the kite shirt {easy embellished tee}
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 09:30AM 
I'll admit it: I've been shocked at how much my little girl loves "girly" things. She has four big brothers and plays with lots of their toys (in fact, other than a few recent acquisitions she hasn't had any "girl" toys at all). Yes, I've had fun making dresses for her and fixing her hair, but other than that I don't feel like I've treated her much different than I treated any of the boys - but at barely two years old she already LOVES anything pink (I didn't even teach her that word!), is obsessed with shoes ("ooh, these are cute!"), and wants to be a princess (thank you Sophia the First).
Now, in all honesty, some of my boys have wanted to be princesses - mostly just for the fun accessories I think - so it's hard to tell just how much "girlier" my little girl really is than the boys have been at the same age. Anyway, I think it's fun that she loves rocking her baby doll and I'm all for making her clothes as cute as possible, but at the same time I don't want her to grow up thinking she shouldn't play with legos and matchbox cars, or that she has to be pretty to be worth something. We tell her all the time how pretty she is ('cuz she is) but I also try to remember to tell her she's smart, and nice, and brave - I don't want "pretty" to become her identity. I'm not sure how much clothes have to do with all this--the point is just that I think about that sort of stuff quite a bit now that I have a daughter. So when I decided to applique a cute, girly kite onto her shirt, I veered away from pinks and chose bright yellow and turquoise prints instead, just because.
Ok, I'm done rambling about the differences/similarities between boys and girls now, I promise. This project is super simple and could be done with just about any basic shape imagineable - think flower or butterfly or birds (or lego man!) instead of the kite. Here's how:
Easy! Sometimes I just love a project that doesn't even take up one full naptime. One thing to remember - make sure your fabric scraps have gone through the washer and dryer before you cut them to size and adhere - cottons shrink quite a bit once they are washed. And when you're sewing them on make sure you aren't stretching the t-shirt underneath them (this is why you want to use wonder adhere to adhere the kite pieces first OR pin them on very well).
I like this little addition of yellow and turquoise to her wardrobe. It's not as if I'm against pink - she has plenty of pink clothes - but something a little less traditionally girly is fun too.
Linking to some of these parties:
Monday: Skip to My Lou | Brassy Apple | Craft-o-Maniac
Tuesday: Tip Junkie | Sugar Bee Crafts | Not JUST a Housewife | Homework Today's Assignment: Be Inspired | Shwin and Shwin |Today's Creative Blog | Naptime Creations | Chef in Training | The Winthrop Chronicles | Lil Luna
Wednesday: Handy Man, Crafty Woman | Southern Lovely | Sew Much Ado | SNAP | Someday Crafts | The NY Melrose Family | Printabelle | Simply Kierste | Lil Luna
Thursday: Somewhat Simple | House of Hepworths | Momnivore's Dilemma | The Shabby Creek Cottage | Yesterday on Tuesday |The 36th Avenue
Friday: Chic on a Shoestring Decorating | The Shabby Nest | Stuff and Nonsense | It's a Hodgepodge Life | At The Picket Fence | 504 Main | Whipperberry
Weekend: Tatertots and Jello | Little Inspiration
Reader Comments (6)
It turned out cute Autumn, I'll try one. And your daughter isn't the only one who loves Sophia the First. I have a snuggle date with my six year old grandson every Tuesday evening and we watch it.
This kite shirt is absolutely adorable! {And your little model is too! ;)} I found you at Not JUST a Housewife-- thanks for sharing!
~Abby =)
How sweet is this! I love it - my daughter is obsessed with kites, so I think this refashion would be perfect for her! Thanks for sharing :)
Popping in from Sugar Bee link party-
Kim @ Two Ten
This is such a sweet, simple project. I love it! Just wanted to let you know that we'll be featuring this at Someday Crafts on Friday. Be sure to stop by and check it out!
Autumn, I am just discovering your blog for the first time and am having such a good time looking at your various posts. This kite shirt is so sweet. I have a brand new peach long sleeve shirt that my toddler wore once and somehow managed to drop a dot of marker ink right dab smack in the middle. You have given me the perfect inspiration to transform it into quite beautiful! Thank you! I'll send you a pic when I finish it up!
Natalie
I'd love to see it when you're done, Natalie!