Shirt of Many Colors

A couple of posts ago I said I was bogged down. Big Blue was monopolizing my Janome in the sewing room and the Strippy quilt was at a stand still on the Featherweight in the kitchen. What to do? I went stash diving and came up with something completely different. You just need those break out projects once in a while to get the happy "It's Done!" feeling you don't get from a big project.

I bought a basic cotton tee-shirt from Wal-Mart.

What I wanted to try was coming from my imagination, not a pattern so I figured if it bombed I'd only be out $6.50, not even the cost of a yard of fabric.

I had a *blast* pulling a bazillion fabrics in the jade, teal, purple, fuschia palette. I cut 2" squares and scattered them on the cutting table so I could manage the color balance.

Then I split the side seams of the shirt and laid the squares out in rows, tacking them in place with fabric glue stick. I started on the back so I could practice. :D

Then I machine stitched - raw edge applique' - approximately 1/4" in from the edge of the squares. I used long rows from top to bottom and stop and start rows from side to side to maintain the stretch of the tee.

I didn't pre-wash the shirt before the applique'. When I was done I turned it wrong side out and washed it on delicate. It got nice and scrunchie and the edges raveled enough to soften the look.

It's so fun to wear! And warm...

Now I'm thinking about other color schemes. Sunflower yellow, green and brown perhaps? :D