I'm definitely a "glitter gal." Like a magpie to a shiny object, I tend to run towards anything that sparkles. I have a few full sequin dresses for special occasions, but I don't have any sequin adorned pieces that are more for an everyday look. I know, I know, it's a tough job to create sequin sweatshirts for my 9-5, but somebody's got to do it… 
Supplies:
-sweatshirt
-sequin trim
-needle and thread
-fabric glue
-marker
Step One: First, choose a cursive handwritten font (I used this one) and print your phrase the size you want it to appear on your sweatshirt.
Step Two: Use scissors or an X-Acto knife to cut out your letters to make a template for your sequins. Place it where you want your phrase to be and use a marker to trace the middle of your phrase.
Step Three: Place some fabric glue on the left side of the marker outline and set your sequin trim on top of the glue (you want the whole phrase to be outlined with one row of sequins when you're done).
Step Four: Once you have one row of sequins completed, use your fabric glue to place another line of glue on the right side of your marker line. Take your sequin trim, make a U-turn at the end of your phrase, and trace your phrase backwards by placing the trim on the glue (you'll want the rows to overlap a bit). When you get back to the beginning, trim your excess and fold your end sequin under the second-to-last sequin (on both the beginning and end of your strand) and glue in place.
Step Five: Once the glue is dry, use a needle and thread to secure your phrase to the sweatshirt by sewing every third or fourth sequin to the actual sweatshirt. This extra step gives the phrase some added durability in the wash.
Note: Depending on your phrase and letters you choose, you may get to a spot where you have to backtrack over the same spot to get to the next letter (like I had to on part of my "O"). Just glue your row on top of itself if you have to backtrack so you don't end up more than two rows wide in that spot. 
This project was actually way easier than I thought it would be! I think gluing the trim down before you sew it to the sweatshirt really helps make that part easier. And, since the glue takes a bit to fully dry, you can still make some placement adjustments before the glue sets.
This would be a really cute idea for making matching sweatshirts as well, since it's a pretty quick process (like for a team or bridal party). Of course the phrase that I chose is cat-related. Big surprise. Maybe I'll start a side business of sparkly cat apparel called "Kitty Glitter." (Hold for laughter). THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT! xo. Laura
Credits // Author: Laura Gummerman, Photography: Laura Gummerman and Sarah Rhodes
Photos edited with Piper from the Signature Collection
113 Comments
Love this and just made myself the same thing. “Meow meow” has become my catchphrase when talking to friends ^_^
I completely missed this originally! Thank heavens for your March Faves post! Adorable, I can’t wait for the opportunity to make this, I might make one for my friend – she loves sequins! Zoe x
Love it, milly trilly billions!
Now, where’s my local craft shop?
You guys are amazing I love how innovative and beautiful your pieces look xx
This is a great idea, I used to sew sequins one by one and it was really boring. Stupid me.
Great idea!!
Megasüße Idee!! Werd ich auf jeden Fall nachmachen 🙂
This is so smart…and best of all it looks very doable. Some DIY stuff just seems nuts to me…or others seem to look like a kindergartner made it. This DIY is amazing! I’m going to do this one for sure. This would make a great gift as well.
That Comfort Girl
Stylish and simple – I love! Do you think this would work with a t-shirt, or sweatshirt is better because it’s thicker?
Ooo, just a little sparkle, enough to have people say “I wonder where she got that?”
Very Cute 🙂
The sweatshirt looks super cozy…where is it from?
Love this idea. I have done many shirts and jackets but this is a new one and I love it. Thanks for sharing. KT
How do you launder this? By hand?
Is this safely machine washable or will it fall apart?
Hi! Love this project.
Where is the sweatshirt from? Thanks!
Oh I think I can actually do this DIY!! 🙂
Wow, what a cool and simple project. That’s a genius idea to style my old shirts up.
Thanks for sharing, Sabine 🙂
Yup! Will be diy-ing!
xx/ www.hometohem.com
I absolutely love your sweathirt. Nice tip, nice colour ♥
Love!! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for later today that links to your how-to:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-sequin-phrase-sweatshirt/2014/03/05/
–Anne
Love this sweater DIY! So cute! And I’m the same way: you show me something gold and glittery and I’m suckered in!
xoxo
Taylor
www.welcomehometaylor.com
LOVE THIS! How beautiful!
This is an amazing DIY.
this is such a great idea! so cute!!
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Love this DYI !!! beautiful! 🙂
This is great! Love the idea 🙂
It’s so cute! What a great idea!
I love this idea! This is definitely going on my DIY list!
http://yourstrulyjanice.blogspot.ca/
Very nice idea! Glue it it’s way easier xx
www.lam-style.blogspot.com
This is such a good idea. I need to set some time out and try it myself x
the chic & damned
How well does it wash? I think its super cute!
All I could think of during this entire post was “yes, yes, yes”
ourzeal.blogspot.com
Thank you for this DIY tutorial! It looks simple to make, I’ll definitely try to make it 🙂
“hey, i could actually do that!” said my brain. very cute.. now i have to stew on a phrase. good little task for the before sleep portion of the day.
Will definitely be trying this!
Http://KYfashion4.blogspot.com
I love DIY’s. You make it look so easy! I am definitely trying this soon. I have some fabric glue and all I would need are the sequins! Thanks for posting. 🙂
Carla @ Love Cartista
I always love simple DIY. U guys just gave me ideas! Thanks! Love this!
www.myeverydaylifestyle.com
What a simple idea with very impressive results! I could see this on the back of a hoodie, on a pillow, or on a tote, too!
What a great idea! Thank you for the inspiration!
http://aletterfromem.blogspot.co.uk
This DIY gives me life! I love this! So simple and cute! Thank you for the great idea 😀
Super cute idea! I need to make myself a shirt!
www.agirlnamedkatie.com
So cute I will try this one for sure. Thanks so much for the idea.
Michelle
chellebellestyle
Kitty Glitter is actually a slot machine game. Ha ha. I remember playing it at the Mirage in Las Vegas. 🙂
What a perfect way to spice up an old sweatshirt! It totally looks like something I would buy in a store! Love it!
http://everydayingrace.blogspot.ca/
That looks so good! What a great idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
www.liketheyogurt.com
Omg, looove this!
What a great idea! So simple and easy. Must try it.
http://www.creagirl.com
Oh I love this! What a quick and simple way to add some style to a plain shirt ! I will be doing something with this for sure!
I absolutely adore this. I am so going to make a bunch of glittered up sweatshirts now. The store bought ones are waaaaaaaaaaay to expensive and this way it is customized! Thank you for sharing!
http://howtomakehome.blogspot.com
Hi Hannah!
If you feel good about how many stitches you use, I would think it should hold up in the gentle cycle. If you’re worried though, just hand wash instead 🙂
Laura
If you feel good about how many stitches you use, I would think it should hold up in the gentle cycle. If you’re worried though, just hand wash instead 🙂
Laura
This is so freaking adorable!!
Kristina does the Internets
Terrific idea!!! Thanks! 🙂
This is so cute!! I’m on my way to get the stuff to try this!
OOO I love this! Definitely going to give it a go! You really do have the best DIY posts girls 🙂
Sarah
www.daisychainsanddreamers.wordpress.com
so beautiful! i’ll try it 🙂
http://piece-of-air.blogspot.co.il/
https://www.facebook.com/pieceofair
Kitty Glitter! I love it. Definitely making one of these for myself (or lil’ Scooter if she turns out to be a girl!)
so cute and easy but the finished product is just cute!
How cute! I would love to do this with silver sequins. What an easy way to spruce up a plain shirt!
~Grey
http://lovewishfully.com
So darn sweet! Love the gold and grey! What a simple DIY! Thanks for sharing!
http://sometimesgracefully.com
this is great! simple and sophisticated
what an easy way to glam up a sweatshirt!
might have to put this on my to do list 🙂
Absolutely LOVE this ! I have to make one that says Bliss 😀
xox
Bliss
I am so doing this with my girls!
I love this idea, so simple yet so effective x
love it!
Love this! I’m going to try this on a pillow cover!
xoxo,
Andrea
www.andreaeveryday.com
What a fun idea! Looks wonderful!
xo
Christa
www.gardeniasandmint.wordpress.com
*Love* this project? How does it hold up in the wash? (or does it?)
I love this idea! Definitely pinning for later 🙂
This is really great! I’ll be honest-a lot of the projects on ABM are not things that I would make or use. I appreciate all of the craftiness and the wide array of posts from fashion to home decor to food to drinks to travel, etc. Like a lot of the recipes and have tried quite a few of them. And that’s why I check the blog daily. Never before have I been inclined to try one of the crafty projects. But this one has a lot of appeal. Nice job!
Love this idea. Thanks for sharing how to re-create it! Just curious, how you think it’ll hold up in the wash or if you plan on hand washing it? Thanks!
Love this! Totally gonna try it 🙂
I love this! I will definitely put this on the project list for when winter rolls around. Thanks so much!
This is adorable, and doesn’t seem too difficult! Love it.
Awesome that’s what I wanted to know!!! It looks great! Even better with the sequins!!!
This looks so gorgeous! Why didn’t I think of this before?
This has got to be in my DIY list 😀
http://itsme-hanie.blogspot.com
So cute!
Xo,
Belen
http://blog.androbel.com
my 6 year old daughter would love this. she’s cat obsessed. Maybe I should make her one.
Very nice inspiration.
xx
http://www.fashiondenis.com/
Duuuhhhh .. Kitty Glitter!Genius!
Making this for sure!!!!
HA! What a neat idea!
so much fun!
http://semiweeklyeats.blogspot.com/2014/03/chocolate-chip-cookie-redux.html
So cute! I’m on a sweatshirt kick on my blog too so this is perfect timing!
This is SO cute! I need to make myself a shirt like this.
This is Fantastic!! Love everything about this, thank you for the tutorial.
xo-Brittney
Wow this looks super cool, so beautiful!
Unfortunately I’m a real noob when it comes to DIY 🙁 I’m very bad at it
X Sara
This is so cute! xo
omg I’m loving this idea! xo
http://allthingsprettyandlittle.blogspot.com/
Hi!
The font is linked in the directions 🙂
Laura
Hi!
It’s from Forever 21 🙂
Laura
I just a DIY with sequins on my blog. Another blogger gave me the idea, it’s Vampire lips! I have a lot of sequins left so I’ll def try this one when I find the prefect t-shirt for the summer.
What an awesome idea!
I was still looking for a fun present to give at the birthday of one of my girlfriends,
but I think I’ve found it 😀
Thanks for sharing!
Love, lily
http://www.twocraziesoneblog.tk/
Love so much this DIY !! Thanks for sharing !!
XX Luba
When fashion meets philanthropy and avant-garde and eclectic fuses with the timeless charm of tradicional, today on
http://well-living-blog.com
Love Love Love!
I once DIY-ed a pillow with this technique!!!
Totally in love!
xx
http://9lla.it/
A fashion & DIY blog…
Good tutorial! It looks really cute and comes at the perfect time: I have a similar weekend project lined up, only I am going to make throw cushions for my couch. I will use your fabric glue idea– I had planned just to sew my sequins on, but I like this idea better! (Anything to make the job easier!)
Thanks!
LOVE this!!! 😀
I love this – pinning and making!!
Love it!!! So pretty!!!
Here’s what inspired us today….
http://lasagnolove.blogspot.de/2014/03/about-jealousy1-fertig-13032014_4.html
Love from Germany and thanks for sharing,
Bambi and Birdy
Love it! So simple, but still so stylish 🙂 And it actually looks doable (even for me), so maybe I’ll give it a try! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
xo
Camilla
http://kapteinmoe.blogspot.no/
ok laura this is definitely my favorite DIY yet!
pinning as we speak 🙂
Never met a shiny object I didn’t love!
This is so cute!! My best friend’s birthday is coming up and she loves cats and sparkly things so I might have to make her one just like this ;)!
Lauren // Lipstick & Lacquer
what size font did you use for this? Love it!
Awesome idea!
This looks so simple to make! I thought each sequin was sewn on, but the glue and press method sounds much more like my style.
absolutely love this design! soso cute!
xx Milly
www.lovemilly.blogspot.ca
I love this! So cute!
In all seriousness Kitty Glitter is probably the cutest shop diy name I’ve heard in a while.
Such a cute and easy idea. Look forward to trying this one.
That is so pretty! And I’d never guess it was handmade. Pinning away!
I love that sweatshirt too, where is it from?
Yeah, Kitty Glitter is pretty awesome for a business name. I like this.. HOLD THE PHONE! I have a project due this Saturday and it includes tons of beads and glue, I think I’ll go with sequin trim instead. I feel like shaking your hand and giving you a 20 second hug for this one…
Love this!!! Bit of a magpie myself, totally gonna do this 🙂
Cathy
Turquoise Flamingo
www.turquoiseflamingo.com