Decorating a Shorts Outfit

Hi, I'm just a messenger today.

Sarafina wrote up this message about how she turned shorts and a white puff sleeve T-shirt into a matching outfit.

If you like to give your clothes a personal touch I hope you will find an idea here you want to try and will enjoy.

In addition to the shorts and T-shirt you will need: 
                        
              1 small embroidery needle
              3 small yellow glass beads
              yellow thread
              scissors
              a ruler
              embroidery thread in the color you prefer
              chalk pencil or other way of marking fabric

Start by finding the center front of the T- shirt and deciding how far down from the edge of the neckline you want the center of the flower.  Place a small dot at this point with your pencil.  

(Note: I made the flower first then added the bead for it's center.)

I used 3 strands of embroidery thread and made the "Lazy Daisy" stitch for my flower and gave each flower 6 petals.  I did these freehand.  There are plenty of sites on the internet detailing this stitch if you don't already know how to make it.

(Note: If you aren't ready to do freehand flowers there are sites with small patterns you can download and make iron-on transfers.)

After I made the flower, I added the yellow bead for it's center.  Then, I added a yellow bead about 1/4-inch from my flower on each side of it.  I liked how this looked so I stopped there.

On the shorts I chose a place for a similar flower.  Mine is on the left side of the shorts 1 & 1/8-inch from the bottom of the shorts and 1/2-inch from the side seam.  Here too, I made a "Lazy Daisy" flower and placed a yellow bead in it for it's center.  Then, I added 2 yellow beads for accent close to the flower.

I think the flowers gave the outfit a more complete look and made it more feminine.  I plan to decorate more of my clothing with embroidery work and beads in the future.

Happy sewing!

Sarafina

Note from Kyle:  Thank you Sarafina for this great idea and for helping me catch up on my posts.

Nana is Sewing

Hey, I think we finally got Nana interested in sewing again.

Each of us has a long list of items we want made.

Nana wanted to start with projects she already had started or planned.  

Today, she made a pink mattress and pillow for my twin sister, Kaylee.  Pink is her favorite color.  She has pink and white flannel with butterflies picked out for her fitted sheets.  They probably won't be done real soon.

Until she gets our sheets and comforters made we will sleep on top of these mattresses in our sleeping bags.  Nana made the sleeping bags too.






She also made a green mattress and pillow for me.  I don't have sheet fabric picked out yet.


  She makes the mattresses to be 1 inch thick. .  But, I think they are thicker than that when she gets the stuffing into them.  They're really soft and you sink down into them.  They help keep you warm.  



When she makes a mattress she measures the area it is to fit into.  Then she makes a pattern by using those measurements and adding 1 1/2 inches to the side and end.  Example: a mattress to be 12 x 20 inches would be cut out 13 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches.  That gives 1 inch for height and 1/4 inch for a seam allowance.

She sews all 4 sides leaving a space open at one end for turning the mattress right side out and for stuffing.

Before she turns the mattress right side out she sets the thickness by folding the side and end seams together at each corner and stitching across them where there is 1/2 inch on each side of the seams. This gives them more definition at the corners.
 

I think Nana has three more mattresses to make for our family.  Then, she will make mattresses for any cousins that want them.

It's a good thing Nana likes to sew.