The Sew and Tell Project

When I am shopping for patterns for my 4 boys, I look for patterns that offer a lot of versatility and options. The Peek a Boo Pattern Shop Boardwalk Tee is just that. You’ll probably notice that many of the clothes I sew for my boys are from PAB, and there’s a good reason for that. Amy’s patterns are easy to use and provide professional finishes. Her pictures and step by step instructions have made it easy for me to improve my sewing skills!

Now back to the Boardwalk! My boys are HUGE Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans so when I found TMNT knit at my local Joann’s, I knew they needed new shirts. This pattern is written for knit, but some people have used woven for the top of the bodice (the solid color in my pictures) without a problem. I initially tried that, and it didn’t fit over my oldest’s head. Now I do have boys with large heads so it may work for you, but give it a trial run first!

My initial plan was to use a different color of woven on the top of each shirt, since each of my children has their own favorite Ninja Turtle. Having 4 boys means they’ve each claimed one as their own. However when my woven idea didn’t work out, I had to think a bit more. I decided to use different colored knits for the top, but when I couldn’t find the right colors for each turtle, I just went with what I had available. I did make 4 different shirts for my 4 boys, but my toddler was napping during our photo session. I wasn’t going to wake him up to take pictures!

One of my favorite features of the Boardwalk is the button or snap placket in the front. If you’ve never done a placket, this is a great one to learn with because the two separate top pieces are joined when you add the bottom of the front. It’s by far the easiest placket I’ve ever worked with. I prefer to avoid buttonholes whenever possible, so I used my new KAM Snaps plier and snaps from Amazon for the placket. These snaps were super easy to apply and added a pop of color against the plain knit.

I chose to use a short sleeve and henley collar on my boys’ shirts, but the Boardwalk also comes with a hood option and long sleeves. It even has a dress option for little girls. Like I mentioned earlier, I love all the different looks you can make with just one pattern. You can even omit the placket and cut one solid piece for the front to make a style that is more like a T-shirt.

My boys love their shirts, and they pull them out of their closet to wear almost every time they are clean. You can’t get much more of a positive review than that! Make sure to check out the PAB Boardwalk for a shirt with lots of options that can be worn all year long!