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Family Applique Shirts: A Tutorial

November 18, 2009 By crafterhours 13 Comments

When a family you love expands by one, and the new family member is a baby girl preceded by two girls, it’s quite possible that said loved family doesn’t need a whole lot.

I suggest laying the question before the Mama. What do you need?

After discussion, we decided on some family matchy-matchy. Well, I think Mama was just thinking of the girls, but I decided to include Mom and Dad as well. Sort of.

Each shirt has a reverse applique surrounded by a border of plain ole’ applique normalness and a bit of stitching and accent embroidery on top.

You’ll need:
shirts for each member of the family (can be all the same, for this I chose coordinating colors)
coordinating fabric (I used three prints, scrap sizes)
fusible interfacing
an air- or water-soluble marker
embroidery thread
your regular sewing gear

Start with your fresh pile of knit blank canvas.

On the right side of your fabric, draw the shapes for your reverse applique with your air- or water-soluble marker.
Using one of your coordinating fabrics, trim a scrap that will fit behind the shape(s) you’ve drawn with a little room around the edges. Pin it into place behind your shape. And stitch the shape.
Carefully trim out the inside of the shape, being careful not to clip any of your stitches. Knit won’t fray, so the amount of room you leave inside the stitches is an aesthetic choice.

Now place a piece of coordinating fabric face-down. Place the “negative shape” you just cut out on top of it, also face down. Iron a piece of fusible interfacing on top of this. A little sammich you have now. Yummy.

Again with careful snips, cut through the sandwich around the shape, leaving a consistent border. Well, you could make it artfully inconsistent as well. Up to you.

Then trim out the original negative shape with a bit of a border inside. Like so: (ignore kid scribble)

Remove backing from the outer shape. Place around the reverse applique area and iron. Stitch the inside and outside edge down.

Now embroider a little ornament top and string coming down from the neckline. Or whatever bit of embroidery makes sense for your design, if you’re not going the Christmas ornament route.

And the Dad shirt that started out plain, unadorned red? Sigh. Here it is:

Nothing. Nada. My little brain could conceive of absolutely nothing to make it coordinate, other than the original red color that works with the fabrics. But I think *he* will be happy with that.
And when you’ve wrapped up this project, you have a jump start on another one, with these little guys that are already interfaced and ready to be appliqued:
These fabrics are from Michael Miller’s “Funky Christmas”. Maybe some funky holiday photos coming my way?

Related

Filed Under: holiday, shirt, tutorial Tagged With: baby gift, clothing, holiday, refashion, reverse applique, shirt, tutorial

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Comments

  1. Kirsten says

    November 18, 2009 at 2:19 am

    I love this– it’s really graphic and retro Christmas-y instead of being cutesy and character-oriented. I think it would be adorable on my toddler!

    I’m really, really new to sewing. Just to check– you can just do a straight stitch when stitching over your outline and over the applique? No zigzag needed? Thanks!

    Reply
  2. crafterhours says

    November 18, 2009 at 2:31 am

    I just did straight stitching. You could use zig zag. The edges just outside the stitching might fray a bit, but the fusible interfacing will help keep that under control, and I don’t mind that as part of the look anyway. It’s an artsy choice. If you like the ziggity zaggity, go for it! I’d love to see what you make! -Susan

    Reply
  3. Anna says

    November 18, 2009 at 8:34 am

    Thanks for this! I love it. I think I was going to make a dress for Christmas for my oldest daughter, but she really loves t-shirts. So this might be the answer!

    Reply
  4. Vintage70dyo says

    November 18, 2009 at 11:14 am

    Your site is lovely, I really loved this project and plan to have a baby girl now.
    Thanks

    Anna

    Reply
  5. star.originals.stuff says

    November 18, 2009 at 11:16 am

    looks simple enough… you made it very clear :) THANKS… i’ll be trying this soon!!

    Reply
  6. star.originals.stuff says

    November 18, 2009 at 11:41 am

    well, i thought i posted a comment – anyway

    thanks for the tute! you made it look very simple.. i’ve never tried this, but i think i will SOON!!

    Reply
  7. Melanie says

    November 18, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    I love both uses of applique. It looks really cute! Fantastic idea.

    Reply
  8. sonia says

    November 19, 2009 at 7:27 am

    super cool idea..:) thanx a lot!

    Reply
  9. Georgine says

    November 19, 2009 at 2:40 pm

    I posted about your tutorial on my blog and linked back. Great idea, very original! Thank you!

    Reply
  10. Bridget says

    November 19, 2009 at 5:12 pm

    I love them! I’m planning on making some shirts to go with the christmas p.j. pants I’m working for my kids and these will be perfect. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  11. Tiffany Whaley says

    December 3, 2009 at 12:02 am

    I love it, too, but I think I’m a little biased!

    Reply
  12. Spark*Amy says

    December 8, 2010 at 10:35 pm

    I am so going to make these as well! Thanks for the tute!

    Oh, and you could make hubby a little Christmas bow tie or pocket square for fun. Or your last initial.

    Reply
  13. Tamera Westhoff says

    November 10, 2013 at 1:12 am

    I think I’m going to make this with a bow tie cut out for the boys (maybe a full tie cut out). I have four girls and two boys, so I have to be cute matchy matchy somehow! Thanks!

    Reply

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