shirt Archives - Ashley Hackshaw / Lil Blue Boo

I "Heart" Tie Dye

November 2, 2009 by Ashley Hackshaw

I love mixing bright tie-dye fabrics into the clothes I make…..so when Fave Crafts sent me a Tulip tie-dye kit to review I was psyched! I used two of the packets to make about 4 yards of “heart” tie-dye fabric.

I only used 2 colors for this batch: black and teal. It covered A LOT of fabric.

First, I soaked the fabric yardage in hot water with about 1/2 cup of salt (I was out of soda ash). I folded it in half and then in half again so it was 4 layers…..and laid it on a plastic drop cloth.

Then I traced a “half-heart” template using my disappearing ink pen onto a few of the edges.

I bunched up the fabric following along the line I drew…..

…..and secured with a rubber band. I repeated this in several other places.

I used one-third packet of each dye and mixed with hot water into these 6 oz squirt bottles.

I covered the heart shapes first…..

…..ten randomly covered the rest of the fabric, turning it over and covering the bottom side as well.

Then I folded up the plastic drop cloth around the fabric and let it sit overnight.

Opening it up it has little heart shapes throughout….perfect to cut up into sleeves and skirts for the dresses I like to make! Or just a knit shirt:

Holy cow my arm looks long in the above picture…..GO GO GADGET ARM!!

Fave Crafts has an eBook that features 28 free fabric dye craft projects organized by 18 different dye techniques, with step-by-step photo instructions. Click here for the free eBook!

Tutorial: Mixing Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt)

July 26, 2009 by Ashley Hackshaw

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) via lilblueboo.com

This might look a little overwhelming at first….but I promise it is not! You just have to follow the steps and it is easy! You could use these same techniques to make any theme shirt for a boy or girl. I made this Tinkerbell shirt using a combination of a freezer paper stencil, applique and permanent fabric pen. I’ve always found that mixing mediums adds interest.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 2 via lilblueboo.com

Here is the skirt. It is just a simple elastic waist skirt. I love this fabric (side says “Floral Silhouette Tink”) ….not your typical Disney fabric.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 3 via lilblueboo.com

The entire outfit.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 4 via lilblueboo.com

So here is how you can make the shirt (using a tank top or t-shirt):

A trick I’ve come up with to make stenciling easier is to cut out 8.5″ x 11″ sheets from the freezer paper and just send it through your printer!

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 5 via lilblueboo.com

I scanned some of the fabric from the skirt and enlarged one of the Tinkerbell silhouettes. Then I printed it in grayscale directly onto the non-waxy side of the freezer paper and used a razorblade to cut out her body. (my poor printer is all wonky and ate this up….but it will still work) I would scan and post this template but I’m afraid Disney would come after me 😉

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 6 via lilblueboo.com

The next step is to iron the freezer paper onto the front of the shirt. I also put a large piece of freezer paper on the underside of the stencil to keep any paint from bleeding through to the other side.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 7 via lilblueboo.com

I mixed blue and white paint until I got a turquoise shade similar to the Tink fabric. I use Jacquard fabric paint and it seems to wash really well.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 8 via lilblueboo.com

Apply a thin layer of paint onto the stencil. Let dry and repeat with another layer if necessary. Once the paint is dry you can pull the freezer paper off and you will have the cutout image left behind (my favorite step).

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 9 via lilblueboo.com

Next I printed off another Tink silhouette on regular paper and cut out the wings to make a template. Then I used my disappearing ink pen to sketch out wings onto some leftover fabric from the skirt. Before cutting the wings out, I ironed Pellon Wonder Under to the underside of the fabric and then added them to the shirt as an applique.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 10 via lilblueboo.com

I used a wall stencil that had similar designs to the ones on the Tink fabric and used a fine black permanent pen (I use a Y&C Fabric Mate) to draw several shapes onto the shirt.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 11 via lilblueboo.com

Still using the pen I replicated the “pixie dust” effect seen on the Tink fabric.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 12 via lilblueboo.com

Pixie dust is easy. Just draw a bunch of the below sketch (draw tiny and in different sizes) and add specks randomly all over (less is more).

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 13 via lilblueboo.com

I made two other small applique pieces, the “Tink” and flower, to anchor the bottom of the design. I used the sewing machine to stitch around the appliques to stabilize them. The final step was to press the entire design to “set” the paint and ink.

Techniques (Tinkerbell Embellished Shirt and Skirt) 14 via lilblueboo.com

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt

July 23, 2009 by Ashley Hackshaw

Free Cupcake Applique Template via lilblueboo.com

This is a gift for a friend’s daughter who turns 2-years-old today! Sienna and I are off to a fairy tea party to celebrate.

Free Cupcake Applique Template 1 via lilblueboo.com

I made the applique shirt with mini cupcake, tiny polka dot and sprinkle fabric. The cherry is a red button. (I’m loving the sprinkle fabric….it says it is exclusively made for Joann’s if you want some!) I used DMC thread to stitch around the icing layer and the sprinkle layer.

Free Cupcake Applique Template 2 via lilblueboo.com

I love this blue mini cupcake fabric by Makower….each pastry has little gold accents.

Update: I had a few requests for my fabric source for this fabric….I got it at Mary Jo’s last summer when I was in NC. If you want to find it, google “Makower Party Time Cupcake Blue” …..a few links came up including this one at Creative Quilts Kits. Check Ebay too. Also, the small brown polka dot (that perfectly accents the brown and white cupcakes) is from Robert Kaufman’s Pimatex Basics line.

Here is the template I made for the cupcake layers (I know it is simple…. but it might save you some time).

Cupcake Applique*

*Copyright © 2009 by Ashley Hackshaw. All rights reserved. This applique is for personal and home use only. A limited commercial license may be purchased for limited production. Please email me at ashley (at) dc.rr.com for more information. Thank you for respecting my copyright!

I didn’t use a pattern for the skirt. Just a few rectangles. It is for a size 2T and is slightly short so add some length to each if you like them longer.

Main skirt piece: cut 2 rectangles 8″ x 16″

Bottom border piece: cut 2 rectangles 4″ x 16″

I like to use a disappearing pen to draw a line to help me iron. I drew the first line 3/4″ from the top of the main piece and the second line 2″ down from that one. Fold your edge to the first line, iron, and then fold again to the second line…..

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 1 via lilblueboo.com

…..and iron. This results in a 1″ casing for your waistband.

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 2 via lilblueboo.com

I took the border pieces and pinned them to the bottom of the larger rectangles (right sides together).

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 3 via lilblueboo.com

Then I sewed these pieces together (use 1/2″ seam so there is enough fabric to topstitch later) and finished the edges.

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 4 via lilblueboo.com

Open up the skirt pieces and iron the seam upward toward the top of the skirt. Place both skirt pieces right sides together and pin the sides together.

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 5 via lilblueboo.com

Fold the bottom of the skirt up 1/4″, twice, to form a hem.

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 6 via lilblueboo.com

Refold the waistband down using the folds you have already ironed.

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 7 via lilblueboo.com

Topstitch the skirt where the main skirt piece meets the bottom border (about an 1/8″ above the border). You will be sewing over the 1/2″ seam you ironed upward earlier. This is a decorative stitch but also stabilizes the skirt where the two fabrics meet. You can also need to sew the hem at this point.

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 8 via lilblueboo.com

Sew the waistband and leave 1″ for the elastic to be threaded through. Top stitch 1/8″ around the top of the band as well to stabilize the waistband and for decorative purposes.

Cupcake Applique Shirt and Matching Skirt step 9 via lilblueboo.com

Thread the elastic through and sew the 1″ gap shut…. you are done!

On another note….where did my child get this hair?! Her outfit doesn’t look very “tea partyish” but she runs from me every time she sees me holding the cute little tutu I bought….like mother, like daughter.