Sewing accessories for a more festive end-of-year outfit?
Don’t have time to sew a holiday outfit? There’s still one way to add a handmade touch to your outfit: sew little accessories!
Here are a few ideas for adding a festive touch to your New Year’s Eve outfits.
A sequin clutch
A clutch is a must-have accessory to add a touch of elegance to your outfit. And to add a festive air to this project, why not sew it with red, gold, green or multicolored sequins?
To make a sequin clutch, simply take a simple clutch pattern (like this one) and use a sequin fabric coupon. You’ll find that sequin fabrics are often quite soft, so you’ll need to choose a stiffer fabric for the lining. You can also choose a simple cotton and stiffen it with iron-on to give your pouch a good hold.
If you’ve got a lot of time on your hands, you can follow the How did you make this step-by-step, which is sewn from ribbons of sequins arranged in circles and will therefore be much more tedious to make!
If you’re looking for a more casual look, Ma petite mercerie has come up with a sequinned banana pattern that will have you perfectly on trend for the holidays!
Bow ties
The bow tie is a quick and easy project for beginners. All you need is fabric, iron-on adhesive and a snap fastener. The result is an accessory that lifts any outfit!
To sew this project yourself, you can follow the pattern in Ma Petite Mercerie. It offers a step-by-step guide. Just adjust the size if you want to sew one for a child. Or follow the measurements on the Laisse Luciefer blog.
All that’s left is to choose the fabric! If you’re a fan of Christmas sweaters and the kitsch of the period, you can easily find cotton coupons decorated with Santas, fir trees, snowmen… And if you feel like adding a touch of sparkle to your outfit, then you can sew your bow tie with lurex, shiny velvet, or sequins. If you opt for the latter, be sure to choose a different fabric for the neckband. This will prevent the sequins from scratching and irritating the skin!
If you prefer, you can also sew a lavallière, for men or women, following the same principles. Several patterns are available on Les Lubies de Cadia.
A shiny headband
What better way to add a festive touch to your outfit than by sewing on a hairband? It’s one of the accessories that requires the least effort and can really make a difference to a look.
There are many headband patterns to be found on the Internet. For example, the one from Mondial Tissus or our headband pattern video.
To make your own headband, all you need is about 50 cm of fabric and an elastic band. Make sure you adapt the project to the size of your head. It shouldn’t be too tight, or too loose.
As with the bow tie, you can sew yourself a headband in Christmas colors. Or choose a pretty velvet or shiny lurex. We don’t recommend sequins for this project. They could get tangled up in your hair and you might regret it when you take it off!
For kids, you can also sew scrunchies in Christmas colors by following this tutorial from Snaply magazine.
A belt to finish off an outfit
A belt is a finishing touch that can completely change the look of an outfit. If you’ve decided to wear a black dress for New Year’s Eve, you can sew a belt in lurex or sequins.
Maison Fauve offers a fabric belt pattern that you can reuse the rest of the year with any dress or pair of canvas pants.
The Obi, a very wide Japanese belt that closes in front of the waist, can also add an original touch to a festive outfit. If this project appeals to you, you can follow Sewing So’s beginner-friendly video tutorial.
What are you planning to sew for the holidays? Do you have any ideas for accessories to brighten up your outfit?
