By Lynne Suprock
Who doesnt' love a sale? I have a few things in my closet that are unmarried to anything. They need their other half to make a fashion statement, or at least, match. Earlier in May, I found this cool little top that I thought would match a skirt that had been hanging in my closet for 2 years.
When I got home, I still thought, aw.... something just isn't right. It is too plain. That's it. So let's make a few alterations... just a couple. Begin by removing these wooden buttons. Maybe they can be a part of another project someday.
Take one of the buttons and trace onto a piece of copper. Cut out each of the circles for your new buttons using metal cutting shears.
Mark two divots into the copper for each button, using a scribe. Then using a metal punch, 1.8mm, punch your button holes into the copper metal.
Using a metal file, and filing in one direction, clean up and smooth any rough edges around the button.
Now its time to do a bit of quick enamelling. I will make the buttons a glossy black with a white piece to give a geometric look.
You will need Kry-Fire or fine mist hairspray, a mesh strainer, enamel tivets, safety goggles, kiln tweezers to remove trivot and your enamels, and the kiln. Firing temp will be 1385 F for about a minute and 30 seconds or until the enamel appears smooth when peeking in the window with safety glasses. If the enamel appears to have orange rind skin, leave cook a few seconds longer.
Apply the spray adhesive lightly then use the strainer to tap enamel onto the metal. Lightly spray and apply another coat of enamel. Give a third and final light spray. Carefully repeat the same process to the other side of the button and set on trivet and place into kiln.
Once fired, spray lightly and add one more coat of black enamel. Then place the white stringer piece of enamel to the top of the button and fire in the kiln. No need to apply anymore enamel to the back of button.
Here are the buttons, two front views and two back view.
I had created the buttons to tie in the geometric pattern of my skirt, but not exactly look the same. It is just enough to pull the eye up.
Similarly, I wanted to add a bit more of the top's color into the skirt. I chose a simple band of lace and sewed it to the bottom of the skirt to accomplish this.
So far, sew good. hehe. There was a bit more work that I wanted to do to the shirt. I had been saving an old and worn thin, kitchen towel that would give quite a bit more interest to the shirt. Hmm. Yeah, so let's go ahead wth that! I cut out the dish towel around the center image, turned under and ironed a fold, then pinned it to the back of my top. I sewed around the piece three times for a bit of a tattered look rather than use straight stitching. Lastly, I outlined sewed the horse in the image to keep things in place, and again, add a bit of interest.
So as to not waste much, I tore a strip from the remaining part of the dish towel to make a piece of fabric bracelet for the wrist.
Now let's get out a little paint and a stamp! I used a Gel Press Plate as a giant inkpad to hold a bit of DecorArt So Soft Fabric Paint which I applied with my brayer. I chose these colors...
I used a cool patterned wooden stamp from Artistic Artifacts, dabbed it into the paint and pressed it firmly onto my fabric.
Do this stamping several times over the cloth in different colors, overlapping the pattern. Let air dry then press with hot iron, no steam to set the paint.
After all the work it is time for dressing up and going out with friends. I loved how it all came together. Hope that you all enjoyed and gained some inspiration to try a bit of altering yourself.
