Happy Holidays everyone!

A quick word about the sweater I used for this project. It’s, what a surprise, handmade! This is the reason why I got the Agnes pattern in the first place! I wanted to have a simple shirt pattern that could easily be turned into a sweater.

I added about 2cm to the sleeve and bodice pattern pieces and also squared down the bodice for a looser fit. The close fit of the original pattern would’ve been unsuitable for the lettering. I always find it somewhat weird to have bold lettering right across the bust if the shirt’s a tad too tight. I used a slightly heavier jersey knit fabric in taupe which I bought in a little sewing café in Germany last winter.

PERSONALISE A SHIRT USING IRON-ON FOIL

This is a super easy way to personalise or embellish any kind of garment. If you have templates for letters or shapes, it’s even easier. (It took me a while to draw all those letters and get them in perfect shape).

All you need is a shirt and some iron-on foil that you can order online.

Some tips:

– Use a shirt with a smooth surface (jersey or cotton works best)
– You need to be able to iron your garment on a very hot temperature setting (I wouldn’t recommend using silk or polyester!)
– Read the instructions that comes with the iron-on foil carefully
– Keep in mind that all shapes and letters have to be mirrored!

I ordered silver and matt black foil online which came in different sizes. The A4 size had the best cost-benefit ratio and also I wasn’t sure how much I needed. In the end, I used less than half of a sheet of each colour. I have plenty left for other projects.

For this project I was inspired by this jcrew kids tshirt which unfortunately doesn’t come in adult size!

Start of by sketching out the shape or letters you want to create. Alternatively, you can use Word or Photoshop to create a layout you can print off and cut out.I used the sketch to check if the size was right and to mark the position on the shirt.Because I couldn’t find a good font and sketched my own, I copied them onto squared paper to make sure they were even and all the exact same size. I positioned them on the shirt and used chalk for markings.When transferring the template onto the foil, make sure everything is mirrored. Draw the shape onto the matt side of the foil, you can use pen or pencil. If you don’t want to mirror your letters, you can try to draw them onto the “right” side, but since it has a protective film it might be a bit tricky and the ink of your pen might come off and ruin your iron.Cut out the letters, place the onto your shirt and press the iron onto them one by one to prevent them from slipping out of positon. Don’t remove the protective film until all the letters are firmly applied and have cooled off. You can now remove the plastic film and use the extra sheet of protective paper that comes with the foil to set the glue a second time. Never iron without the paper after that otherwise the foils sticks to your iron and the whole this is ruined. You can wash the shirt at 60° and iron it from the wrong side if necessary. 

Will I make it again? Yessss! I love this shirt, especially because it’s not so obviously Star Wars themed as many of the Christmas sweaters you can buy online. It’s actually quite glamourous and someone not familiar with the Star Wars franchise might not even notice. The foil was super easy to use and I love the result. You can use it to transform an old shirt or jumper or to personalise presents.

Merry Christmas and may the force be with you in the New Year!

xx

Charlie

Happy sewing!
♥

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