I wanted to share this, because some of you may have the same problems that I do... I never know what to buy my daughter for gifts. She never really seemed to appreciate hand made things and ever time I bought clothes for her, she didn't really like them. I have such a hard time figuring out what to get her (other than a Victoria's Secret gift card... can't go wrong there!) That's where I got the idea. She is in her freshman year in college and plays on the soccer team, she pretty much lives in sweats. Victoria's Secret came out with a really cute collegiate line... but pretty much only for big D1 schools. She goes to Rowan in NJ. So, I stole Victoria's Secret's idea and picked up a pair of nice Champion sweat pants at Target and appliqued ROWAN in big varsity letters down the leg. I used black letters and then a slightly larger colorful letter behind it. I zigzaged the black letter, and used wonder under under both the balck and colored letters, but left the edges of the colored letter (no zigzag). I'm not sure how they will hold up in the wash, but I think the ones at Victoria's Secret may have had raggy edges around the letter, so I figured if the colored letters frayed along the edges, it would be fine. Here's a picture... not a good one, just shows the letters, but it will give you an idea.

She called me today and told me that all the girls on the floor in her dorm want them now. So, I guess.... I FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT!!! Finally gave her a gift that she liked!! Woo hooo!!! (then she told me that I could make a lot of money selling them... she said the girls would probably pay $30 for them.... uh.... the pants alone cost me $20...so I'm not sure how she figures I'd be making any money selling these! haha!!)

My daughter also graduated from Rowan and I decorated many sweatshirts and t-shirts for her. Great job with the pants. She really enjoyed her years there. Graduation Day was the best day for me, though!!

Gives you a good feeling when they finally like it! Looks great and will probably hold up better than VS!

That is so cool...You did good MOM :wink: :thumbup: :thumbup:

That is so awesome. So happy that you hit the nail on the head with that gift.
Hey, let the girls bu there own pants and then charge the $30 or more for your work.
They are going to haunt her until they all have them!

Thanks all! I am very happy with her choice of Rowan! She was supposed to be going to North Carolina on a partial soccer scholarship, but then the coach left, so she changed her mind. I am happy she ended up at Rowan. I got to go to all of the soccer games except for the preseason tournament in Virgina. If she had been in NC, I would never have seen her play. She'll be living in the new dorms on Rowan Blvd. next year. (Unfortunately, she is on the floor that connects to all of the stores... and there will be a Victoria's Secret. UGH!)

Awesome idea :D:D:D

Thrilled that your daughter loved your gift, and that it was such a hit with her friends!

Ya know, though, if you are looking to make some money, you could find a way to get the sweats made less expensively. You'd buy the sweats wholesale and in bulk, and you'd maybe contract with a company that sews logos to do the college name. You could let your daughter sell them, maybe out of her dorm room, maybe via the party plan or with a stall at a campus flea market, or even by approaching the college stores about carrying them. It might not be a high profit margin, but if you sold enough of them, it would add up.

You could even branch out and get them made for other colleges.

The only thing is, you'd have to check whether it would be considered an infringement of a copyright on the design of the original pair.

(And for anyone else reading this, you could always do something similar for the colleges in your area.)

That sounds like quite a major undertaking, but would probably make for a really fun job. I'll keep that in the back of my mind. I wouldn't mind finding a place to buy sweats wholesale, though!

How about having the girls buy their own sweat pants (that way it's on their shoulders if they don't fit, etc.) and send them to you with return shipping included.....then charge them, like, $25 a piece -- heck, that's just 2 pizza dinners. You're out nothing but the lettering cost and labor. You'll be the darling of the dorm moms! Just a thought.

Jan in VA