Polka dots are everywhere these days, and I especially love the jumbo dot varieties. Adding polka dots to a shirt is a snap using fabric paint and a simple homemade stencil, and you can make your new top even trendier with some colorblocking along the hem and ends of the sleeves. This sweatshirt was one of those easy craft projects that worked out perfectly from start to finish (unlike other projects I’ve done lately).
I’d actually planned to sew a large portion of my daughter’s wardrobe for winter (like the refashioned wardrobe I made for her last spring). But I while I was in the middle of Halloween sewing I got on Target’s website and saw the deals and realized it would be SOOOO much simpler to just buy her clothes instead…and {true confessions of a sewing blogger}: we got a package on our doorstep a week later.
But I did make this sweatshirt for her. I cut the pieces from a $1 thrifted sweater, using the same shirt I chopped up to make my princess dress pattern:
Once I had the pieces cut up, I added gold polka dots to the front. I cut a 1.5 inch circle out of a piece of cardstock, then trimmed around it to make a 3 inch square with the circle in the direct center. This made a stencil, much like the tiny heart stencil I used on a pair of my daughter’s jeans. A stencil like this makes it really easy to figure out where the dots should go – simply start with one in the center, then move the stencil so a corner barely touches the dot you’ve already made. This way you don’t have to measure (or guess) how much space to leave between dots.
I used acrylic craft paint (Folk Art metallic incan gold) mixed with textile medium (you can find here on Amazon) and dabbed it on with a cheap foam brush. Once dry it feels a little stiff, but when you run it through the wash it softens right up, thanks to the textile medium. I only put dots on the front, so I wanted another gold detail, so I painted a strip of gold at the end of each sleeve and across the bottom hem on the front and back of a shirt (just use tape to get a nice straight edge).
Then I sewed the sweatshirt up like normal and my daughter loves it. And I’m almost wishing I’d made the sweatshirt in my size instead of hers.
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Kathy says
Great sweatshirt, cute girlie!!!
Brianna says
How PRECIOUS is she….and I am a sucker for anything that is GREY & WARM!
Score BOTH with this one.
Thanks for sharing the cuteness.
xoxo
bB***
autumn says
Thanks! 🙂
sarah prieb says
This is so cute! Do you have a tutorial on how you sized and sewed the sweatshirt? Thanks
autumn says
Thanks Sarah! I have a tutorial coming up in a few weeks that will show how to size down a shirt/sweatshirt – keep checking back!
Mary says
So was this a thrifted sweater that was sized down or did you buy it in a child’s size?
autumn says
I sized down a thrifted men’s sweater. I have such a hard time finding plain tops in little girls’ sizes – they are often covered with character junk – plus it’s usually cheaper to size down a thrifted one. Thanks!
Brittney says
I want to make one for myself!
Kimi Romrell says
How did you do the collar? I cant get my collar to stretch after i stitch it so it doesnt fit over my daughters head
Leslie Culver says
I just have to say, your daughter is absolutely adorable! I’m saving this for when I have grandkids but just had to comment!
CYNTHIA fEDAK says
I love sweatshirts! Your daughter’s shirt looks bought, nice job. I love sewing and quilting, and have made my grandkids clothes for years. I have never used paint on any of my fabrics, that is something I will have to try. The color combination you used looks great. I’m like you, I buy adults’ t-shirts for kids if they are on sale at Walmart and cut them down. Sometimes it is way cheaper than buying a yard of new fabric. Happy sewing!
autumn says
Thanks, Cynthia! I was really happy how that sweatshirt turned out. And yes, fabric gets SO expensive that it’s totally worth it to buy on sale and recycle! Happy sewing, yourself 🙂
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