Tie-Shirt

I have been busy lately, but what I am going to share with you today is actually a project I completed about 3 weeks ago.  I have referenced it, but haven't yet showed it to you.  Its my "tie shirt".  Here is a picture of my Little Man wearing his tie-shirt sitting by his big sister wearing her cutie-patootie-outfit that you can click here to learn all about.

 I have been making these for a little while for babies on onsies following the pattern that you can here at an AWESOME blog called crapivemade.  I have had WONDERFUL results with this, and wanted to make a few for my little guy and my nephew.  Only problem is that the pattern given is for a LITTLE baby.  Not so much for a strapping almost three year old, and an almost two year old.  So I had to make some modifications to my pattern.  You might say "oh no biggie, just draw it bigger", but that's not exactly right either.  You really don't want it too much wider just longer in proportion to the length of the shirt and size of the child.  Then the knot area has to be larger as well in proportion to the tie.(Okay now that I have absolutely bored you senseless with all that unnecessarily complicated explanation. Let me just tell you what I did to fix it.)

I printed off her small pattern, and put it up to my sons shirt.  Too small, as noted earlier.  So I placed some freezer paper in between the two layers of shirt (inside the shirt where his body goes) and basically traced with an unclicked pen (no ink to get on the shirt) the size and shape I wanted the tie to be.  Then I pulled out the wax paper and cut along the indentations that the tracing made.  Finally I cut that out and used that as my pattern which brings me to this picture:

In this picture I laid my final patterns for the tie and knot on top of my wonder-under traced, and then cut out.  I affixed my cut out wonder-under to the fabric, cut the fabric along the edges of the wonder-under, and then affixed the cutout fabric/wonder-under combo to the shirt following the directions included with the wonder-under.  If you have never tried this stuff let me tell you that you MUST try it!!!! I ADORE it!!  

After I had my fabric tie affixed I laid the knot portion of the tie on top of it as flush with the neckline of the shirt as I could get it, and affixed it as well.  The final step was to sew a tight zig-zag stitch all the way around the edges to give it that applique look, and to keep it very securely in place.  

On this black one I pulled my shirt tight as I sewed.  Which gave it the wavy look when it was completed.  I happen to really like the affect this gets when he is wearing it.  It almost looks as if he is wearing a tie, because it doesn't look perfect.  Its really a cool affect that is hard to explain, you just have to see it.  Anyway, if you don't want a wavy rumpled look don't pull the shirt snug as you sew it.  Simple as that!

This blue one has a funky plaid print that gives it the affect of hanging sideways, and I had to put the knot fabric a little different direction than the tie, just to be fun.  You will note that I did not make this one wavy.  I  am really happy with both of the ways that these tie shirts turned out.  My Sister In Laws loves the ones I made my nephew as well!

This was such a simple and fast project to make (once I made the pattern the proper size and dimensions)!!  And, oh my the results were fabulous!!  As you saw above, I had my Little Man and my Girlie Girls wear their outfits on the same night. Theirs took hours of measuring, cutting, creating, and TONS of sewing.  Then only a few commented on their new outfits.  Then the tie shirts that took maybe an hour tops to make (both the pattern and to do four shirts).  The reaction?? Everyone in church went crazy over them...kids went crazy, parents went crazy, grandparents went crazy...they were a HUGE hit.  I don't sew for my kids for others reactions or compliments, but because I love to do it and to put my own personal touch on their clothes.  It was just shocking the overwhelming interest in his tie-shirt, but I have to admit I completely understand.  Little Man's smile with that little man shirt melts my heart every time!  Now I have a TON of small fabric pieces to make tie shirts out of since he loves them as much as I do!

Hope you enjoyed my simple tutorial on how I created my version of the tie shirts.  If you have any ideas or suggestions fire away!  I love to hear from my readers!

Have a great day and God Bless!