Daddy's Clothes Become Son's - A First Birthday Gift

A good friend of mine had a his first child a year ago.  He works in wardrobe, so he always gives me cool clothes and materials to work with.  I wanted to make him something nice for his son's first birthday.

I decided to create it out of his old clothes.

I forgot to take a pic before I cut into it, but I took one of his old western style shirts ...

And one of his old black t-shirts (size mens large).

I used this pattern. 

I had to size it down even more, though because I needed something for 18mths and I think this is size 2 and up.

I took the western shirt and turned it into pants and the t-shirt I sized way down using all the existing hem lines from the sleeves and the bottom.  I also cut out the original neck line and sized it down and re-attached it to the shirt.  I added a little bleach design of a body boarder to the front because he is a great body boarder and I know he wants his son to follow in his footsteps.  I'm pretty sure this will be his first body boarder shirt, since they don't make them this small. :)

I thought the pockets would look super cute on his bum. :)

My friends birthday is just a few weeks after his son's, so I decided to make dad a matching shirt.

To make the bleach design I use freezer paper.  I have started doubling up the freezer paper to prevent the bleach from bleeding through the paper and ruining the negative image.  

You iron on the freezer paper, one and then the other on top.  Let it cool.  Put some cardboard inside the shirt to keep the bleach from leaking through the back and then spray it with bleach.  I just use my bleach cleaning spray.  You want to spray it enough, but not over saturate it.  Only four good sprays should do.  Then blot the paper dry and peel it off quickly without getting bleach onto the design under the paper.  Let it air dry.

For some reason when I did this shirt it didn't bleach well, so I had to do it twice.  It bleached a little too well the second time, but I think I was a little heavy handed with the spray.  I prefer the orange look I got with the little shirt, but this is still cool.  I'm not to sure he will wear it, but he can at least use it at home as leisure wear if he doesn't want to go twinsy with his son.