Painting T-shirts

 Every summer, my boys and I paint on t-shirts. A relatively cheap and fun activity with long-lasting results. Each year seems to have a theme. One year it was minions, then Harry Potter, then Minecraft. This year - no surprise - is pokemon. My kids still wear their shirts from 3 years ago. I blogged about it here.

First, well before summer, I watch Michael's for t-shirt sales (I find they're a very durable shirt and can handle MANY washes). I can usually snag shirts 2 for $7, but sometimes I get lucky and can get them 2 for $6, but that's a rarity. Then I buy fabric paint (again at Micheals) and use the 40% off coupon to apply to a set of paints. I have been known to get coupons and cash and a different paint set to send with my kids through the cashier. ;) Whatever works.

When we have decided what our theme is, I will either print out a coloring book style picture or a regular picture and freehand draw it.
I tape it to a window with the picture underneath the front. This allows me to better see the outline. I trace the outline using a pencil (DO NOT USE A SHARPIE*) This is a bit time consuming, but trust me, it's easier.
I will thinly outline the pencil drawing with black fabric paint - just to make it real easy for my kids to paint. After a couple of drying, I hand over paintbrushes to the kids.
When they are done (and it's dry), I go over it with a thicker black line to make the design pop.
Voila - a unique-ish t-shirt that cost less than $5 (as the fabric paint spreads nicely, and you don't use much).
* I used a sharpie once to save a step and it wrecked the shirt when it went through the wash as the black marker went everywhere, and we needed to start all over. Lesson learned. Pencil washes off nicely.

Materials

  • T-shirt in any color (the darker it is, the harder to see the picture underneath)
  • Picture of whatever you desire on shirt
  • Fabric paints
  • Paintbrushes
  • Pencil
  • Patience and time
Instructions
  • Print out picture
  • Hang on window to see picture underneath front of shirt
  • Pencil trace onto shirt
  • Outline with thin black paint (if desired)
  • Paint - the thicker the paint, the longer it takes to dry
  • Outline in black to make design pop (if desired)

This shirt, we did for a special occasion. Our family is big into watching our friends race at the nearby racetrack. We've made a stock car onto a shirt, but this year my youngest child wanted an IMCA car. There are no colouring sheets for that. Trust me I looked. ;) So I needed to print out a pic we took, and attempt to draw it freehand before doing all the above steps. I think we succeeded. The racer was totally surprised when we showed him, and even autographed the shirt (which I went over in black fabric paint). :) 

Making these shirts is so much fun, and I love doing these with my kids. Always fond memories to look back on. 

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