Whoo- Do you Love? T-shirt Pendant Tutorial

Don't you love how ideas come together? You're browsing a bookstore and something kind of tugs at you, later you're at the fabric store and you get another tug, then you're driving home and spot something out the window- another tug. Sometimes that's enough and sometimes this can go on for weeks even months as little bits of an idea just sort of fall into place. As if you're mentally sorting a puzzle while discovering the pieces along the way. You never know just when you'll come across one.

The idea for this tutorial came about in this way. I found a book on fabric jewelry at the library, then I was thinking about some fabric necklaces I'd made last year for the book, later I was cleaning out my basement and found a ton of old t-shirts. Then, sorting the laundry I found the owl t-shirt I'd been looking for. All seemingly seperate actions and diverse images that became the basis for this tutorial. So take a look and if you make one or something inspired by it I'd love to have you post them on my facebook fan page! Thanks!

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Owl Pendant: T-shirt Necklace Tutorial

Tools and Materials
knit t-shirt fabric in asst. colors ( I have light blue, darker blue, and cream)
embroidery floss to contrast with t-shirt colors (I used blue, brown, and orange DMC)
needle
scissors ( I like the small Ikea scissors for trim work)
Crop-a-dile
eyelet
jump ring

Step One: Cut from your material the basic owl shape. I cut this free hand but you can make up your own template.

Step Two: Cut pieces for the front belly of the owl, the wings, and the eyes. To get the exact shape of the wings I placed my large owl shape on top of my light blue fabric and cut following the edge of that shape.

Step Three: Using your needle, threaded with embroidery floss very carefully stitch the front of the owl, the eyes, and then add any extra decorative stitching you desire. I free-stitched the eyes, and added a little stitching to his head.




Step Four: Make sure any loose threads are knotted close to the fabric and trimmed on the backside of your pendant.

Step Five: Place your owl on top of another piece of t-shirt material that's slightly larger and stitch together by going around the edge of your owl shape. When you get to the spots where the wings should go add them in. Carefully trim around your shape.

Step Six: To finish your pendant use your handy-dandy crop-a-dile and add the eyelet. To add the eyelet you first have to cut a hole for it. To do this use the larger hole punch on your crop-a-dile. Then place your eyelet in and squeeze to secure. * variation below

Step Seven: Cut a strip of t-shirt material to your desired length. Add a jump ring to your eyelet and then thread your fabric through this. Tie the two ends together to make a knot and wear your fabric pendant with pride!!!

*Variation*- You can stop at step 4 before adding the eyelet and add a pinback to your owl instead. That option would look like this... For added embellishment you can also add some decorative stitching to the front cream part of the owl. I thought stitching on some overlapping antique shell buttons to represent feathers would be cute here too. Or stitch on a neck tie- it's up to you!!!