Saturday, February 13, 2010

I am so excited to share with you my latest creation. (no it's not my crazy red hair -that will wash out in 28 washes & not a wash more-fingers crossed) Those of you that I know and love know that I have been talking about sharing tutorials for my creations right here on my little ole blog. Todays the day! Whoot Whoot! Alright, to business. This ones pretty basic but I just love how it turned out. I dug threw my closet and found this gray shirt that is pretty cute but also pretty plain for me. After talking to my beautiful sister Molly & looking over some of her favorite JCrew shirts - I decided that my shirt needed flowers & lots of them. Although just a few would also be darling!

While I was digging for my shirt I spotted my favorite skirt and thought walla.
So, I dug through my fabric pile. Ok, lets face it, it's more of a mountain that needs refolded. I found some fabrics that went well together , including some satiny fabrics just because I loved the sheen they gave to the skirt. Then I just started cutting circles of various sizes. Knock yourself out and just get crazy with the placement. Don't forget to cut plenty of leaf shapes as well.

Then I cut out enough netting circles to go over every circle (flower). I used netting that was very stiff & with the bigger holes. Mine is black but you could do any color really.


After I placed everything exactly where I wanted it - I slide my small cutting board in between the front and back of the shirt and pinned it all down. You know so as not to pin the back of the shirt to the front. Can't very well get your body into a shirt that is sew'n shut. Now, if I had thought about it ahead of time and hadn't been so anxious to just start cutting. Typical Jen! I would have first ironed the different fabric to fusible web and then cut the shapes. Then I could have just ironed them to my shirt, but I didn't and this worked too. So no need to go buy fusible web.


Now it's time to stitch them on. Don't forget to put your jersey needle in. Makes sewing on knit sew much easier & neater. I used my freemotion foot for the circles (drop those feed dogs )so that I wouldn't have to turn and turn and turn the shirt. A regular foot would have worked wonderfully and that is what I used on the leaves. Loved the look of the skirt and so I went with that and sewed X's in the middle of each one and then one or two circles around that.


Here's a look at the leaves stitched up.


After I got everything sewed down, I played around with the vine that all my little flowers were growning on. First I thought I would use this black ribbon with white stitches through it. Wasn't exactly what I wanted .



So I decided to hand stitch the vine with floss. I liked white the best for my design. It just gave it that pop that I wanted. Does your floss look like mine does. I wish I was a neat freak but sadly I am not. Somebody tell me your floss looks like this. Anybody! Now use a water soluble pen to draw out the lines or a chalk pencil for darker shirts.




Walla, you have a fun "new-ish" shirt to wear on your hot date with your hubby. (that's what i did anyway) Or just wear it to clean your house and hold your babies -knit shirts are my go-to shirt for everyday wear. Dream up something cute or feel free to copy mine. OH and I did put a bit of fray block on the satiny fabric but I do like a bit a fraying. I would love to see what you come up with. By the way, I already started next weeks project to share and it's another shirt makeover so, come back and see me. Feel free to Follow me! wink



Big Big Love , JEN
feel free to ask any questions -not sure if that was as clear as mud.
Thanks for the link party (tatertots & Jello )Jen. Click on Jen's link on my sidebar and see all the linky love and check out her blog because she is such the creative little gal.