Matching Shirts For Family Pictures

When we get together with my husbands side of the family ever two years for thanksgiving we have family pictures taken. Each family wears matching shirts. So this year I decided to make ours. And I LOVE them. And then the very next day after I finished making them I was informed that this time was going to be different. That we all are going to wear black, grey, or white. Needless to say...I am not very happy about it. It's a good thing I already have a family shoot in the works with a photographer from my area so we can wear our awesome shirts!!!

For this project you need a plain shirt. Avery Transfer Paper. I purchased mine at Walmart. This is the best brand. It's is very comparable to the professional brand I buy in bulk back when I was making shirts for a living... I used both a set of light transfers and dark transfers. Print this design on the DARK transfer sheet and make sure to NOT mirror it.

Print this on the LIGHT Transfer sheet and make sure you MIRROR image it.

Then you need to cut out the diagonals. Once you have take the large set that you printed on the LIGHT paper and flip it upside down onto the shirt. Place it on the shoulder seam going downward.

Head on over to your ironing board, or use your heat press if you are lucky enough to have one...I think it's a must I love it. Anyways, follow the instructions on the heat and the time, it will vary depending on your iron or your heat press. Then pick off the backing.

Then head over to your sewing machine and using a contrasting thread sew lines across the centers of the diagonals. Make sure to do it in both directions. And of course back stitch at the front and end of each line.

Then try it on.

Take it off because everything looks good.

And change your mind on the pattern you did.

So take two more dark diagonals and place them upside down right on top of these two clear diagonals. Then heat set them on as well.

Pick off the backing paper.

These two are over the stitching line which gives it alot of dimension!

Then take the DARK transfer sheet that you printed and cut out the diagonals. This time because it's the dark transfer paper you pick off the back and place the transfer right side up. So add the clear diagonals on the center of the top row, on the two outsides of the middle row, and on the first diagonal on the third row.

Heat set them. The stitching will be underneath these white ones but you will be able to see it through. Also the two on the middle row will end up grey because the underneath dark grey shows through. It gives it a really cool look as well.

Have the boys try it on.

Yep, it's just right. Frames the face beautifully but isn't distracting in the least bit. They'll be perfect for family photo's. After you get home from your trip and get your pictures retaken by the local photographer so you can wear them.

Then repeat on all five shirts.

Blue, blue, blue. That's what happens when you have boys. You end up in five shades of blue for family photo's! But it's okay...I love the way blue makes my eyes look!

Stay tuned to see what I make to wear to the original Family photo's that I first intended to wear these shirts to!

Post Update: Here are the shirts in action. I LOVE them.