Smash Cake Outfit Tutorial

It's not a first birthday without a smash cake and for me, it's not a first birthday without a smash cake outfit!  She can't get her pretty party dress dirty after all.  If you think this is adorable, wait until you see the party dress I made for her.  I don't want to share until after the party but this is a little sneak peak of half of her birthday outfit.  

[If you don't know what a smash cake is, it is the small cake that Cindy is going to get to smash her hands and face.  A nice round five inch sugar filled delicacy all for her and no one else!]

Anywhoo, I was really hoping to make her a petticoat but I had to settle for less since I am running out of late night craft hours.  I resorted to the tutu.  The ONE shirt however is relatively easy to make so here is the how to.

You will need fabric, fusible web, and interfacing.  The fusible web with the paper on the back is the one you need. 

If you are wondering what fusible web is, it is this webby stuff that I am lifting off the paper.  It is an iron on adhesive that adheres two pieces together.  Pretty neat stuff I have to say.

 

So you will cut big rectangles out [not like the teeny ones I use in this demo] of each the fabric and the fusible web.  Lay the rough side of the fusible web up, then the fabric on top of that so the print is facing up.  IRON on high and I like to blow some steam on it.  It should stick and when you turn it over, the paper side will be on the back and as tempting as it is, don't peel it off!

Cut the letters you want to cut out.  You can trace them using a stencil.  I used my super awesome slice.  Another reason for me to love my Slice because it also cuts fabric!  When you cut out the letter, you can then peel off the paper.

 Now if you just plan to use this shirt once and just want to iron on the letters then you can stop at this point.  Because I want to stitch the letters onto the shirt, they need to be more sturdy hence the need for interfacing.  Now iron on the letter to the interfacing. And then iron on a piece of fusible web onto the interfacing.

 Now the web is on the interfacing and the letter is much more sturdy.  Peel the paper off the back and iron all the letters onto the shirt. 

I didn't have red thread and I wasn't about to go buy some so I stitched in teal.  Now she is ready to get messy and have some birthday cake without needing to get anything on her party dress!  This is my first time doing applique on a onsie so please excuse my messy stitching.