It's become a bit of a tradition here to applique a t-shirt with J's age on it at each birthday. The last 2 years I've appliqued onto a ready made t-shirts but this year I'd forgotten to get one and with no car and no clothes shops and being too stingy to pay for delivery I decide to drag out the dreaded overlocker and have a go at making one. Plus it's been kids clothes week challenge run by Elsie Marley this last week so what better time to have another go at making some kids clothes. I only worked on this for one day - idea is too work for at least an hour a day for 7 days - so technically I don't qualify for join kcwc but do checkout the flickr pool for more kids makes and ideas.
I made a couple of t-shirts a good while back (aaah it was 2 years ago wow!) for kcwc but I've not gone near the pattern since then. I didn't have a lot of knit fabric left and at one point I did go and have a look in hubbies wardrobe to see if I could salvage a t-shirt he wouldn't miss! However there was just enough left to make this one though with the addition of some very cool Kokka Super Heroes fabric from M is for Make to tie into J's super hero obsession.
As before I used the raglan t-shirt pattern (well it's more of an e-book really) from The Scientific Seamstress - a great pattern with loads of sizes and very full instructions on sewing with knits so well worth getting.
It went together pretty well if you ignore the temperamental overlocker which likes stitching but not trimming - exhibit a
I used a combination of the overlocker and my normal sewing machine although you can complete the whole thing on your standard machine no problem. On the sewing machine I used woolly nylon in the bobbin and normal poly as the top thread. I had a couple of issues with skipping stitches even though I was using a ball point needle but changing to a 90/14 seemed to solve that.
I did try using the triple straight stitch (a stretch stitch I hadn't taken any notice off before) for top stitching the hems but I would just use normal straight stitch next time. The triple stitch made them hem pretty wibbly and made holes that are bit too big for my liking by the time it'd stitched 3 times for each stitch, although at least I know the hem won't burst!
I'm going to make more of these now that I've made this one, before he gets too old to want a t-shirt made by his mum. maybe I could keep making them but just make the number smaller as he gets older what do you think?
Bye for now
PS Did you notice that, 2 blog posts in 3 days, phew need a lie down now ;)
6 comments:
Nikki that is fan-flippin-tastic!
Also, your pics are amazing. Again.....!
You are very brave! I avoid fabric with stretch in it like the plague. Fab t-shirt!!
You always amaze me, Nikki! Fabulous shirt. So professional!
Very cool, I initially thought you had just appliqued on a bought t-shirt, all looks very professional. You go and embrace that darkened room now though after all this posting ;o)
This is fantastic & so well made! You could do these for your shop...
Cool T-shirt, I love the colours and the appliqué looks amazing with that super heroes fabric. I think you're going to have to do one every year now. I did one for my son's 3rd birthday and then he didn't want to wear it.
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