Klax!

The kiddo is a big fan of somewhat obscure older games, and a bigger fan of art for those games rendered in dubious style.

I had cut out pieces for a sweatshirt for him in November, and did not want to make another plain gray garment for him, so I asked him what graphic he wanted for the front.  I figured I'd make another freezer paper stencil, whatever it was.

Time passed and I asked if he'd chosen an image yet; he had not.  This repeated a few times, until I got an all caps email, subject line AWESOME, text PUT THIS ON THE SHIRT

So I opened the email and was confronted with...this

He likes Klax a lot, so I wasn't surprised he chose a graphic related to it...but...that it was this, and not the simple "highly stylized hand held up vaguely like the letter K" graphics that are more common...yeah.  I wasn't going to do this with freezer paper stencils.

Granted, I was willing to try, but I knew it wouldn't go well.  However!  I have a hobby friend who has access to direct transfer film printing and set me up with a professionally printed image fused to black synthetic knit.

Now...I hurried a bit in my eagerness to get the graphic sewn to the front piece.  But!  I did get it centered, so that's something my experience has improved over the years, and then I sewed the shirt together in no time

I decided not to do raw-edge appliqué for once, and my lack of experience with that shows, especially in the corners.

I did apply Wonder Under brand fusible webbing to the back, and I'm slowly figuring out how to use the Wonder Under I have now--it needs more heat and pressure than the roll of Wonder Under brand fusible webbing I bought in the 1990s and only recently finally used up.  Once I figured out the heat and pressure stuff, it went well.  I folded the fabric edges--which I'd cut a half inch from the graphic edges, using a see-through ruler and rotary cutter--to the inside and pressed those to the fusible webbing.  I used the backing from the Wonder Under as a press cloth to protect the front graphic when I pressed it from the front, although I suspect my home iron doesn't get hot enough to damage the direct transfer film.  Still: taking precautions.

Then I narrow zigzagged the folded edges down.  I don't think this appliqué is going anywhere.

I used black thread throughout (for construction and top stitching; seam allowances are tidied with white serger thread.)  If I had had enough appropriate black knit fabric, I would have used it for everything, but, alas, no.  I got a lot of use out of this Walmart mill end pre-cut, at least.

It's been so long since I cut the pieces for this that I think it's KwikSew 1650 again--with sleeves and body lengthened because the kiddo is Tall--but I'm not sure if it's KwikSew 1650 again.

But it is finished!