DIY

How to Create a Flat Lay Background

- Carolyn Chang 10 Comments
FlatlayDIY How to Create a Flat Lay Background DIY
I got bored of using my desk and bedsheets as my flat lay background. So I decided to create my own flat lay backgrounds to switch it up a bit. This is a pretty project to do! I would recommend grabbing a partner though as contact paper is super spiky and you don’t want to have any mishaps.

Materials:: 

Contact Paper
Foam Poster Paper
Credit Card or Gift Card
Scissors

Steps:: 

1. Cut contact paper to size. I leave excess so that I can wrap it around the back but that is optional. If you want to make a two sided board you can cut it exact so you can use the other side as well. That is more difficult so I opted with one-sided backgrounds.
2. Peel backing off and carefully place on top of the surface.
FlatlayDIY2 How to Create a Flat Lay Background DIY
3. Use the card to smooth out air bubbles. Go in one direction!!!
4. Flip the board over and press down the excess.
DIYFlatlay3 How to Create a Flat Lay Background DIY

I ended up making 4! I can’t wait to use them. Thank you for reading.

Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver

- Carolyn Chang 12 Comments
km-03271 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS
This outfit post showcases the first Hmong outfit that I made by myself. Growing up my mom would sew me outfits and this year she was diagnosed with carpal tunnel. This made it difficult for her to hold a needle and made me realize it was time for me to learn. For a month my cousins and sister would meet at my house and learn from my mom so that we would have matching outfits for Hmong New Year.
All of the Hmong clothes that my mom and grandma have made me will become part of my dowry when I get married. I always joke that I will have to make multiple trips because I have too much stuff. In fact the plastic container that stores all my Hmong clothes needs to replaced because it’s too full.
km-03249 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS

For the outfit I made everything except the skirt, necklace, and silver belt or siv. I was inspired by Batik for this outfit and incorporated Batik print throughout the outfit. Paired with a white skirt the focus is on the batik. Batik is a resist dye technique where wax is applied to the fabric in a design and then dyed with indigo. After the dye, the wax is removed and a white design is left behind. This is typically done on yards of fabric then pleated with hundreds of accordion pleats onto a skirt. Instead of usually actual batik, I used a fabric that had a batik print. I am still in the search for my very own batik skirt though.

Rosely took beautiful shots of the outfit! I posted a couple of my favorites. Stay tuned for tutorials on pattern drafting for a fitted Hmong shirt and for a traditional Hmong shirt. Let me now in the comments if you want additional tutorials on how to make Hmong clothes.

km-03200 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS
km-03204 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS

 

km-03208 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS

 

km-03219 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS

 

km-03235 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS
km-03276 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS

 

km-03280 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS

 

km-03241 Hmong Outfit:: Batik & Silver DIY OUTFITS

Please like, share, and follow for more sewing posts. Thank you for reading!

Photography by:: ROSELY VUE PHOTOGRAPHY
Email her at roselyv09@gmail.com or direct message her Facebook for booking information.

Sometimes I Just Want to be a Unicorn

- Carolyn Chang Leave a comment
UnicornFrappuccino2 Sometimes I Just Want to be a Unicorn TRAVEL

2017 seems to be dominated my unicorn themed everything. Personally this makes me extremely happy as I love unicorns. People are finally discovering the beauty of a unicorn. A mythical creature associated with rainbows and glitter.

When Starbucks announced that they were going to release a Unicorn Frappuccino, I was thrilled and drove to the nearest Starbucks… a little to early. The unicorn themed frappuccino is available from April 19-23rd. After waiting a few more days, I went to Starbucks again on the release day and got my own to try. I don’t know how I feel about it. The drink is beautiful with enough sugar to kick start my early journey to diabetes heaven yet I was left disappointed. I wanted magic, rainbows, and glitter.

Below is Starbucks’ description of the frappuccino:
“The flavor-changing, color-changing, totally not-made-up Unicorn Frappuccino. Magical flavors start off sweet and fruity transforming to pleasantly sour. Swirl it to reveal a color-changing spectacle of purple and pink. It’s finished with whipped cream-sprinkled pink and blue fairy powders.”

Even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked to, it’s worth to try at least once. My cousins went the day after I did and most of the Starbucks were already sold out of the ingredients, but they managed to hunt one down.

UnicornMacaron Sometimes I Just Want to be a Unicorn TRAVEL
While I was disappointed by my Unicorn Frappuccino, I was elated to find that there is a place in Fresno that sells Unicorn Macarons. Sweet Lyfe Boba Bar located by Fresno State sells them for $2.50. They pair well with the unicorn themed boba drinks and are so cute to hold. Much cuter than my attempt at making unicorn donuts a couple of months of ago.
While I failed at making unicorn donuts, I managed to be successful at making unicorn noodles. Pictured below is the unicorn bowl that assembled without the miso beet sauce.
UnicornNoodles Sometimes I Just Want to be a Unicorn TRAVEL
Finding unicorn themed recipe and food perks up my day to day life and I can’t wait to find more. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

 

Sneak Peek: Completing my First Hmong Outfit

- Carolyn Chang 2 Comments
File_000-1 Sneak Peek: Completing my First Hmong Outfit DIY OUTFITS
I’ve been trying to wait for all of my photos to be edited, but I really wanted to share this picture with everyone. Growing up I cross-stitched and would help my mom sew, and I figured that now would be a good time to learn how to sew an entire outfit. This outfit was made with a traditional shirt, and a shortened apron (sev). I paired it with a traditional white skirt with a shortened length and kept the accessories minimal as well to focus on the printed batik fabric.
I can’t wait to show everyone more pictures. Please follow for more updates! I’ll probably draft a traditional Hmong shirt pattern next. There have been a lot of requests for tutorials so when I have a more free time, I’ll film a tutorial of my other Hmong hat.
Pictures were taken by Rosely Vue Photography. Check her page out and message her for details.

 

Just Finished Making Another Hmong Hat!

- Carolyn Chang 4 Comments
File_000-2 Just Finished Making Another Hmong Hat! DIY OUTFITS

This project took me a lot longer than I expected but I’m pretty happy with the end product. It’s pretty simple to make but if I had the option of buying one or making one I would probably just buy it. However, I enjoyed figuring out how to put it together.

File_001-1 Just Finished Making Another Hmong Hat! DIY OUTFITS

I love the glittery fabric and I picked one with a pinkish purple pattern because there is no such thing as too pink!

File_002-1 Just Finished Making Another Hmong Hat! DIY OUTFITS

 

File_003-1 Just Finished Making Another Hmong Hat! DIY OUTFITS
The most tedious part was making and attaching the tassels.
File_004 Just Finished Making Another Hmong Hat! DIY OUTFITS

 

File_000-3 Just Finished Making Another Hmong Hat! DIY OUTFITS

All done! Can’t wait to wear it to Hmong New Year!

 

Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves

- Carolyn Chang Leave a comment
File_004-1 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

 

Materials Needed: 

Ruler
French Curve
Paper

Measurements: 

Arm Length
Hand Circumference
Bicep Circumference
Arm Hole Depth
File_000-4 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

A to B is the length of the sleeve

File_001-2 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

A to C is the arm hole depth.

File_002-2 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Line D to E is the hand circumference. I use hand circumference instead of wrist so that I don’t need to add buttons on the sleeve.

File_003-2 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Through point C draw a line the length of the bicep circumference.

File_004-2 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Divide the line evenly into 6 sections.

File_005 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Draw lines from each point.

File_000-5 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Draw a line from point A to F and from point A to K forming a triangle. Draw a line from F to D and K to E. Label the section F for Front and B for back. This is the left sleeve.

File_001-3 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Line G place a dot 3/4″ below the intersecting line.
Line H place a dot 3/4″ above the intersecting line.
Line I place a dot 1′ above the intersecting line.
Line J place a date where the two lines intersect.

File_002-3 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Use a french curve to connect the dots.

File_003-3 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 2: Sleeves MAKEUP

Leave a 1/2″ inseam around the pattern.

Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 1

- Carolyn Chang 3 Comments

Earlier this year, I successfully made my own Hmong outfit! The post of the finished product will be posted soon, so stay tuned. After making a traditional Hmong shirt, I wanted to try making fitted Hmong shirt but I couldn’t really find a pattern. So after doing a lot of research on Youtube, I decided to try to draft my own pattern.

I can’t wait to actually try it out on cloth and see how it turns out. Let me know if you want me to breakdown how I drew my pattern. If there is enough interest, I can do a follow-up tutorial on pattern drafting and how to adjust for your own size.

Pictures of my pattern below:

File_000-6 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 1 MAKEUP
Front Right Pieces
File_001-4 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 1 MAKEUP
 Front Left Pieces
File_002-4 Hmong Fitted Shirt Pattern Drafting Part 1 MAKEUP
Back Pieces

Preview of Hmong Hat

- Carolyn Chang Leave a comment
File_000-7 Preview of Hmong Hat MAKEUP

Above is a piece that I embroidered that is going to be pieced together to make a Hmong Hat. It’s been a while since I did any type of embroidery and I’m excited to see how the hat turns out.

I am pretty sure that I held a needle before I held a pencil. My grandmother handed me a needle, thread, and scrap piece of fabric when I was three. Sitting next to my grandma near a big window for natural light, I would practice my stitches. In hindsight it was probably her way of getting me to sit down and not run around and get into trouble.

Thread tension was one of things that took me a while to get a hold of. If it’s too tight the fabric will pucker so it’s best if the same amount of tension is used throughout the fabric.  It took me years before I made something that was worth keeping.

In the piece above the stitches are linear and not actual cross stitch. This pattern is pretty simple so maybe I’ll make myself more than one hat. It’s honestly more cost effective to buy a hat, but I love looking at something and trying to figure out how to make it myself. Can’t wait to show everyone the finished product.