D's READ shirt

At D's school February is focused on reading with the kids all wearing the READ shirts on Fridays. We got the order form in January but there is no way I am paying $20 dollars for a shirt when I can make D a shirt from my stash.

With D reminding me Wednesday that he needed/wanted to wear a READ shirt Friday I made sure to get myself down to my sewing room to get something made. My initial thought had been to cut some heat transfer vinyl & add it to an existing shirt but....I got my first issue of Ottobre Design so I HAD to make something from it.

I decided on Ottobre 1/2013 #21 Child's Long Sleeve Shirt

I then had to change the pattern 'cause, heaven forbid I do anything the easy way! I wanted to try some applique/reverse applique using my embroidery machine. Layering two shirt fronts together I used one of the fonts on my machine I stitched READ through both, sewing them together essentially. Using my regular sewing machine I stitched a rough oval around the word a few times. I then very carefully cut away the dark blue of the front shirt and was left with the applique. I proceeded to finish constructing the shirt making it look layered, treating the front's two layers at one piece; the only part of the shirt that isn't actually two layers is the back. D likes it and has worn it a few times. I used two men's shirts from my stash that I believe were from my MIL so the shirt only cost me my time and made use of a new pattern - yay!

Have a good afternoon,

Alyssa