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A Jetpack shirt

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Every once in awhile, things just come together and the result exceeds expectations! This jetpack shirt has been one of the funnest projects I have made for my son, maybe ever! As a pretty normal 3 year old, he is obsessed with space and this week he has been attending a space themed summer camp. Every space themed shirt, shoes, snack box, etc have joined him each day but this.. this took the cake.

On Wednesday it was a “dress as an Astronaut day”, which of course immediately became really stressful for the parents, as we were supposed to come up with a “costume” with just a few days notice. Hello! I need time to research proper NASA uniforms and source the right patches, what is this, a joke to you people?? My costume dilemma was further limited by the fact that a) my son will not, not ever, wear anything on his head, b) this kid has the energy of an Energizer bunny on Red Bull, so whatever he allows you to put on better hang on tight.

I had bought a second-hand, plain orange Tshirt, sketched out a jetpack (a proper drawing of which was surprisingly hard to find), dug out a piece of stretchy metallic fabric I had hoarded for some unknown reason and (I kid you not) at 4am of the day he needed to wear this shirt, I was actually sewing this together. 
The “straps” of the jetpack are made from black bias tape that I “Steam a Seam”ed in place as I didn’t want to mess sewing with them in place. It worked really well actually and there is no way those suckers are coming off, although to be honest I don’t know how it will behave in the wash…. so… it’s all hand wash from here on, people. The space shuttle-looking button came from my never-materialized-dreams of a quiet-book stash and the fuel gage I was sewing on as my husband was tapping his foot on the way to the door! Have I mentioned to you that I only work in tight tight schedules? It’s incredibly stressful, but apparently the only way my creativity would come rushing in to save the day. 
So to recap:
– felt flames “realistically” flap in the air as they are only sewed on at the top
– the jet pack is “mounted” onto a piece of felt to hold it together better
– the bias tape straps are Steam a Seamed in place and gage is hand sewn on 
– the pack itself is a combination of Steam a Seam and sewed on
– Obviously no real jetpack would stay on without the hip strap and middle clasp, but I wanted this shirt to be very wearable and comfortable, so I omitted these (necessary in my husband’s opinion) details 
– Said husband also wants to point out that he made me put the fuel gage in the front as my original drawing had it on the back and he felt it was “unrealistic” and “Are you trying to alert your enemies that your fuel is low??” Engineers, I tell you.. 

Hope you enjoyed this shirt, I know a 3 year old who is currently sleeping in this shirt who was definitely happy with the outcome. This whole idea was inspired by a bigger post that I will publish on Sunday, so hope you will stick around.  

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Comments

  2. Oh. My. Goodness. My 7yo would LOVE this. Love love love what you did. No way could I sew at 4am in the morning (especially since my machine is my bedside table and I think hubby would object, a little!). You are amazing to get this out of your head and onto a shirt. Well done Alisa!!

    Reply

    • Thanks Jane, it means a lot coming from you 🙂 thankfully (unfortunately?) my machine is in another room, so I am able to do this in odd hours without any consideration for my poor neighbors (sorry about that guys!)

      Reply

    • Thanks Sarah! I swear up and down each time I do this kind of a last minute project and promise that this is absolutely the last time, but we all know that it will happen again and again… Maybe I should just embrace this sewing side of me 🙂

      Reply

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