These two shirts get featured together because they have one thing in common--I didn't make them. I simply embellished them.
I drew my sweet sis-in-law for Christmas, and so I bought this tee, made the flowers, and then sewed them on (and don't you know, I spent 5 X longer on this shirt I didn't make, than all the ones I did!) Here's the quick and dirty tutorial for you--
1. Make pretty flowers.
2. Hand sew them onto a piece of tulle.
3. Iron on some interfacing onto the backside of your t-shirt where the detail will go.
4. Sew the tulle--not the flowers--onto the shirt with a sewing machine.
Our second feature is the Party Tee. I call it that because when I wear it I think..."*sigh* I wish I were at a party.....HEY! There's a party on my SHIRT!"
I'm certainly not the only one to figure this one out (but you MUST know I DID figure it out myself, and didn't see it on anyone else's blog!) Not that there's anything wrong with that. Really. I get lots of ideas of other peep's blogs. Just not this one. Anyway. So I saw this shirt first at my go-to favorite, Jcrew. Well go-to favorite place to shop for ideas not clothes. Too pricey. Anyway--I saw it there, and quickly figured out that all it is is hearts tacked on in a cluster. Easy peasy. I first did with this coral number, but unfortunately, I forgot to prewash the fabric, and it shrunk UP. Yikes. So I tried it again with this blue shirt I got on clearance at Down East Outfitters. I didn't like the length of the sleeve--just barely too long. So I cut it right at the band, and re-attached it higher up. Then I had this extra fabric, and I thought, "hmm...what should I do with this extra fabric? Hey! I think I'll throw a party on my shirt!"
*Note. On my coral shirt the "petals" are softer, and then on my blue one it looks more like confetti. Jcrew's version has even bigger, softer petals. It has to do with the heart's humps (is that what you call 'em??). On my coral shirt, I cut the heart pretty mediumish. (see my drawing, for heaven's sake!) Then with the blue shirt, I made the whole heart wider, and flatter, with longer humps. This made them roll up, rather than softly curl, giving the edges a more pointy look. Jcrew's are a little bigger, and less flat. I like all three. BUT CAREFUL! I've seen people do the hearts skinny and tall. Yikes. No likey. Oh! I also forgot that with the blue, I really packed those suckers in there, where as with the coral there are less. The quick and dirty tutorial:
1. Cut a bunch of hearts from your fabric.
2. Sew them on in a cluster to your shirt's neckline. Sew just a short line through the center of your heart. Heck, just tack it there somehow.
Um, that's it.
Mim,
This is amazing! HOW modelesque you look in these shots. What amazing instructions. What darling t-shirts. I was so excited you even had a drafting your own t-shirt blog.
Great work, how nice of you to share, it takes tons more time that way, and it looks so very proffesional. I am very impressed~
Being creative is one thing...but being SEXY is a whole other thing!! HOW THE HELL do you look so good, mother of two??! Please fill the world in on your hotness secrets!
Hey! So I would LOVE a tutorial on making the pretty flowers!
Love your stuff!
Julie--I am planning on doing a tutorial on the flowers sometime soon, so check back! Thanks for visiting me!
I love this tutorial. It is a perfect project for me to do tonight in front of the tv. Great idea to go to J.Crew for ideas. I agree they are way too pricey...great style, but not great prices.
Annie
Where did you find the same-colored fabric to make the hearts? Do you purchase 2 shirts and cut one up?
Lilikoi,
Usually I make the shirt itself, so I have plenty of scraps leftover to embellish. In the case of that shirt though, I bought a shirt with longer sleeves than I wanted. They were 3/4, and I cut the band off, and re-attached it higher up, and then used the scraps for the hearts. And then like you said, you can always buy two shirts, and then cut one up. If you get the shirts cheap enough, then it works! Good luck!