There are 10 girls in my family, including myself. Which means that when I set out to make something for someone, I have to be willing to make at least eight more. Since I don't like to be left out, I usually make a couple more than that.
I recently made a tee shirt for myself thanks to the help of a good friend. She's the artist who designed the letters for the shirt. I told you about her in a post a few weeks ago. Her FB page is here. She thought it would be fun if I made shirts for everybody.
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| the little girls' shirts |
I am easily convince and set out to make one for each of the girls on my list. That means the three daughters-in-law, the three big granddaughters, and the three little granddaughters. No one to be left out, of course.
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| Catherine |
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| Marley |
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| Sophie |
The problem with making shirts for everyone is that there are so many to sew. I don't necessarily lose interest so much as I like to make a couple, see that I can do it and then move on to something new. I like challenge but I'm more of a sprinter rather than a long-distance runner. (Oddly, I make quilts!)
Anyhoo, I bought enough shirts to make one for each of the girls and a couple for myself. Then I promised to finish all the gift shirts before starting on my own. I really wanted a couple of my own, so I had some incentive.
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| the moms' shirts |
And having incentive was nice, but it turns out that I didn't really need it. I got very enthused about seeing how each shirt would look once completed. I'd chosen the fabrics based on each person's interests, then chose the shirt to match the fabric. Once the shirt was complete I could determine whether or not I'd chosen well.
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| the big girls' shirts |
I think I did and here's why: the day after Christmas three of the girls wore their tees to go shopping. Then on Sunday a whole crew of Marcottes returned from a visit to St. Jude's Children's Hospital and Dusti was wearing her shirt.
Of course, everyone said, "Thank you." They are sweethearts and very polite, but I got a good feeling that they also liked my little handmade offerings and that, my friends, is much better than working on my own shirts! Leta did it again...go look her up!
I have a great friend. One who is willing to haul around this tub of pretty Vera Bradley fabrics. She happens to be a great artist able to create smart looking letters. And she is especially generous. By that I mean she shared her fabrics and created letters of my initials.
Did I mention how generous she is? Well, she also has a small side business designing and creating appliqued shirts for college sororities and for individuals. So she ordered the shirts for me also.
It was lots of fun making the first one. I have a couple more to go and will tweak the placement just a hair, but I'm really pleased with my first attempt. Since I took the picture looking into the mirror, the letters are backwards but correct in real life. This shirt is extra soft and perfect for a girl who can't handle much heat. It's also a little big because tight clothing is an uncomfortable distraction.
Having you in my life has been a blessing, Letabug. I love you!
These are some of the shirts posted on Leta's FB page. Aren't they impressive? You can find her FB here. Do me a favor and go like her page.
