Alright so I’ve got this old football shirt hanging around – Messi’s first season at PSG, the one with that kinda ugly but now iconic collar. Figured instead of stuffing it in a drawer, I’d try framing it properly. Thought it’d be easy money, just slap it in a frame, right? Boy was I wrong.
Getting Started: The Mess Begins
First thing, I dragged the jersey outta storage. Man, it smelled like stale grass and victory – needed a clean. Read online you gotta wash these gently by hand. Dunked it in cool water with mild detergent. Big mistake number one: I let it soak too long, thinkin’ it’d help. Almost wrecked the heat-transfer numbers! Panicked, rinsed it quick, and just kinda pressed the water out, didn’t wring it. Stuck it flat on a towel to dry overnight, praying the sponsor logo wouldn’t crack. Woke up checkin’ it like five times.
Buying Supplies & Feeling Broke
Went to the craft store feeling confident. Bad idea. Saw all these fancy “shadow boxes” deep enough for folded shirts, priced like they’re made of gold. Walked out with a cheap plastic one instead, some acid-free backing board that felt like cardboard, a box of pins, and double-sided tape. Already regretting being cheap. Grabbed my kid’s old shoebox too – figured maybe I could hack it for something.
The plan was simple:
- Fold it neat like they do in the shops – arms crossed behind the back.
- Pin it down onto the backing board so it doesn’t sag.
- Slap it in the frame and look like a pro.
Simple. Ha.
Actually Doing The Damn Thing
Tried folding it smooth on the table. Arms kept flopping. Fabric bunched weird under the neck. Used like twenty pins just trying to hold it flat. Looked lumpy. Tried the tape next – big mistake. Tape wouldn’t stick right to the fabric or the board properly. Peeked inside the frame after forcing it shut – shirt was already bunching up sideways. Total disaster. Felt like burning the whole project.
That’s when the shoebox saved my dumb project. Gutted it, spray painted the inside black (had some lying around from another failed idea), and cut the acid-free board to fit inside it. Instead of folding the whole shirt, I just pinned the front part stretched tight over the board – showed off the main sponsor and number clean. Didn’t fold the arms or collar back, just let ‘em kinda hang loose inside the box depth. Used loads more black pins along the top and sides, hidden mostly in the dark fabric. Way easier. Way less rage.
Putting It All Together
Shoved the mounted shirt panel deep into the shoebox. Shoved the whole box into the cheap plastic frame – squeezed it so tight I heard the plastic creak. Jammed the backing onto the frame clips, sweat pouring down my face. Flipped it over… and actually didn’t hate it. Hung it crooked first, adjusted the nail, stepped back. Messi staring right out at me from under the dusty plastic. Doesn’t look store-bought. Looks like I made it. Job done. Mostly.
What I Learned (The Hard Way)
If you try this mess yourself:
- Hand wash? Be gentle. Quick. No soaking.
- Don’t cheap out on a shallow frame. Deep shadow boxes cost real money for a reason.
- Folding neatly is witchcraft. Maybe skip it. Show just the front.
- Pins beat tape. Hide ’em in the dark bits.
- Shoeboxes are clutch. Free depth, hides the mess.
Not perfect, but it’s on the wall. My kid says it looks “cool.” That’s good enough for me. Might grab a beer now. You earned it.
