State Silhouette Sweatshirt

This is my Michigan State sweatshirt! Ha ha ha...  Isn't it fabulous?  I really wanted a casual Summer sweatshirt that I could throw on and wear: to beach fires, on the boat etc.  Something that said I was happy to be away from it all and at the cottage.  There are many northern Michigan sweatshirts but most of them have giant typeface splashed across your chest.  Not exactly what I was looking for.  I had seen someone last Summer with a blue on blue "State of Michigan" silhouette and I loved it, except for the blue on blue part.  And it was a hoodie.  So I was inspired to create something just for me.  It's so cute, I am showing you how to make it just for you.

I had this pretty periwinkle sweatshirt from the GAP (circa 1994?) and chose to make my state silhouette in peach.  Pretty, right?  Here's how you do it:

I found this State of Michigan silhouette at a free download website.  I downloaded the image and saved it to my computer.  Then I opened the software called Microsoft Publisher and chose "New Document."  Then I chose "insert picture" and chose the State of MIchigan image from where I saved it on my computer.  You can choose "Forma", "Size" and increase the image until it fills an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, which is the largest you can print.  (I actually increased it so that the lower peninsula filled the sheet (and saved it), then I went back and increased the upper peninsula by the same percentage (and saved it with a different name) so that they would match and stay in scale.)  Put your mouse on the image and "right click". Chose "format picture", "Recolor" and then click the drop down arrow to see the variety of colors to choose from (you can see even more if you then select - "more colors").  Click on the shade you want, click "ok" and "ok and you will see the State of Michigan in your new color!  Now you will print it on a Printable Fabric Sheet.  When the ink has dried, iron the area to set the ink according to the package instructions.  Then peel away the protective sheet.  Now follow the instructions on a package of double sided fusible interfacing and iron an 8.5 x 11 piece of it onto the wrong side (no color) of the sheet of fabric that you printed Michigan on.  Now painstakingly, cut out the entire state.  Position it onto your sweatshirt where you want it and (follow the double sided fusible interfacing packaging) to iron it onto your sweatshirt.  The double sided interfacing makes it adhere to the sweatshirt and kind of acts like double-sided tape.  Wear and enjoy!   

If you don't want to make your own, you might find a combination you like with a silhouette of the State of Michigan on this website.