Hello, hello, Twin Dragonfly Designs readers! I know I’m preachin’ to the choir in mentioning how awesome Heather is here, but I’ll say it anyway- this woman rocks! I am constantly amazed at the level of creativity she churns out! She is one of my favorite people and we’ve never even met ;) I’m thrilled to be in her company here today!
My name is Sky and my blog is called Capital B. It’s a place that brings me happiness and when you come over to visit, I hope it’ll do the same for you! I’m also a boy mama- with two teenage stepsons and two little guys of my own. They make life awesome! You’ll often find me using the hashtag #boysrule because, well, they just do! ;)
Today for
One For The Boys ~ T-shirt Week
I decided to try my hand again at creating a shirt I’ve made once before for my little guys. A couple of years ago, when I was first even learning how my sewing machine worked, I sewed a small scrap of fabric on some cheap shirts to create a “pocket” for them to tuck treasures inside of. Those became their very favorite shirts and I thought this time around I’d let them add a bit of personality too :)
My oldest son is very near the age of Heather’s little guys. He loves rocks and fossils, dinosaurs and Bigfoot. Yes, he is quite certain Bigfoot and yeti are both for real… Anyhow, he sat by my side and picked out a dinosaur fossil picture he liked from the computer screen. I used basic transfer paper to then print and iron on what he chose. This shirt would be fun and enjoyable without adding this step at all- it sure did add a ton of cute factor, though! Now they aren’t just favorites, they are beloved :)
I loved the idea of adding his own writing to his shirt- could you die over how cute kid’s sounded out spelling is?! I just love it! :) So I asked him to write the words “Fossil Hunting Gear” with a Sharpie on a piece of normal copy paper. Then I scanned and created an image I’d be able to flip for the purpose of ironing it on- I really love how this turned out! Anyone wanna go hunteeng when we’re done here?? :)
My younger little dude thinks rocket ships are the best ever- he chose his own graphic beside me at the computer too. He’s also the one who happily (usually, at least) tags along with me to the fabric store while brother is at school. He thought this bright flame fabric was sah-weet! I didn’t know when I bought it that it would pair so well with the graphic for his shirt, but I think they really look perfect together! And he now thinks that Mom is more in touch than ever with what “cool” is ;)
The pockets are just the right size for tucking in small little guys or other toys, and especially great for money!
You get this look when you’re trying to get your boys to cooperate for photos too, right?? :)
So, this t-shirt is really so simple that no doubt you can go and make one yourself without a tutorial… for real, if I can sew this, that means anyone can! I am pretty much in an eternal learning-to-work-my-machine stage! I did take a few photos here below of how to create the pocket portion to add to your shirt. I got my plain shirts at JoAnn’s, so that part was ready to go. It is only the pocket that I added…
1) Cut two of the same piece of fabric for your pocket. One of my boys’ is a plain rectangle/ square shape. The other I was trying to use scraps for and in order to get at big enough piece, I had to have a rounded bottom. But I really do like the way it turned out!
2) Hem the top of both pocket pieces. I hemmed one by just folding and ironing once, then the other by folding over itself again, ironing and stitching. You’ll take care of the stitching for the first one when you add it to the shirt- not doing it beforehand makes it so you don’t have to follow any seam exactly when you put it on :) I like that- novice sewer here, remember? ;) The difference in hems also makes it so the front portion is a bit shorter than the back side- easier for the boys to put stuff in and out!
3) Sew around the sides and bottom with right sides together.
4) Then turn! When you do, you’ll notice the very top portion edges want to stick out- the result of having the front be a bit shorter for easier access. I did the super professional thing and just clipped them off. Ha! I wasn’t too worried about the fraying- I kinda thought it would look cool with raw edges on the whole thing actually. If you want a better solution than my super lazy one, clip and iron those small top sections as part of step 2 :)
And to attach your cute pocket, pin it where you’d like to just one layer of your shirt, then slide it under your needle and start your top stitch all the way around with the top hem of the back piece!
I don’t think my own little men could love their pocket shirts any more! It was like Christmas when they woke up to them the morning after I made them. And all day they kept saying at random, “Mom, thanks for my new shirt.” Told ya… #boysrule! :) They kept adding different little treasures and checking what was in their pockets- I know they’ll be lovin’ on these all summer long!
Blast off! Thanks again, Heather, for having me here at Twin Dragonfly Designs.
I love your blog and all you do! I’ll be making several of your other T-Shirt Week ideas no doubt!
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Thanks so much Sky for sharing these fantastic t-shirts and your adorable boys with us! We would all love to go fosl hunteeng sometime I am sure. Too Cute! Please stop by Capital B to give Sky some love! And follow our Pinterest Board for more boy t-shirt ideas!
I love the pocket on the shirt. My son would fill it with treasures.