In case you missed me on No Big Dill for her amazing Once Upon a Thread Series, here is the tutorial I posted for it!
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One of my most favorite children’s books is Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch, Illustrated by Sheila McGraw.
It was first published in 1986. I remember in elementary school, one of my teachers read this book and had a difficult time getting through to the end because of her tears.
That memory never left me. After I had my first child and he was a little older, I found a gently used copy at a thrift store and planned to give it as a gift. I read through it once I was home, and had to buy another copy because I was keeping this one for myself!
I have yet to read this book to my children without crying :)! So when Katy asked me to participate in Once Upon a Thread, I thought about many different books I love. But I kept coming back to this one because never has a children’s book stirred so much emotion in me!
I wanted to design something that was subtle enough that you really have to look to read the words, but we know it’s there, even if no one else does.
This can be done with iron on vinyl, transfer paper, or even embroider the whole thing. I’ll show you how I made mine with transfer paper.
You’ll need:
-skirt, shirt, pants, bag, blanket, or just whatever you’d like to apply the design to. Just make sure that the material and the transfer paper are compatible. I just quickly sewed a paper bag skirt.
-embroidery floss with needle, buttons, lace, fabric flowers, crocheted flower or heart, or whatever else you want to embellish the “word stems” with
-interfacing
-transfer paper. I bought this paper from Amazon, mostly because of the price.
-Pattern. Create your own in a word processor program (my transfer paper came with instructions on how to do this) OR you can print off the same one I used. Click here to print the words, and here for the flowers. Please note, the words are a mirror image because I got the transfer paper for light/white fabrics.
As you follow this tutorial, you’ll notice that the words are all orange, but on my final skirt they are turquoise. I just wanted a little more color on my skirt!
Here are some tips for your transfer paper, assuming that your instructions are similar for the brand you have:
**I strongly recommend practicing at least 2 times with your transfer paper, onto some test fabric that is the same as what you’ll be applying the design to. The reason? My instructions seemed very thorough, but once I tried following them exactly, my results varied. For instance, mine said to iron for AT LEAST 2 minutes. Well, less than a minute into it, the background to my letters turned yellow.
**I found that if your background remains shiny, however, that you didn’t leave the iron on long enough. So find an even balance.
**If working with light fabrics, clean your iron before use!
**Apply a pillowcase or other fabric that can handle high heat over the transfer paper when ironing on. Make sure that the pillowcase is wrinkle free.
**Read the reviews on the transfer paper you are buying. Read the reviews on others as well. I actually read a lot of the reviews on this brand and took the advice found there.
**Make sure you are getting the right transfer paper for your fabric. Is your fabric dark? Then you need different transfer paper than I used, and you might not even have to mirror your words. Read the instructions thoroughly!
**You may want to choose a fabric that doesn’t wrinkle easily, as you cannot iron over the transfer paper once applied. I quickly swiped mine with some fabric over it, and they were fine, but if I put them onto the pillowcase and ironed over them for a little longer, the words came off onto the pillowcase. So it’s probably better to just leave the iron off of the transfer paper once it’s applied.
**And finally, your method of applying, fabric, iron, brand of transfer paper, etc. will all come into play. It was not difficult once I practiced a couple times, but please do not get upset with me for any problems that might occur. I’ve washed my skirt once and the letters stayed on just fine. 15 washes? I have no idea. Just to put that disclaimer out there ;).
After your practices with the transfer paper, you are ready! Cut the words out, very closely to the letters. 
My instructions said not to use an ironing board. I assume because of the holes. So make sure that the pillowcase or fabric you lay under your skirt (or shirt or whatever you are applying the words to), is ironed flat.
Arrange the words however you’d like them. You can even cut the “stems” apart in individual words and make a fun design. 
Once you get them how you like them, turn them over (my sentences all started at the bottom, so I made sure that the first word of the sentence was by the bottom edge of the skirt).
Follow the directions on your transfer paper and iron them down. 
Let cool before peeling off the backing.
Take four small squares of interfacing and iron them down above the “word stems”. Careful not to iron the words or they’ll stick to whatever they are touching underneath. 
Trace the flowers and use an embroidery hoop to embroider the flowers once the words are dried and cool. 
I used a lace that doesn’t fray to cut out the heart and circle flower with buttons. I traced the shapes with an erasable marker, cut them out, then washed the marker off and sewed them on. 
Embellish however you choose and enjoy watching your child wear the words every mother feels.
This is just beautiful.The book sounds interesting,too.I do a regular feature on my blog:Book Sharing Mondays. I would love it if you linnked up :)
Christie! That is just beautiful! What a fabulous idea.
What an adorable idea! So cute!
That is sincerely delightful!! I remember when that book came out–my mom used to tear up all the time (now I understand why :)
Great idea!
I love that book, even thinking about it makes me teary eyed lol. But that is such an adorable idea!!! love it!!
The book you showed is a book that is very dear to our family… since it came out every child had received one including my children and I read it every now and then because I too cry when I read it… it is a lovely book and every child should have this book read to them!!!
Gosh, that just couldn’t be any sweeter (or cuter!) :)
Of course, I saw this the first time. But since I’m trying to figure out how to print embroidery patterns, let me pick you brain. Does the background iron on with the transfer? Or does it come off? I’d really like to find some that would wash off, but any ideas or thoughts you have would be great!
Beautiful sweet skirt!!
We have this book too and it really is amazing.
Every night when we tuck our 3 daughters into bed, we give them a kiss and say “love you forever,like you for always, as long as I’m living my *daughters name* you’ll be.” I think it’s such a nice thing to say before they drift off to sleep and it’s such a big part of the bedtime routine. I wonder if our girls will say it to their children too in years to come.
This is just too adorable! My favorite book is Love You Forever. I met Robert Munsch when I was little and he even signed the book for me. Now if I could just figure out how to get my craft on and make this…!
I’m supposed to be getting ready for skirt and yet here I am looking at your blog – gonna have to tear myself away and come back later – its fab – I so need to get me a copy of that book and wow your skirt looks lush – see you later x
such a wonderful skirt. and such a touching book.
What a dear little skirt. About 10 yrs ago my girls gave ME this book…with pictures of them tucked into the appropriate spaces. I read it to my kids at school…they love seeing the pictures of my girls!!
That is an absolutely adorable skirt! That is one of my favorite children’s books too. I can never make it through the whole thing without crying – such a sweet story.
I have a little boy and would love to transfer this idea to a boy project of some sort… maybe the words could be the ‘exhaust’ from an airplane?
Thank you for sharing your creativity!
i love that the stems are words!
my mom gave that book to my brother for christmas when he was still in high school…i was a little jealous that he got such a special book!
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Keep up the good work!
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This is so so cute!
xoxo,
colormenana.blogspot.com
love that book one of my favorites and what an adorable skirt please come over and visit me to see what I shared at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
beautiful skirt and that book is just completely beautiful…I was crying too looking at the pages you included…
This project is fantastic!!!
I loved this book when my kids were little, and I always, always cried when I read it – it never got old.
(The Quiltmaker’s Gift is another good one.)
I may have to take this idea to a handbag project since my girls are too big for a cute skirt like this. Thanks for the inspiration!
I still cry when I read it, my baby is 24 now. Please post on my blog’s linky party, http://the4rsramblings.blogspot.com
Thanks!
What a great idea. Your daughter looks very cute in her skirt. I remember reading that book when I was little and crying at the end.
The skirt is adorable! I love that book I read it to the kids every night after their other story for years and I too cried every time! This year for Mother’s Day (we have had a rough year) my son wrote that out for me by hand in a home-made card. Only he changed the last bit to “As long as I’m living my Mommy you’ll be”. Sheesh, I need a tissue again!
Christie: just found your blog – cried and cried – My youngest (of 5) is almost 15! We say this to each other every night after prayers. Love the flower skirt – love the mantle….just love it all. You have brighten my day – hope your day is equally good.
Sue
Thank you so much, Sue. That is sweet that you say that each night together!
wow, i cried while reading through this post. if i make this skirt for my daughter, i will probably cry the whole time i am making it! and every time she wears it! what a lovely skirt pattern and a great tutorial, thank you for sharing.
blessings,
alana