Why I Finally Framed My Football Shirt
So I found my old team jersey crumpled under a pile of hoodies. Wanted to hang it up properly without spending crazy money on pro framing services. Decided to tackle this myself – how hard could it be?
The Stuff I Used
- Cheap shadowbox frame from that big store everyone hates
- Big chunk of thick cardboard as backing
- Ugly mustard yellow fabric scrap from grandma’s sewing box
- Crappy sewing pins with those stupid plastic balls on top
My Messy Process
First ironed the jersey on low heat. Almost melted the sponsor logo because I got distracted scrolling Instagram. Had to stop real quick when I smelled burning plastic.
Measured the cardboard backing against the frame opening – cut it way too small first try. Grabbed another pizza box from recycling to start over. Stretched that yellow fabric over cardboard real tight and stapled like crazy on the backside.
Laid the shirt flat on my sticky kitchen table. Pinned through just the edges where seams are thickest – shoulders first, then sides. Bottom hem kept curling up so I weighed it down with beer cans.
Carefully lifted the whole thing into frame backwards – shirt face-down against glass. Took three attempts before fabric stopped wrinkling like an old man’s neck.
Epic Failure Moment
Pushed all pins too deep through cardboard on my first try. Sharp points stuck out back and pierced my thumb when handling. Blood on my frame backing looked like a horror movie prop. Had to redo that section with pliers pulling pins halfway out.
Final Steps
Closed the frame back panel using that metal turn-button thingies. Realized I forgot to sign my shirt! Cracked it open again to slide a permanent marker under the glass and scribble “Matchday ’08”.
Hung it crooked above my desk. Doesn’t look perfect but whatever – that stain from post-match beers is still there and I love it. Whole project cost under 20 bucks and took my Sunday afternoon.
Big takeaways:
Use thicker pins, cut backing bigger than you think, and don’t iron while texting. The wrinkles kinda add character though – reminds me how this shirt got rescued from my messy closet. Will I frame another one? Probably not until I find my ’12 championship jersey.
