We are in the season of giving – giving thanks, giving gifts – but also of making. Perhaps you’re baking a pie, sewing a stocking, or creating a one-of-a-kind garment or handmade item full of personal touches and plenty of love. No matter what you choose to make, handmade items are certainly the best kind of gift to give and to receive.

Designed with the holidays in mind, this DIY Kit for our classic T-Shirt Top, featuring a negative reverse appliqué Paisley pattern, can be completed quickly, but has lots of detail. The pattern for this Capped Sleeve T-shirt Top is included in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design and detailed instructions for construction can be found on pages 48-49.

Use our Maker Supplies + Stencils to make your own.

DIY PAISLEY T-SHIRT TOP

SUPPLIES

T-shirt Top Pattern from Alabama Studio Sewing + Design
2 yards of 60”-wide 100% organic medium-weight cotton jersey
1 spool Button Craft thread
18” Transparent Ruler
Rotary cutter
Fabric scissors
Paisley stencil
Textile paint
Stenciling tools

Basic sewing supplies: pins, needles, embroidery scissors

Cut out your pattern pieces from your organic medium-weight cotton jersey for the T-shirt front, back, and sleeves. (Note that we chose the cap sleeve for our version, but you can customize your design with short sleeves, long fluted sleeves, or no sleeves.)

Cut one additional T-shirt front panel. This panel will become your appliqué.

When finished cutting, you will have one back panel, two sleeves, and two front panels.

Stencil one T-shirt front panel with our Paisley stencil and textile paint. Set aside to dry.

Once dry, pin the top, stenciled front panel to the bottom layer of the front panels with right sides of both layers facing up.

Following instructions for negative reverse appliqué found on page 99 of Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, straight stitch 1/8” inside the edge of the stenciled shape; then cut the top layer of fabric 1/8” outside the edge of the stenciled shape, leaving a 1/4” sliver of top-layer fabric beyond your stitching line. (See detail photo above.)

After all of the stencil pattern has been embellished with embroidery and cut, construct the T-shirt by-hand using a double strand of Button Craft thread following the detailed instructions from page 48-49 of Alabama Studio Sewing + Design.

OUR DESIGN CHOICES

Fabric weight – 100% organic medium-weight cotton jersey
Fabric color – Italian Plum
Button Craft thread – Maroon #41B (Burgundy)
Knots – Inside
Binding Stitch – Cretan