Touchdown Gear: All Star Jersey

Now that you’ve got the helmet good to go for your little All Star, you’re going to need a jersey.

Made out of soft cotton knit, this jersey design is perfect for all day play

And so cool and comfortable, they may never want to take it off!It has a solid upper yoke, just like the pros, with plenty of room for personalization.To make a jersey in size 3T, you’ll need:
-Jersey 3t PDF Pattern
-1/2 yard cotton jersey knit
-1/4 yard (0r less) contrasting rib jersey (I salvaged from the neckline of old tees for mine)
-Shoulder pads
-Fabric paints and markers

 

Cut out all your pattern pieces.Right sides together, lay the front of the upper yoke so that raw edges meet with the top of the front lower piece.Sew together, then repeat for back yoke/back lower piecesRight sides together, pin the sleeve to the side of the yoke.  Start pining in the middle (use the center line on the pattern piece for guide, if needed), and then work out from there.

Sew sleeves in place

Fold the shirt right sides together, matching side seams and open sleeve side seams.Sew from end of sleeve, down the side seams of shirt, and to the bottom of hem.Take your contrasting rib knit piecesFold in half, right sides together, forming little circles.Flip in half again, matching raw edges.Place the ribbed knit circles around the OUTSIDE of the sleeve, raw edges matching.  This picture stinks, and it shows the ribbed knit on the inside.  I messed up.  You want it on the outside.  Seriously, out.side.  Got it?Again, remember, ignore that this is on the inside in this picture, too…
Stretch the sleeve and the rib knit as you sew together, sewing all around the entire hem of the sleeve.If you did it on the outside, you’ll have this.Now you need to do the same thing with the neckband piece.Sewing it in place at the neckline, matching raw edges on the OUTSIDE.Flip shirt wrong side out.  Fold lower hem up 1/2 inch.  Press.Sew hem in place.Now’s the time to decorate.  I just thought I’d show you real quick what I did.  I used freezer paper, tracing images and fonts I got online.  For the “Eagles”  I did layers of freezer paper.  I would paint the bottom color, let dry, add next layer, let dry, then next, etc.

For the eagle on the sleeves, I used freezer paper to stencil in the background main color, then used a fabric marker to freehand the actual eagle.  Then I added silver highlights with more fabric paint.I also used fabric markers to outline the “3” and our last name on the back of the jersey.To make things just a bit more official looking, I added a simple white triangle to the center front neckline.  Then I added the year and a little similar-but-not-quite-NFL graphic below, all with fabric markers.Now to add some bulk to your jersey.  Get your shoulder pads, just the awesome 1980 power woman kindAnd sew to the inside of the center shoulders

And now you’re ready to play!

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