I love you with all of my HEARTS...shirt

I made this shirt for my 3rd grader on her first day of school. 

It matched nicely with the Charming Rose Hair Clip I made for her. 

Our town Wal-Mart was in renovation mode this summer so I bought several shirts for a buck a piece.  

I used two of those shirts to make this one for Sam; the solid one fit and the flowered one was a size 5 (way too small for Sam).  It didn't matter since I knew I would use it somehow. 

I cut up the flowered shirt...

and cut out as many hearts as I could. 

I pinned them onto the solid pink shirt...

and went to town sewing across each heart with contrasting thread. I didn't bother stopping when I came to the edge of a heart; I just kept  sewing.  I made sure to back stitch each line before and after the stitch.  

I like the rawness of the look.

It didn't matter if the stitches were kinda wonky or uneven...

I even added hearts to the back of the shirt.

Then I cut in-between the stitches.  

You can use these 2 tutorials (here and here) for further details on how to do this. 

To the sleeves I added the ruffle that was on the neckline of the flowered shirt. 

I just cut it in two pieces and sewed them on.

It just seems to complete the look of the shirt.

And so off Sam went to be a 3rd grader, 

heart shirt and all.  

I'm glad that she's never too big to be Daddy's girl...

doesn't this picture just melt your heart...?

You Decide My Skirt's Fate

I have this skirt from Gap.  It is an A Lined circle with panels so it flares out at the bottom. I really love the style and how it fits, BUT I want to do "something" to it.       

I hardly wear it because it is too simple...

Our sweet Sofie Girl ... 

I want to do something creative to it.  And this is where I need your help...I can't decide what I want to do to it.  I've pinned way too many skirts on Pinterest and now I can't make up my mind. Here is what I've chosen in no particular order...

1) Sew on circles and add a matching trim?

2) Paint or sew on a floral design?

3) Paint words? Maybe on one panel or along the bottom?

4) Sew on circles in a pretty pattern? Maybe going up one panel?

5) Paint or applique a pattern around the entire bottom of skirt?

6) Change out a panel and add a trim to bottom?

7) Add different rows of lace?

I am going to leave the decision up to YOU; my readers, followers and anyone that just stops by and leaves a comment.  There are 7 choices (see why I can't make up my mind?) to pick from.  To vote just leave me a comment (voting ends August 19th) at the bottom with your favorite one.  The number with the highest votes wins and I will go with that.   Once I finish with the skirt, I will definitely show you the outcome.  Thanks in advance for your help.  Can't wait...

Mend a Hole ~ Gap Style

During a recent thrift store run, I bought my son a nice button up shirt.  

I didn't notice that it had a hole right along the side seam. 

So here is what I did. I picked off the pocket and used it to make another pocket out of a cut jean pant's leg. I made sure to use the inseam as a hem for the new pocket.

I sewed on the jean pocket using the outline of where the old pocket used to be. 

You can see the stitch outline on the shirt.

My machine had red thread and I just went ahead and went with it. 

 Using the original pocket, I made a patch for the hole.  I wanted to line up the pattern of the shirt to the pattern of the pocket.  It wasn't perfect, but it was much better than the hole.

I also wanted to reinforce the patch, so I cut a piece of a cotton white sheet to add to the inside of the shirt.  To fuse it together, I used fuseable web. (This picture shows the fabrics before I cut them into squares to fit over the hole.)

I ironed fuseable web to the white cotton and peeled the backing off. I then sandwiched the pocket patch, the shirt hole and the white cotton fabric and ironed it together.  In essence what you want to do is fuse the white cotton fabric to the pocket patch through the hole...whew...I really hope I haven't lost you here.

Then I sewed (I did change the thread here) along the patch.  I added the stitched X as an after thought.  I think it gives the shirt an added detail, like something you would find on a Gap or Old Navy shirt. 

The jean pocket detail also gives the shirt a designer look...

 You can't tell where the hole was...you really need to look hard for it...

Now, I just need to wait for my son to grow into it.  Not only did I not notice the hole in the side seam, I also didn't notice the size.  It should fit him next spring.  I think I was distracted by the price tag of .99 cents. And so the Gapified shirt hangs patiently in my son's closet.