Ribbon t shirt DIY

Thanks to my sisters, I learned about this great valentines day challenge from May Arts ribbon.  I was determined to create a cute ruffled shirt for Emma by using a shirt we already had on hand and adding some beautiful may arts ribbon to it!
I have more plans for the remainder of my ribbon - I hope to post those soon.  Savanna wants some decorated jeans and Madeline has a t-shirt on order too!

To Begin, I cut my ribbon in strips which would go on the shirt.  I originally planned on more than 3 so I cut more to start.  I changed my mind later! 

I made my straight stitch as large as possible and stitched 2 rows down each piece of ribbon.  NO backstitching at the beginning and end.

Now, take hold of the bottom string on each row you just stitched and start to pull on them to gather the ribbon into a ruffle.  Continue to pull the string on both ends until you have the desired result.

So now your ribbon rows look like this

Next, pin your ribbon onto your shirt.  It is MUCH easier to sew this together if you stiffen up the shirt a bit by adding some tissue paper on the back.  Also, because a tshirt stretches you want to make sure to use a zig zag stitch on the shirt.  MAKE SURE TO KEEP THE BACK OF YOUR SHIRT OUT OF THE WAY SO YOU DONIT SEW THE FRONT AND BACK TOGETHER!

Now go ahead and use your zig zag stitch down the middle of each ribbon strip to attach to shirt.  Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end this time.  I also tucked under the top and bottom ends of the ribbon so they look more finished.  Trim all strings.

I wanted to add a flower so with my orange ribbon I cut and ruffled it as well, just as I did with the green ribbon above.  Pin to shirt.  (here you can see that I all I could find for tissue paper is some that had come as packing material in a box.  This worked great.

Now my flower needed a center and another layer.  I took some small strips of the adorable blue chenille dot ribbon and stitched those (zig zag) onto the inside of my flower.  Then I added two rows of white to the orange.  Adding the white also covered up my stitching for the center so that worked out nicely.

Ta- da!  I think its quite cute.

especially on Emma!

I learned this easy way to creat ruffles from the expert, my friend Sue, and have used it so many ways!  You can easily creat ruffles with any ribbon to add to jars, canisters, clothing, curtains, tablecloths, pillow covers and more!  Check out all that May Arts has to offer.  Its dangerous.  Oh.  And you really need to see what my sister did with her ribbon to make this adorable pillow.

You could go and BUY your child a cute shirt with ruffles on it because they are everywhere.  But I got this tshirt on clearance for 98 cents and the ribbon, thanks to May Arts, was free.  It just required a bit of my time, which was also another drop in my bucked of happiness because I love to create. Thanks for looking!