I Got a little carried away…Flags and Shirts
September 13, 2010 by Alison
Does the picture below tell you I need help?
I enlisted my mother-in-law and 3 of my neighbor’s irons to complete this project. Most sane people don’t need to bring in a ‘production’ line to help complete this project, but like the title says…I got a little carried away!
My husband is a biker…road biker…bicycle biker… you know the die hard spandex biker kind that can go 50 MPH down the middle of a road on a little tiny bicycle frame wearing a little tiny helmet and keep up the pace for a kigillion miles? If your husband is a biker…you know what I’m talking about.
I know it’s a fun sport for him to compete in and it’s a great sport for me to watch {{I get just as nervous as he does and I’m not even racing}}! I would like to say that I’ve reserved my cheerleading skills for now instead of using them all in high school.
HE had a big race coming up that the whole family comes into town to watch. Thousands of people gathered to watch a lot of talented bikers go around in circles. Sounds monotonous, but it really is a fun event, especially when someone you know is competing.
So I started with this idea of using heat transfer paper to make some cute flags. Bright yellow flags for the kids {{HA! and me}} to wave during a bike race. We get to scream bloody murder and it’s totally allowed.
I found this simple bike off the Silhouette site and cut one out with the Silhouette. I used heat transfer paper. If you don’t have a craft cutter, you can do this with an exact-o knife. It might be a bit tedious, but SO worth it to have matching flags and shirts to show family pride! I know this pride will change to family embarrassment once my kids get to the teenage years, so I am going to make matching shirts now (I’ll probably do it then too:)
Team Jared, with a bike. I think he was a little worried that it might say Team Edward:)
Okay, so Team Jared flags were great and simple, but then I had to do team flags for all of my husband’s racer friend’s family…it keeps going. I really couldn’t stop.
We had some MDF in the garage and I cut it into strips to mount the flags to. A paint stick would work, too. Upholstery tacks took on a new meaning when they were used for attaching flags to a stick.
9 yellow flags
So that is fine and dandy, but then…enter in plain blue box shirt.
Add a bit of love, heat transfer, and some orange polka dot fabric and, can you see the vision?
I cut out squares of the orange polka dot fabric and put the heat transfer on that. Then I sewed the squares on the front of the shirt. I got the idea from Ashely over at Make it and Love it. Thanks Ashley!
One tip with the heat transfer paper. It says to put the iron on for 60 seconds. It took a lot longer than that, so make sure you check it to see if it sticks.
I threw the shirts into the washer and dryer to help fray the edges.
With this obsession you didn’t think I’d stop with the front, did ya?
For those of you who have been following our blog, you know that one of my talents is sewing…ha! I am a pro at sewing a straight line and most of the time it’s not really straight. I will modify a sewing project to make projects easy. I have to because I lack knowledge of that blasted machine:)…don’t worry though. In my next life I will be a sewing queen!
My little guy with the ‘guy’ version of the heat transfer shirt. I only did one square of yellow fabric on the front of his and then used the heat transfer right on the t-shirt. Oh, I forgot to tell you I got these ‘box’ shirts at Hobby Lobby for $2.50/shirt! Nice find. Funny thing, I was able to get all the shirts for the family, but the baby’s shirt was in a different section. It was $6.50. Less fabric… higher cost. Hmm.
Here’s the high priced shirt:) This is my other little guy sporting his favorite hero!
Then my mother-in-law really needed to match…so she got a shirt too.
Oh, by the way - don’t tell her she is on HowDoesShe? It might put our jam supply in danger. She is a pro jam maker and gives us a regular supply.
I always want to stay on her good side:) She’s a good lady!!
I know you’ve seen this shirt, but I am throwing this picture in…because it made me laugh:)
Oh, and our hero that we were cheering on.
So here we are in our matching blue and yellow sea of Team Jared Shirts.
If you look closely at the girl sleeves, you will see how we added a strip of orange fabric to ‘bunch the sleeves’ We wanted to make them less boxy. I know I should have gotten a picture of that, but I didn’t.
And if you are wanting to know if heat transfer is water proof…here is your answer. YEP! Davis found the water soon after the race.
Thanks ladies for letting us link up!
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Those are so cute, I have three daughters that play sports, I am thinking I could make shirts for us to wear at games. Have to check out my silhoutte library for volleyball, basketball and track stuff. Guess I know what my weekend will be spent doing.
You did such a great job with these! What a wonderful expression of Team Spirit!
.-= Donna´s last blog ..Food Blog Forum Part One Atlanta Friday Social! =-.
These are soooo super cute alison. Kinda makes me wish my husband was a biker!
I’m going to have to figure out some occasion I can use this idea for…
Alison you are so cute! That looked like a fun project to do and the best thing was it was from the heart. I bet your husband loved it and all the people around you wishing they would of thought of that. I think my girls would wear those to cheer their Dad on even at their ages of 18,22,24. Those are just too cute.
.-= Stephanie@cre8tive´s last blog ..Pantry Revived =-.
Too stinkin’ cute! And that photo of Davis in the water makes me want to gobble.him.right.up.
…I’m just sayin’…
What a fun idea! You’re kids are so dang cute!! How did they grow up so fast???
I love the shirts! All of you standing together in the matching shirts is a great show of support- anyone looking would have to admire it.
Those are adorable!
.-= Elizabeth´s last blog ..Cork Board LOVE =-.
These are so cool! You did a great job!
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Pumpkin cream cheese =-.
Love them!! Is this heat transfer paper like you would buy in the packages at Walmart? The kind you print off things on your printer on?
I am not sure about the walmart kind. I got mine from silhouette.com Let us know if you try it.
Can you talk me thru how you did the girls sleeves- so cute and I wanna try it!
I just used scrap fabric and folded it in thirds. Then sewed one side to the top of the under arm and then again to the top of the top of the arm. It was simple, but I don’t know if that explanation was.
So fun to see you at Criterium cheering on your hubs with your super cute shirts on!! Way to go! Both you and Jared!:)
Those flags were so cute! You are always so thoughtful! Wish that day would have turned out a little better for us but hey…now we have a cute flag and a ripped up bike shirt hanging up in our bike room!
Maybe we can make the shirt into a flag!
Go Team Nate!!!
I love the shirts and flags! Our town hosts the MN championships. We love to go watch the bikers! I am in total awe of each and every one of them!
Cute shirts!!! I don’t know if you publish it or not, but I know where you live!!! Love the fountains!!!
These are absolutely my favorite! My boyfriend is a bike fanatic too, but he races in downhill (that sport where they jump over rocks on their bikes. craziness!) I will definitely be making a version of these for his next race! Thank you a ton for this post!
Darling, love the fronts the best! SUPER CUTE! jen
.-= Jennie Larsen´s last blog ..MY FALL PORCH =-.
My husband is a runner and I am always trying to figure out a way to make shirts for the kids and I. I love this idea, so I guess I had better get busy. Thanks!
My hubby and several friends are cyclists so your post hits home! I’d love to make shirts like these for all the kids of our group. The guys even have custom cycling jerseys made for their little group! Anyways, you said you used heat transfer paper, does that come in colors? I see your bikes are blue and some white. I have a cricut and assume it can be used the same way?
Thanks for sharing!
It comes in all sort of colors…yay! Double check with the cricut and see if their machine will cut it. I am pretty sure it will, but just in case!
Love it! What a great way to support your man!
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Playground =-.
Where do you find heat transfer paper? Does it come in colors or do you print your object/letters on colored paper and transfer? Sorry I’m confused…thanks! It is a SUPER cute idea
I used the Silhouette kind. It comes in colors and you just cut it. I used a craft cutter, but scissors would work too.
Alison,
What a super cute idea. It was so nice meeting you in Jackson Hole. I love your website and think all you ladies are very smart and creative. I hope to be able to stay in contact with you. Hope to hear from you soon
Danielle Hales
LOVE the shirts – so many cool projects to do now!!
How do these heat trasnfered shirts do in the washing machine? Any special instructions?
I turn them inside out and do not dry them…or iron over the top of them. That’s what I recommend!
Very cute. Thanks for sharing!
VERY cute!!
.-= Angie´s last blog ..Grandparents Day Gifts =-.
Love these! I used to do marathons and triathlons, and would have LOVED a cheering section this cheery
my hubby is also a true cyclist, LOVE these shirts, I really need to get a silhouette instead of drooling all the time. These are so adorable!
.-= kristenduke´s last blog ..Just Kidding–I found one more set of images from my trip =-.
Such a great idea and so CUTE!
Super job Alison, just what we need for my son’s tau kwan do event.
Hope he did well. I love your skills!!!! Will remember these next year at STP!
awesome shirts!
.-= Casey´s last blog ..purple rose =-.
So cute and creative!!!! I love them!
.-= Kaysi @ Keeping It Simple´s last blog ..Blog Swap- All Things Fee =-.
awwww
when am I going to get this Silhouette… great job, Alison. super awesome~! ♥
Vielen Dank für dieses Blog-es ist toll! Ich mag diese Art von Menschen, die Wissen mit anderen zu teilen.