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big girl shoes

    Meet Matilda.

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    The world’s cutest {almost} two year old. She is a spunky little thing who is such a girl. One of my favorite things about her is her love of shoes.

    Her birthday is in just a few days and I have found the perfect gift for her

    {Rae : stop reading if you don’t want to see what  we’re giving your baby}

    birdies big girl shoes

    Birdie’s Big Girl Shoes is a darling story book with GORGEOUS illustrated by the talented Sujean Rim. It is right up there on my list of most delightful {and pretty} children’s books.  And just the right thing for a little girl with a shoe obsession.

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    Such a cute illustration. I sort of want to frame it and put it in Audrey’s room.

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    When Ryan saw this picture he said the mom reminded him of me. I’m totally flattered because that mommy has some sexy legs!

    So I bought the book and was inspired to make a little something extra for the birthday girl.

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    How about a tutorial?

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    Here is what you’ll need:

    :: t-shirt {I bought this one from Target – Audrey has it too and I love it}

    :: fabric {for the shoe and for the flower}

    :: image {or a book with an image you want to copy}

    :: scissors, pins, needle & thread

    :: sewing machine

    :: tulle & beads {optional, for the flower}

    STEP ONE: prepare the image

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    I chose this shoe from the book and photo copied it at 150%

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    Then cut it out.

    STEP TWO: cut design out of fabric

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    STEP THREE: pin design to shirt

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    I went a little pin-crazy, but I didn’t want it to slip out of place when stitching.

    STEP FOUR: stitch onto shirt

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    I used a contrasting thread and just did a regular straight stitch around the perimeter, being sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.

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    Then trim the threads and you have an adorable tee shirt.

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    I wanted to embellish even more with a fluffy flower. Here’s how I made it:

    STEP ONE: cut out 5 circles in desired flower size and 1 small circle for the center of the flower.

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    I also cut out several circles of tulle to add some fluff. Simply fold the tulle into four layers and cut a rough circle about the same size as the ones above.

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    STEP TWO: create the base of the flower

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    Stack the layers of tulle on top of one circle and make a few small stitches to keep them together.

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    STEP THREE: add the petals

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    fold a circle in half, then add a second at a 90-degree angle with their centers aligned

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    then a third

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    and fourth.

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    Now bring the first circle end over the last one so that each circle is over-under-over-under. Does that make sense? I’m having a hard time describing it, but it really isn’t too complicated.

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    STEP FOUR: now stitch down to the base

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    STEP FIVE: add the center

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    layer the small circle on top of a few small tulle circles and place in the center of the flower

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    stitch down.

    STEP SIX: add beads to the center

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    I used these glass seed beads and just made a stitch through each center.

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    STEP SEVEN: attach to shirt with a few small hand-stitches

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    Here is another flower I made using this same technique. Super cute as a headband.

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    Back to the shirt : it turned out better than I had envisioned and I so hope the
    sweet birthday girl loves it as much as I do!

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    Click here to visit Amazon.com and purchase the book Birdie’s Big-Girl Shoes.

    73 thoughts on “big girl shoes”

    2. Tracey
      Reply

      I just have to say that Matilda is ADORABLE!! What a perfect name for her. It just suits her. Hope she had a wonderful bday! BTW….LOVE this page…so glad I found it. When I grow up my dream is to be crafty. ;) You are an inspiration!

    4. Jules
      Reply

      PLEASE more tutorials…I’ve done two already and working on the third! You have such a great eye for style and design! Keep it up!

    5. Shelly
      Reply

      Emily, you are truly talented and generous. Thank you so much for sharing! I’m new to blog sites and you are such an inspiration. Thanks for having me :-).

    6. Laura
      Reply

      I LOVE your tutorials!!!! I CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THEM! You have such great ideas I want to copy them ALL!!!!!!!
      p.s. You can add many many MANY more tutorials! I LOVE YOUR STYLE!

    7. kirbie
      Reply

      This is SUCH a cute idea. I have twin 2 and 1/2 yr old twin nieces that are such little divas and would be soo adorable in a shirt as cute as this. I made them the Mae dolls that you had featured on one of your blogs. They LOVED them. Thank you for all of your creativity and being so open to sharing it with all of us, especially the ones that just wish they were as creative as you (this would be me.) Thanks!

    8. Kelsey Cafferky
      Reply

      You’ve done it again Emily! SOO cute! Oh and would you mind telling me what material Audrey’s flower is made of in the last pic? And what is that headband? I get almost ALL of my baby headband idea’s from you! :)

    14. veronika
      Reply

      How lovely! They do sell this sort of stuff in Mini Boden but this is such a cool way to update otherwise boring T-sirt. And I love love the book my little girl Matilda will love it and perhaps stop wearing my shoes :) thank you

    16. bean
      Reply

      OH MY. Could this be more perfect to go with my coming-in-the-mail print? I’ll have to get a slightly larger shirt to accommodate a 15-year-old, but seriously. Thank you again!

    18. Jo
      Reply

      Adorable. Have you tried the iron on interfacing or whatever it’s called? you trace it onto the paper of the interfacing, iron it onto the wrong side of the shoe fabric, cut it out and iron it onto your shirt. simple and easy. then you can stitch it to the shirt, but no pins and you don’t have to stitch it if you don’t want to. very easy. this is just darling tho.

    21. Denise Rhoden
      Reply

      I love the tshirt you embellished! I am sure the little girl will absolutley love it! You are very creative. It is a neat gift to give the shirt with the book.

    22. Jessica
      Reply

      Emily! Thank you so much for the oh-so-cute post! I’m ordering this for my BF’s Christmas Gift. She’s 27 but that’s ok. I think she’ll like it just as much. :)

      Perhaps I could do a dishtowel for her doing mini shoes? Thanks! xoxo

    32. Alysa Whitlock
      Reply

      I love the tutorial and the book. I’m new to your blog and I love how I receive your updates via email. You have wonderful ideas and ideas I’ve been wanting to try for a long time but don’t know how. Your tutorials are thorough and simple — perfect for my simple mind. I know these things take time so thank you. Keep the inspiration coming.

    34. EarlyGirl
      Reply

      I absolutely LOVE that book. I bought it for Jocelyn for her 2nd birthday (she LOVES to get into my shoes, and we call her Linny Bird). I may have to find an extra one and make a book page canvas out of it for her room!

    36. Lauren Leonard
      Reply

      That shirt is so cute! What a thoughtful gift. My daughter is 3 and her nickname is “Birdie”! I think that book is a “must get” for her birthday. Thanks for sharing your talents!

    37. Xio
      Reply

      thanks for sharing!! i know another {soon to be} 2 year old who LOVES shoes and I’m sure will love this book. great idea for even the tiniest fashionistas : )

    39. valerie
      Reply

      wow! Love this book and the shirt you made! Do you make these for mommies too? I love love love it! You are so talented Emily! Hugs

    41. Sarah
      Reply

      i have adored this book from far. i don’t know if my boys would appreciate it much. although the book and shirt is a great idea for my nieces for xmas. thanks for sharing.

    43. Shelley
      Reply

      Are you kidding me?!?!?!?! This is PER-FECT for my little one. She is completely obsessed with shoes! One of my happiest moments as a mommy came when I saw her strut out of my closet wearing my hot pink peep-toe heels at 18 months old :) “Thank you God, she’s a girie girl!” I will definitely be making this shirt asap!

    44. Erika Reiner
      Reply

      OMG!!!!

      DIVINE!!!!

      I have a niece who is obsessed with shoes and all things sparkly. I am going to have to do this for her! She not quite two yet.

      Thanks for the idea!

      Erika Reiner (aka. Fler…pronounced Flair)

    47. Joan Dobutovich
      Reply

      Instead of going “crazy” with pinning, you could have used a fusible web to hold the shoe in place on the T-shirt. If you don’t like frayed edges, do a tight zig-zag on the edges.

    67. annie
      Reply

      That has got to be the cutest post ever …..my little Elizabeth is a shoe lover from day one and I am going to get the book today. Love the tutorial too….I might try to duplicate it but I am sure yours will always look better!

    68. Lynda
      Reply

      So creative and adorable! Love the touch of the the flower. She is sure to love it! What a precious little girl! It’s fun giving books with an item that relates to the story. I gave a tooth fairy book as a gift and then made a little personalized felt tooth bear to go with it.

    69. Cynthia
      Reply

      This is so cute! You should sell all of your crafty items in your shop!! As a full time working mom (who frankly isn’t very crafty), I’d definitely buy this for my niece and many of the other homemade items you’ve featured on this blog. Love this!!

    73. Tonia
      Reply

      Love this! Such a fun way to celebrate shoes & little girls! Can you wash this in the machine or do you hand wash? Thanks for all your great ideas!

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