Tutorial: How to make an appliqued T-shirt

I've started a tradition of making a birthday t-shirt with my child's age appliqued on it. Instead of a party hat they get a party t-shirt, but they can wear it all year long. I like that it's something they can enjoy all year long instead of just one day.

I thought I'd do a tutorial on how I did it in case you'd like to try it too. It's a pretty quick and easy project. I think you'll have fun doing it. I do!

How to applique a t-shirt:

Materials:

T-shirt

fabric for your applique

heat'n'bond

your applique shape cut out of paper

exacto knife

pen

Step 1: Print your shape and cut it out. This will be your stencil.

Step 2: Trace your shape backwards on the paper side of your Heat'n'Bond.

Step 3: Following the Heat'n'Bond instructions, place your Heat'n'Bond paper side up on top of your fabric (wrong side up). Iron the two pieces together.

Step 4: Now that the 2 pieces are ironed together, cut out your shape.

Step 5: Peel the paper backing off.

Step 6: Place your fabric shape right side up on your t-shirt where you want it, and iron it on. (follow the Heat'n'Bond instructions for how long to iron, but it should be about 10 seconds- no steam)

Step 7: You could stop here but to make sure it doesn't ever come off I like to zigzag stitch around mine. Putting a piece of paper behind your shape on the inside of the shirt helps keep the fabric from bunching up when sewing. Just pin it on the inside and zigzag stitch on the front of the shirt around your shape. When you're done the inside should look something like this...

Step 8: Trim off your extra threads, rip off the paper and wash it to soften the paper left inside the stitches.

The end!