i like easy projects that take little time/effort but leave me feeling all crafty-satisfied, like this nice pile of tshirts that i funked up with some fabric patches. the girls scurried off to their drawers and dug out all plain tshirts and together we decided what to put on what.
the matryoshka doll was cut off a too-small-too-stained top, and reminds ivy of her bff in perth - lilith (who gave her the original top). this is her favourite and is worn all the time - i'm sure that when she outgrows the tshirt we will be snipping the doll off again and stitching to something else!
i love japanese fabrics (especially all things echino), but it is so pricey. so i buy the tiniest piece of it and then use a patch for something fun like this. the fabric used above is so great as you can use all the different squares as patches. oh and we are all so in love with the owl & pussycat!
this yellow stripey was a onesie that i cut the bottom off. with all these layers and his huge cloth bum, onesies don't seem practical anymore for my giant boy - but it's still a good size for a tshirt. my serger is out of action so i zig-zagged around the bottom where i'd cut.
the house is my fave! i want to do more piecing designs like this. i've found it's much easier to sew all the 'bits' of your design (ie inside of the flower, or on the house the windows and door) before sewing the larger piece onto the tshirt.
all of yindi's clothes are hand-me-downs from ivy or anna, and it was fun to 'yindi-fy' them like this...
i'm hoping to make a lot more for banjo as he grows as i'm really not into all the boy logos you can get on tshirts (why does everything have a bear holding a spanner, or giant sports numbers on it?), so i'll be covering up those thrifted finds with some fun fabric!
links to some boy fabrics i love:
oh the fun that can be had with some smelly old tshirts and pretty piles of fabric!
(women's tees leftover from market will be in my etsy SOON!)
those are so cute, i'm ((impatiently)) waiting for your etsy update! and what is a "spanner"?
Posted by: camille yanair | April 05, 2011 at 07:03 PM
love love love! i need to do some of this!
Posted by: Jill scripps | April 05, 2011 at 07:07 PM
gorgeous Em, as usual - I love them all!!! what a cute little model Yindi makes. :)
Posted by: Zi | April 05, 2011 at 07:58 PM
SO lovely!!
Posted by: Desiree Fawn | April 05, 2011 at 10:08 PM
these are adorable! i'd love to see some kid tees like this in your etsy shop! ;)
Posted by: nicole austin | April 05, 2011 at 11:59 PM
They are so cool, love them!
I'm with you on the boys t-shirts, here in the UK they seem so grown up, more what you'd expect to put on a teenager x
Posted by: beki | April 06, 2011 at 12:47 AM
so great, definitely gonna try this one!
funny thing, i always thought your yindi and my sarah looked alike, and today I was looking at your post and Sarah came up behind me and saw your daughter and says "look, it's me!". I just had to laugh, as she kept asking to see the pictures of "her" again and again!
Love your great ideas!
Posted by: Sebnem | April 06, 2011 at 04:14 AM
I think even I could give that a go ;) gorgeous xx
Posted by: Maureen | April 06, 2011 at 05:30 AM
i love these, makes me want to get crafty!!!
Posted by: Melissa | April 06, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Ohhh, I love these!
Posted by: Holly C. | April 06, 2011 at 12:41 PM
Brilliant!!
Posted by: Christine | April 06, 2011 at 01:47 PM
Oh that's so cute, I know someone who would LOVE to have that doll shirt for her daughter
Posted by: RSA Online | April 06, 2011 at 03:35 PM
you freaking GO GIRL!!!!
Posted by: jaz | April 06, 2011 at 03:51 PM
I want to do this so bad. Such a great idea. You're amazing.
Posted by: Shayna Proctor | April 06, 2011 at 06:28 PM
CUTE!!!!
Posted by: MEG DUERKSEN | April 06, 2011 at 06:46 PM
emily, these are fantastic!
Posted by: nicole@lebenskuenstler | April 06, 2011 at 07:01 PM
You'll have to look at my facebook album- tshirts & onesies. For another owl idea with scraps :) love seeing your ideas! Cute stuff
Posted by: mindy | April 07, 2011 at 05:58 AM
i am swooning!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE.
and i want some women's sizes :)
Posted by: KimP | April 07, 2011 at 07:17 AM
love these shirts! do you applique them with heat n' bond, or just sew the fabric directly onto the shirts? i always applique, but , pffff, if i can skip a step it will make it so much quicker!
Posted by: kat | April 07, 2011 at 11:52 AM
What a fantastic idea! You are so creative and it seems so effortless.
Posted by: Rebecca | April 07, 2011 at 07:41 PM
I know you are SOO busy, but upload these please!~~ I am dying to get some for Paigey-girl and I'm salivating every time I come back here and look at the pics. :)
Posted by: Summer | April 08, 2011 at 10:03 AM
they're really sweet!
Posted by: RachelM | April 09, 2011 at 11:45 AM
Those are perfect...love it! :)
Posted by: Charin | April 09, 2011 at 06:36 PM
oooh. i saw something like this in a hip (read expensive) store in town and was thinking, gee couldnt you just do that yourself?? AND YOU DID! they look great. i think i am inspired to try. i need to freshen up my baby clothes for baby #3 on the way...it is strangely hard for me to think of putting a baby in clothes worn by my other babies (so many memories!) but maybe if i could do this...well, i am inspired. THANKS. :)
Posted by: Sara | April 11, 2011 at 07:05 PM