Wear Your Love on Your Sleeve!

Your favorite people will be wearing your LOVE all over them this year!  We’re stamping heartfelt designs on fabric this time.  This one is a snap to make, takes no time at all and is completely on the cheap as far as projects go!  I bought inexpensive new shirts for two of mine, and recycled an old hand-me-down for the third.

""""" (Easy Peasy)

Supplies:

X        Fabric Paint (I recommend Tulip Slick Dimensional Paint for this project; great results and easy to use)

X        Cotton T-shirt

X        Wax or Parchment Paper

X        Foam Stamps and/or paint brush

X        Palette or plastic container lid (optional)

X        Smock or apron (optional, but highly recommended – this is permanent fabric paint!)

Directions:

Begin by pre-washing and drying your shirt.  This is especially important with new clothes.  Washing the clothes removes any sizing that may be in the fabric.  Sizing may hinder good adhesion of the fabric paint with your clothes.  After all your creative genius, the last thing you want is a marred design coming out of its next wash.

Now we’re ready to get started!  Line the inside of your shirt with a sheet of wax paper.  You will only need it to be as big as the area you intend to paint.  This step is important as it will prevent the paint from seeping thru the fabric material onto the backside of your project.  To begin painting I like to pour a dollop of fabric paint onto a palette for easy access.   My favorite palette is an old margarine lid that I repeatedly peel dried paint off of between projects.  –Cheap, recycled and reusable!

The rest of this is up to you!  You can paint with a brush, create letters and shapes with chunky foam stamps or personalize it completely with special little handprints.  It’s absolutely that simple.  I recommend letting these dry overnight before wearing and 48 hour before washing.  We make them every year for Valentine’s Day and they have been such a big hit.  And really, what’s better than seeing the loves of your life donning one of your own sentimental creations?!?!

By Emily Loverin

Emily Loverin is our creative go-to-girl.  Her column Everything-Emily incorporates projects from fine arts to crafts and always keeps even the smallest designers in mind.  She is a Scituate native where she currently lives with her husband Marc, and their three children Addison, Charlie and Jake.  Visit EVERYTHING EMILY to learn more about her services, featuring full service interior design, planning of events, house staging, mural painting, invitations & graphic design.