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Monday, March 18, 2013

Green Eggs & Ham Bow Tie Onesie [A TUTORIAL]


As I posted before, St. Patrick's Day was just another reason to create something cute for my little guy. I'm not into all the shamrocks, rainbows and luck, but it had to be green, of course!
One great thing about this onesie is that lil man can wear it any day, not just St. Patty's Day. It's green, yet unassuming. Besides, who can resist a baby in a bowtie?
This onesie is a combo of two types of crafting bliss: Fabric Transfers and Sewing. As I promised in my Double Bowtie Tutorial, I'll show you how to make one of your own.
 
WHAT YOU'LL NEED FOR THIS PROJECT:
* A onesie or t-shirt
* Printable Iron-On Fabric Transfer Sheets {I used Transfer Magic}
(Make sure to buy Fabric Transfer Sheets for Dark Fabric, if you are going with a colored material)
* Green Eggs and Ham image {Click here for the FREE DOWNLOAD PDF}
* Scissors
*Iron and a cloth to protect your surface {You'll want to iron on a hard surface, like a table, instead of your ironing board}
* A finished Bow Tie from my Double Bow Tie Tutorial
*Sewing Machine or Needle & Thread
 
Let's get started. First, I always suggest prewashing and drying any time you are working with 100% cotton, as this onesie is made of. This way, you won't have any strange issues with shrinkage after your project is finished.

Next, you'll need to download the Green Eggs & Ham image from my Craftsy pattern shop. It's a free PDF file. Simply open it up, and print the image onto your Tranfer Paper. NOTE: You'll notice the image has been mirrored. This is not an accident. Any time you are working with transfer paper, you'll want to make sure the image you choose to print is mirrored, so that it won't end up backward once you iron it to your fabric.

Now, trim the paper as close to the image as you can, without cutting into the design. I made the mistake of forgetting this step the first time I used Transfer Magic, and learned my lesson. Even in the areas where there is no image printed, the paper will still transfer onto your fabric, leaving you with a large, filmy square of nothing attached to your fabric. Ick. I even trimmed the little egg separate from the rest of the image. Then I ironed it where it should be placed in the picture.
 
Position the iron-on where you like best. I chose to place mine just below where my bow tie would go. I find with onesies, that if you go too low, the image will be on the baby's belly, and then later covered up if you put pants on him or her. Follow the package instructions closely next, as you iron the image onto the onesie. Generally, you'll use a cotton heat setting, for anywhere from 30-60 seconds or so. And it's important to iron on a firm surface, instead of an ironing board. This is where a cloth comes in handy, to protect the surface where you are ironing. Just use a piece of fabric or another t-shirt. A towel would be too bulky for this. Make sure to iron as long as you're supposed to, or the image will not set correctly.
 
Let the area cool completely before trying to remove the backing paper. Start on the edge of the backing paper, and SLOWLY peel it off of the onesie. I like to hold my hand on top of the image, as I pull the paper off, so that it doesn't stretch into a permanently weird shape. {Hand raised up} Done that one, too.
 
Next. step back and admire the cuteness! And move on to attaching the bow tie.
 
Take your finished double bow tie, and pin it to your onesie. You need only to pin the bottom layer of the bow tie. No stitches will be made through the top. I personally like the look of the bow tie being as close to the top of the neckline as possible. This way, you don't really see the fabric peeking above it.
 
Use your sewing machine (or needle and thread, if you must) and tack down the bow tie on each side. Just run the machine for a few stitches back and forth a few times. This will make sure it's nicely secured, and keep it from coming off in the wash. Make sure to pull the top layer aside, and stitch through the bottom layer ONLY. This way your stitches will be completely hidden.
 
Clip off your ends and you're....wait! You're done!
 
Could it get any easier, folks? I hope you love the project, and please try it! I promise you won't be disappointed! And as always, if you want to share a project you have made using this tutorial, I'd love to see it! You can email me photos at SugarMamaShop@gmail.com or link up a post you've written in the comments below.
 
ONE FINAL NOTE! This project is NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE, as I wouldn't want anyone to get in trouble for copyright infringement on the image. So don't sell it! Make it and squeeze your OWN baby in it! { Or a friend's :) }

Happy creating!

♥ Amanda

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