Making Letters?!?!

ChiOqt · #1 08-05-2002, 01:06 AM

Does anyone here make their own letters rather than ordering them through the campus Greek Store....and if so, how? With rush coming up and the fact that we will be wearing letters almost everyday and finding ourselves pressed for cash right now, me and my roommates are trying to figure out how exactly to make our own letters!??

AOX81 · #2 08-05-2002, 08:31 AM

PM me

Senusret I · #3 08-05-2002, 12:50 PM

One of our chapters uses puff paint. It's. . .interesting. But it works if you take time and have enough paint.

Also, my little was responsible for making her pledgeline's t-shirts. She used some sort of acrylic paint.

chideltjen · #4 08-05-2002, 02:17 PM

my roomie made her own letters. she cut them out based on another pair of letters and then used an embroidery stich on her sewing machine to go around it. another girl has used glittery puffypaint too. it works! fabric pens are the greatest invention ever.

kddani · #5 08-05-2002, 02:32 PM

One of the girls in our house makes letters using her sewing machine, and has taught many others to do it.
Maybe it's just our campus, but embroidered letters are the only "letters" people wear. You'd get strange looks here if you had a puffy paint shirt...

mmcline · #6 08-05-2002, 02:38 PM

KD- I agree, noone here wears puff paint letters.. I know several of my sisters have sewed their own letter on, or I know you can get iron on backing and put on them and then iron on them.. I am sure if you went to a local craft store they would be able to tell you exactly how to do it.

Hootie · #7 08-05-2002, 03:44 PM

When I had to make my little's pillow I found an AWESOME fabric and then simply used some manilla paper to cut the letters out of and then traced it onto the fabric to use as a guide to cut them out. Then I simply used a small amount of fabric glue and then outlined it in gold paint (the edges that is). I'd probably do the same thing on a shirt, but before outlining the edges with paint i'd do a little stitching so the fabric doesn't frey away after washing.

Hootie

SapphireSphinx9 · #8 08-05-2002, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hootie
When I had to make my little's pillow I found an AWESOME fabric and then simply used some manilla paper to cut the letters out of and then traced it onto the fabric to use as a guide to cut them out. Then I simply used a small amount of fabric glue and then outlined it in gold paint (the edges that is). I'd probably do the same thing on a shirt, but before outlining the edges with paint i'd do a little stitching so the fabric doesn't frey away after washing.

Hootie

We do something similar...

We go to the 5 for 10 T-Shirt store, and pick up enough t-shirts so that everyone has two. Then we go to the fabric store and pick up some cute fabric, iron on adhesive and puffy paint.

You iron on the adhevsive stuff to the material... Then you cut out the letters. Once you've done that (the cutting out takes the longest) then you iron the letters onto your shirt. Then you puffy paint the edges, so that the material won't unravel.

You can also decorate your sleeves with some of the fabric. Like our chapter mascot is the butterfly, so a lot of the sisters got butterfly fabric... When we were done with our letters, we started cutting out the butterflies, and ironing them onto our sleeves and stuff.

It's really cute. We do this usually on Bid Day... So that the new ladies will have a t-shirt to wear, with the letters on it!

Hope this helps ya out!

Fraternally,
Beth

aephi alum · #9 08-05-2002, 05:47 PM

I've made a couple of sets of letters. Basically I did what chideltjen described, but I didn't have a sewing machine, so I hand-stitched them on (all the time thinking I should have joined a 2-letter GLO

). I also hand-embroidered a little pattern I designed (letters and a spray of lily of the valley) onto a t-shirt. If you're creative and good at embroidery, you have tons of options.

three2tango · #10 08-05-2002, 07:24 PM

I am an avid sewing FREAK! I am currently working on a quilt for a sister's wedding.

As for making letters, I must advise AGAINST using any type of paint or quick fixes for making letters unless you only plan on wearing them for a skit during rush or a campus stage show. My reasoning is it just looks cheap and home-made. The integrity of your fraternity deserves the standard heat and bond backing and a simple zig-zag stitch from your mother or grandmother's sewing machine. Furthermore, the paint and other stuff will crack, chip or fall apart within three washes I PROMISE!

So please, for the sake of your chapeter raise your right hand and repeat after me, "I [state your name] promise for the sake of my sisters I will not go astray and tack down MY FRATERNITY'S letters with any type of temporary hold including but not limited to, puff paint, slick paint, seam binding, braided cord, piping, or rick rack in an attempt to save money" AMEN

What I do is take a shirt that I like the lettering style of and make a photo copy of it. Then I cut out the shape and use that as my pattern. Then I go pick out two fabrics 1/4 yard is plenty. I get a solid and a print and a 1/4 yard of something called wonder under. Wal-Mart carries this in the fabric department. Cut out a small section of your printed fabric and iron this on your wonder under. Then, take your pattern and trace it on the paper backing and cut out the letters. So at this point you have two fraternity letters with wonder under on the back. Now take the solid fabric and cut off a small section (make sure it is bigger than the printed material because you will be ironing the printed material to the solid) and iron that on another piece of the wonder under. Don't peel off the paper from the solid yet. Okay, now iron the printed material on the solid peel the paper off the solid and zig-zag around the letters. Then cut out around the printed letters and place the double layer on the t-shirt and iron. Then repeat the zig-zag stitch and tie off your threads. It is easier than I make it sound.

Give this a shot and if you get stuck post your questions.

sairose · #11 08-05-2002, 07:37 PM

You can also use tracing paper to trace the letters. I'm in the proccess of making one right now...I've been sewing since I was 7 so hopefully it won't be too hard.

ChiOqt · #12 08-06-2002, 12:04 AM

How long does it usually take to make each set...once you get the hang of it

AOX81 · #13 08-06-2002, 08:20 AM

Takes me less than five minutes.

three2tango · #14 08-06-2002, 08:44 AM

It usually takes me about a half hour, if I have all the stuff.

sairose · #15 08-06-2002, 05:50 PM

Wow how does it only take you guys like 30 minutes??! I'm working on my first one and I've spent about an hour or two on it...and I'm only halfway done! But maybe when I get better at it I'll be quicker. Right now I'm having some technical difficulties.

(Can't get my machine's tension adjusted right) I'll let you guys know how my shirt turns out!