Looking for a simple way to display a special garment? I found a simple way to display a child’s shirt. Let me show you how!
My mother was very sentimental and saved practically everything! When I was going through the family pictures, I found this picture of her as a child. I think she must be about 3 years old.
Doesn’t she look sweet in her sailor suit? The picture was probably taken in the early 1930s.
A few days after I found the picture, I was going through a box of vintage baby clothes, and I found the top to the sailor suit! I don’t think the pants survived as they weren’t with the rest of the vintage items.
The shirt is made out of heavy cotton. I washed it on the gentle cycle and used non-chlorine bleach. I did dry it in the dryer on low. I am amazed how vibrant the Anchor insignia still is. Using a warm iron, I pressed the garment to remove most of the wrinkles before continuing on with my project.
The Supplies
After gathering a frame, a piece of foam board, an old pillowcase, my trusty Velcro strips, scissors, a box cutter and some tape, I was ready to go to work. Using a ruler, I measured the inside of the frame and cut a piece of foam board to fit the area. After placing the foam board inside the frame, I removed it and wrapped the pillowcase tightly around the foam board. I taped the foam board in place and then finished the back with a piece of brown paper.
Placing the shirt on the frame, I used strips of Velcro to attach the shirt to the frame. A word of advice: make sure that you have the right pieces of Velcro. One is ribbed and the other is more like cotton or smooth fabric. I found myself trying to get to pieces of ribbed or two pieces of smooth to affix to each other! Silly me! To help hold the sleeves in place, I did use straight pins.
The Framed Sailor Shirt
To further protect the sailor shirt, I should have a piece of glass to cover it. This will work for a temporary display, and I will get an actual frame with a piece of glass and re mount the shirt.
Vintage Child’s Sailor Suit
I am pleased with how my project turned out. I have a piece of my Mom’s childhood with me. It even has a nautical motif to go with my Florida home!
The vintage basket filled with blue hydrangeas really helps pull out the blue color in the sailor shirt.
One Last Look
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