tutorial Archives - Page 48 of 61 - Ashley Hackshaw / Lil Blue Boo

A Very First Birthday Outfit! (& Tutorial)

January 1, 2010 by Ashley Hackshaw

cupcake applique tutorial via lilblueboo.com

My friend Jenn asked me to make her daughter Callie’s outfit for her big first birthday bash in a few days…..complete with cupcakes, ruffles, sprinkle fabric and a single birthday candle!

cupcake applique tutorial 2 via lilblueboo.com
The cupcake applique and sleeves of the onesie have matching pink tulle and sprinkle fabric ruffles.

cupcake applique tutorial 3 via lilblueboo.com
The skirt is made from Jona’s Evelyn Apron Skirt pattern (without the apron) using Michael Miller’s “Cupcakes on Pink” fabric and some cute sprinkle fabric I found at Joann’s. I modified the size 2 to fit a one-year old.

Closeup of the cupcake applique:

The contrasting sprinkle trim on the skirt:

To make the bottom part of the cupcake I applied Wonder Under to the back of a dark brown fabric and then cut it into 1/4″ strips.

Then I ironed them 1/4″ apart onto white muslin, curving slightly to resemble a baking cup shape…..

…. and trimmed it into the bottom of the cupcake shape. I appliqued the bottom cup, the top of the cupcake, a candle and flame onto a onesie using Wonder Under and stitched each shape around each shape to secure. I used one row of stitching for each brown fabric strip on the baking cup.

For the cupcake icing I cut a few strips of pink mesh tulle…..

……and sewed down the middle of each piece, holding the top spool lightly in place every few inches, to create gathers (a little trick I learned from my friend Vanessa over at V&Co).

I tied the thread ends into knots on each end to secure the gathered pieces and then hand stitched them onto the top of the cupcake.

I repeated these steps for two small strips of the sprinkle fabric for the very top of the cupcake.

I made similar ruffles for the sleeves and hand stitched them around the cuffs.

The finished outfit for an adorable Callie Jane!

Happy New Year to all of you! We are staying in tonight. I have to come up with my submission for next week’s SYTYC contest by tomorrow!

Snowglobe Shirt – Tutorial

December 21, 2009 by Ashley Hackshaw

Snowglobe Shirt - Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

When I was little I had such a fascination with snow globes…….I imagined a tiny enclosed living world inside.

This was my submission for the “snow” theme in the SYTYC contest a few weeks back. I personalized it for a friend’s daughter which I think makes it a special gift idea. I used some remnants of the snow white fabric I had for it but you can use this tutorial to make a shirt in any theme you want.

To make something similar you will use the following techniques: freezer paper stenciling, fabric paint, fabric pens, applique and iron on transfers. The key is layering all the different techniques in the same order!

Step 1: I traced a round globe shape…..

……and sketched a base.

Step 2: I sketched out the location of the globe on a t-shirt using a disappearing ink pen.

Step 3: For the clouds, I sketched the cloud shape on a small piece of freezer paper and cut them out. (I use a razor blade for this but I recommend using an exacto knife for safety).

Step 4: I placed the cloud stencil on the the globe and ironed to adhere it to the fabric. (Click here for more details on freezer paper stenciling).

Step 5: Paint your clouds using fabric paint (I prefer Jacquard brand, it washes well and is soft) and let dry.

Step 6: I took a scrap of themed linen fabric…..

….and applied fusible web to the back of the castle and to part of the linen with no print on it for the snowglobe base.

Step 7: I cut out the castle and base shapes (with fusible web now on the back) and treat the edges with fray check or thread glue.

Step 8: I placed the snow globe base and castle onto the shirt (after peeling off the back paper from the Wonder Under….

…..and ironed them on according to instructions.

Step 9: I used a ready-made ornate iron-on transfer…..

… to decorate the base of the snowglobe.

Step 10: I stitched all the fabric shapes to the shirt to secure them.

Step 11: I used a black Fabric Mate pen to draw in some snowflake shapes and to add an initial to the flag (also a fabric applique) flying above the castle.

Step 11: I applied safe rhinestones as the last embellishments.

Step 12: I cute a “globe” from clear vinyl PVC (you can find this is the table cloth cover section of your fabric store) and stitched it on top of my snowglobe.

Note: Vinyl is VERY hard to sew because it grips the foot and the machine. Try placing a piece of tracing paper in between the machine and the vinyl when sewing. It will rip cleanly off when you are finished and you can see through the tracing paper as well so you can see what you are sewing!

Step 13: I printed out the personalized message on iron-on transfer paper. Make sure to print your image in reverse! I always come up with something generic to print on the rest of the paper so I don’t waste any like clothing labels or size labels.

Step 14: Cut out your image to transfer and iron onto twill ribbon. Treat the edges of the ribbon with fray check or thread glue. (I also like to print several different sizes just to make sure one of them is the perfect fit!) Stitch your personalized label to the front of the globe base!

One finished snowglobe! Just make sure to wash on gentle cold and lay flat or hang to dry!

Please feel free to email me if you have questions!

Upcycled Embellished Mittens – Tutorial

December 15, 2009 by Ashley Hackshaw

I made these upcycled mittens for the SYTYC contest but decided to go with another idea instead.

Step 1: I made a template using my daughter’s hand and cut out 2 mitten shapes for each hand (4 total) from a soft ice blue microfiber golf shirt. These are the outsides of the mittens.

I cut out 2 mitten shapes for each hand (4 total) from a pair of white stretchy sweatpants. These are the warm insides of the mittens.

You should have 4 pieces for each mitten: 2 insides, and 2 outsides.

Step 2: For each mitten I placed the two outside pieces right sides together and sewed around the edges, leaving the wrist area open. Repeat for the inside pieces.

Step 3: Turn all the mitten pieces right side out and inside lining up into the outside mitten.

Step 4: Trim the outside and inside wrists of the mittens so that the edges are flush.

Step 5: Using white DMC embroidery thread, I stitched around the edges turning the outside of the mitten inward over the inside lining.

Step 6: To make each rose I cut a small strip of knit.….each a little bit different size.

Step 7: Folding one corner downward (wrong sides together), I started a gathering stitch along one edge as shown below:

Step 8: Next I folded the following edges together and continued the gathering stitch….

….matching and stitching the edges together….

…….until I reached the opposite side. Basically, instead of folding the rectangle in half you are offsetting it slightly which will make the flower folds more interesting.