Freezer Paper Transfer and Appliqued Shirts

Have y'all ever noticed how boring my titles are?  I love the cute witty titles but I also love being able to find a post when I'm looking for it.  :)  So I try to be as descriptive as possible.  Anyways, I made some new shirts.  Big surprise!  I told you it can be addictive.

 

I saw Mandy's post HERE and knew I wanted to try some of those techniques.  Hers look so cute!

 

These are all Razorback shirts but you can obviously do any mascot.  :)

 

She had the idea of taking an old t-shirt and cutting out a part of the design and putting it on a child's shirt.  So I found an old Hog shirt at the thrift store and cut out the Razorback and then appliqued it on a shirt using the steps I posted about HERE.  Westin loves his "pig sooie" shirt!

She also made a shirt using the freezer paper transfer method.  I had never done this before but followed the same tutorial she followed, HERE.  The whole time I was doing it I kept thinking "I don't know how this is going to work."  But it turned out great!  This was such an easy process and one I'm sure I will repeat.  It was fun too! 

I couldn't leave Reagan out so I made her a fabric appliqued onesie with some cute pink (almost red) chevron fabric I found at Joann's.

We are ready to call those Hogs!

More Pieces Done With Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

I've been playing around some more with the ASCP.  I cannot get over how easy it is to use.  I have been contemplating spray painting these candlesticks white for some time now.  I just never took them outside to do it.

One of the things I love about ASCP is it has very low VOC so there is relatively no odor at all.  So I painted them right in my kitchen.  I didn't prime or sand them.  Just two coats of paint. 

I decided to bring a little more color in Reagan's nursery and painted her side table with the Duck Egg color.  This is such a pretty color!  Her table was just painted white.  Actually it was covered in Kilz primer spray paint.  That is as far as I got in painting it back when I was doing her nursery.  :)

Now it is a beautiful color and coordinates with her quilt so well. 

I gave it a light distressing but I haven't coated it in the clear wax yet because I think I'm going to paint over the distressing.  I think I like this piece better solid.

Have any of y'all tried ASCP?  What are your favorite colors?

Step By Step Guide to Appliques-With Pictures

I go through phases where I make a lot of shirts and then I don't make any for awhile.  I recently went through a phase where I made several.  So I took step by step instructions because I get so many questions about the process.  There are probably 101 ways to do this but this is how I do it. 

Supplies:
- fabric
- shirts
- pencil
- scissors
- wonder under (detail pic below)
- paper towels
- iron and ironing board

I like to use the duck cloth for the appliques.  It is thicker (it has the texture of canvas or twill) and doesn't lose it's shape or slide around on me.  Sometimes though I have to use the regular cotton fabric if they don't have what I need in duck cloth.

This is the wonder under I use.  Pellon style #725R.

Cut out your fabric while making sure it is big enough for your design.  I'm making a pumpkin.  Then cut out your wonder under in a slightly smaller size.

Leave a little boarder of the fabric so you don't get the sticky wonder under on your ironing board.  You only want it touching the fabric you are using.  Follow the directions on the box to iron it on the fabric.  This calls for the textured side face down on the back of your fabric.

I needed brown for the stem so I planned on using the brown space between the polka dots since I didn't have a plain brown fabric.

After the pieces have cooled, draw your designs on the back of the fabric with a pencil.  This is where you can use a stencil or google free pumpkin clip art and trace it from your computer screen.

Cut them out and then peel off the paper backing.  This leaves a sticky glue on the fabric.  Place the pieces on your shirt.

Place a damp paper towel (I use two layers) on the design and iron over the pieces.  Follow the directions on your box.

I decided to put a letter on the pumpkin.  So print out a letter or free hand one on the back of the fabric you are using.  Remember - trace it backwards so it will be correct when you turn it over after you have cut it out.

I flipped over the "W" to trace it backwards:

Peel off the paper and place it on the pumpkin.  Following the same steps above, place a damp paper towel over it and iron it on.

This is where you can hand stitch around each piece or use the sewing machine.  I used my machine and like I have said before, I only know the basics.  I go very slow and a lot of times I have to hand crank the dial since I tend to get going too fast with the foot peddle.

I go very slow on the turns and pick my presser foot up many times to make the turns.

This is where professional sewers should avert their eyes.  It is not perfect and in some places down right scraggly.

Oops!

I tell myself it just adds to the home made feel and that it will not be noticeable on a constantly moving little boy.  Now the shirt is ready to go!  I prefer to wash and dry it though before wear because I like it when the edges fray and curl a little bit like in the picture below.

 

Since I had everything out, I made a ghost shirt for Westin too.  I used all the same steps.  I should have hand stitched around the eyes and mouth but I was in a hurry and used my machine.  Let's just say, this one looks really homemade.  :)  I used white thread on the eyes and mouth and black thread to go around the ghost.  I got the ghost design by googling, "free ghost clip art."

 

 

To answer a few questions I've been emailed:

 

-When I sew a button on for an eye, like on THESE shirts, I use a very thick thread and sew it about 10-15 times.  I make them very secure so I do not have to worry about choking.  If I notice they are loose after a wash I will re-enforce them with more thread.

 

- Sewing a little shirt or onesie can be tricky.  I just constantly make sure I'm not sewing the front and back together.  This means I'm only sewing a small area at a time until I can re-adjust the shirt because they do not fit over the sewing machine.

 

If you have any more questions I'll be happy to answer in the comments.

 

 



Reagan's Three Month PIctures

Vicki answered a lot of the questions about the Chalk Paint in the comments in the previous post.  In short, no, you do not need to sand or prime.  But be sure to check out what all she had to say.

 

I am working on a step by step guide to appliques so I hope to have that posted in a a few days.  But first I wanted to be sure and post Reagan's three month pictures.  Bethany Blair took them for us and if you are local, I would definitely recommend her.  She is great with kids!

 

Reagan was Miss Serious this day and only gave a few smiles.  She was happy as could be but was more interested in cooing and talking.  It would have been a perfect video shoot.  Haha!  Her outfit came from HERE.  I ordered it before she was born in hopes that she could wear it for her 3 month pictures.  My hunch that she was going to be a big baby paid off because it fit perfectly! 

 

Annie Sloan Chalkpaint

When I was contacted to see if I wanted to try Annie Sloan Chalk Paint I was SOO excited.  I have seen this paint all over blogland and have heard such great things about it!  Irene sent me a book, Old White paint, Duck Egg paint and the soft wax.  She also linked to a THIS video that helped too.

I decided to paint this sofa table that Cody had before we were married.  It is very traditional and I knew if I messed it up then I wouldn't be upset because I have never really liked it anyways.

When I put the first coat on, I knew I was going to love this paint.  It goes on so smooth!

It also dries so fast which is very nice.  I was able to put two coats of paint and one coat of wax on in one day.  The picture below is one coat.

After I had two coats on (in the picture below) I applied the wax by following the directions on the can.  It was also very easy and it really transformed the piece.

After the wax completely dried I used 150 grit sand paper and distressed it in a few places.  I went with a light distressed look.  The sand paper was like slicing butter.  This paint is made for distressing although you do not have to distress your pieces.  The paint just makes it so easy for you if you want to.

I applied another coat of wax after the distressing since this table kind of gets a lot of wear.

I absolutely LOVE the look!  If you have an eagle eye you will notice I turned the table around.  I had no idea the back side didn't have that scalloped edge. :)  Now I love it even more.

Cody gave me the biggest compliment when he said it looked professional and then said, "maybe you should do the end table too."  I really cannot take the credit though because it is almost impossible to mess up with this paint!

And here is a real life shot of my living room the day I painted it.  ;)  I really do not think that boy is happy unless he is in the middle of a mess. 

I've painted some candle sticks too and have played around with the Duck Egg color, which is so pretty!  I can't wait to show you those pieces too!

Can You Help?

This cute family has been called to adopt again.  They already have adopted two precious sons but feel like they are supposed to adopt again.  They are having a fundraiser and it sounds like a great idea.

They purchased this 1000 piece puzzle from a Tanzania artist and they will hang it in their new child's room.  For $10 you can buy a puzzle piece and your name will be written on the back so that child will forever know who helped bring them to their forever family.

If you purchase a puzzle piece today, your money will go even farther.  Their church as graciously offered to match the money raised up to one thousand dollars.  They currently only need 36 more pieces purchased by the end of the day to meet the $1000 matching grant.

Can you help?  Click HERE to learn more and to donate.