Put a Number on it!: Custom Birthday Shirts Tutorial

Put a Number on it!: Custom Birthday Shirts Tutorial

Our children grow up so quickly and as much as we would like to be able to freeze them at each age in our mind, that just isn’t possible.  Each year we get the girls’ photos taken on their birthdays and I make it a point for them to wear a shirt that has her corresponding age on it.  Creating your own custom age birthday shirt is incredibly easy.  You could even do this without the use of a sewing machine, but it would more than likely be a shirt that was only worn for photos.  I would expect it to fray after washing several times.

Materials Required to Create a Custom Age Birthday Shirt
Heat’n Bond Lite Iron-on Adhesive
Fabric with matching thread
Scissors
Iron
Ironing Board
Waxed paper (optional)
Computer (optional)

Make a Custom Age Birthday Shirt

1) Create a shape to be the base of your applique.  Iron the Heat’n Bond to the wrong side of the fabric.  Then draw your desired shape onto the heat and bond.  It is much easier to cut fabric with excess Heat’n Bond on it and this will make your shape be closer to perfect.  I forgot when I was making my daughter’s number 5 shirt and the photos for this tutorial.

2) You can free form your numbers if you wish, but it is very easy to open the writing application on your computer and print a large sized number and print it.  It is a cheap, easy to make template.  It is very important to turn your number over on the Heat’n Bond/fabric combination when you are getting ready to cut it out.  It will be the reverse way.  Take a look at the photo below.  The photo on the left shows one number cut out of the fabric the right way and the reverse way.  When the heat’n bond paper is taken off of the numbers and turned over so they are ready to iron on to the shirt they are reverse.

3) Remove the Heat’n Bond from the back of the number and turn it over.  Iron the number onto your shape.  Sew around the number.  Practice before hand on a scrap pieve of paper so you can get your desired stitch length and thickness.  You could choose to hand sew this or even to leave it alone.  I personally like the finished look of sewing around the number.  You can remove the backing from the Heat’n bond on your base shape or you may choose to sew with it on.  I have created shirts both ways.

4) If you would like to layer your base shape, do so now.  I like a smaller circle on top of a larger circle.  The steps are the same.  Iron Heat’n Bond to fabric, cut your desired shape, iron the already sewn piece to the base layer.  Sew if desired.

5) Once you have your created design ready you will remove the Heat’n Bond paper and then attach it to the shirt.  Using pins assures that the shape will not move.  Once you have the shape in the desired position iron it in place and then complete the shirt by sewing around those edges.

 

When you are finished with your shirt be sure to snap some photos to capture your child at that age.

Not every age is filled with smiles…..some are filled with children who are crying and will not look at the camera.  Eventually there will be smiles.

This is such a fabulous tradition to start, at any age.  When you make these shirts yourself the out of pocket is so inexpensive and you get just the look you want!

Do you have a Cricut machine?  You can create custom appliques with your Cricut machine just as easily!