slit should cut to the middle of the circle. To make sure you're getting the right spot, try lightly bending the circle in half then cutting along the fold (half way of course).
Now you can play around a bit to see how wide you want the spike to be. You can make wider, shorter spikes or skinny pointy ones.
Grab your heated up glue gun and make a straight glue line where you want the spike to end. Quickly roll the foam over and hold it until is cools a little bit. Carefull not to burn yourself, not that I did or anything...


Woopwoop, you got your cone/spike shape! If the base is not even and doesn't stand flat you can trim it so it's even all around. This happens when you don't measure your circle, but I'd rather just eye-ball it and make a slightly larger cone in case I need to trim.

Cut or shred little pieces of the scrap fabric to stuff the spike. This makes it stiff and keep it's shape. The reason I didn't stuff it with batting/stuffing was because I thought fabric would be a stiffer hold, I don't want the spike to be too spongy.
Use a pencil to stuff the little pieces all the way to the bottom. Stuff it tight full, but no so much that the spike is bulgy and bumpy.
Get your glue gun again and glue all over the top of the stuffing and rim of the spike. Quickly press it down on some strap foam you have.
Once it's cooled, trim carefully around the base and the cone is done. Now we want to cover it with fabric to make it extra fancy...

Cut a circle in your cover fabric that's at least half an inch larger than the original circle used for the spike.
Arrange the spike in the fabric so it covers it all the way around and there's no hole poking through the top. Use a pin to show where you're going to want to sew.



Pull the cone out and head over to your sewing machine. Sew a straight stitch (with matching thread) where you marked with the pin, making sure you go all the way to the end otherwise it will have a little hole on the tip. You could also use chalk to mark out where you want to sew but because, again, I did a lot of guess work I had to re-do a few of these fabric covers.
Okay, once you've got the cover, trim the edges, flip it inside-out an slip the cone in. Make sure it fits in and not baggy. If it looks good, get your glue gun again and glue a little bit around the base of the cone then CAREFULLY press down the fabric edges on the glue. Wait about 10-15 seconds so the glue cools a little and you don't burn yourself. Use a pencil or other random object the press it down if you don't want to risk burning your poor fingers.

I decided to spike up some black stirrup leggings. How hardcore is that? Picture them, just jutting out of my legs like a dinosaur. I'm sure to frighten all in my path with my spiky wonders, muaahaha.
To stitch them on I put a shampoo bottle in the leg so it would stay stretched then I used a hand sewed blind stitch all around the edge of the spike. This part actually didn't take too long, yet I kind of rushed it. I figured nobody would be able to observe my hand-sewing technique from a distance.


Oh yes, these lovelies are a welcome addition to my wardrobe. I'm looking forward to finding lots of ways of wearing them: could go a bit Pugh-ish, could make it fun with bright graphic tees and obnoxious jewelry, heck maybe I could just start making costumes for Gwar.





I realize I haven't introduced you all to a good friend of mine: Sam Edelman aka Balenciaga knock offs. We are so very very close. We met long before the blog existed yet we don't get to go out as often as we like. A shame, really.




Now let your imagination run wild: Where to put these wonderful specimens?!
Here are some ideas to get you going. I think putting them on a geometric printed sweater would be bananas. How awesome would a body-con spiked dress be? Or how about spiking the shoulders of a blazer? Nice.

Original pictures from: 1,2,3,4,5

Next I'm going to make a headband Rita Skeeter style. Oh yes, I find a Harry Potter reference to everything...

If your thinking of trying this out its actually pretty easy, I tend to over explain things so don't be intimidated by the lofty tutorial. Hit me up with an e-mail if you make some of your own wonderful spiky creation, I'd love to see what y'all come up with.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Before I go blind...

I really need new glasses. Urgently. I can't even see out of the ones I have right now as the prescription is so old and weak. It's a good thing I only need them for reading, otherwise I'd be completely screwed.


Anyone know any eye wear stores that have a wide(er) range of styles? If money were no object, I think we all know which frames I would choose...



Luella S/S 08


I will never be over these.


Ever.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

We got the fear

We've been reading Edgar Allan Poe's short stories this week in my American Literature class, topping of the week with "The Black Cat". I don't know why but I just can't stop thinking about it. I loved the story, there is just something about it that really clicked with me, touched on some kind of hidden fear and curiosity. Alas, the genius of Poe! Every time I hear the word "cat" or "basement" I just get chills. If you've read the story, you know why!

Daaaang. I gotta say, He's pretty cool looking. He would be so hip if he was around today.
To add to this strange connection, I'm currently house sitting/CAT sitting for my Aunt this week
... and her basement is flippin' freaky. Coincidence?
To release some creative juices from this new found obsession, I did a mini-photo shoot. A crappy web cam can actually make a picture better in this case, freakier anyways.







If this was all a bit too dark for you, here's a lolcat

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Camera Shy

I've been lurking on other blogs for weeks. Neglecting my own. What can I say, I have nothing to post without a camera. This sucks.
Maybe I can swipe someone else's camera for a day to take some pictures of the AMAZING (if I say so myself) DIY I've been working on. Surely it will make up for the cobweb-collecting posts below.

For now I shall leave you with a picture I did of Tayler Warren from an old Nylon issue.
Photobucket

If you are reading this, I am shocked by your patience. For shiz, you all rock.
<3
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