Day Two of "I could make that!" March

Welcome to Day 2 of "I could make that" March!  If you missed what this is all about, check out Day 1 for the details.  Last time I made jewelry, so today I wanted to share a DIY t-shirt.  Sound easy?  It is- and totally cute.  You wont believe how easy it is to make your own tees in any design you want!

I have been itching to try screen printing for a long time (I remember buying supplies with my college roommate my sophomore year... yea it's been a while) but have never actually sat down and done it.  In the same way, I kept admiring Pinterest ideas on the "best way to screen print" or make your own t-shirt design.  This one in particular was the inspiration for this post.  I changed it up a bit however, so keep on reading...

 

{via}

 
{My Twist on it}
I have to credit my mother for making this 10 times easier than I was going to!  Instead of drawing my own shape and then covering the negative space with Mod Podge, I figured I would just cut some vinyl with my Silhouette and paint through that.  I had planned to still use the pantyhose & hoop until my mom said "you know you wont need that if you're using vinyl".  Duh Kelsie, Brilliant Mom.

So, here's what you need:
- Blank T-Shirt
- Vinyl cutout of your design
- All purpose or fabric paint

That's it.  Let's begin:

{STEP ONE- Cut the Vinyl}
Choose a shape or design your own and then cut it out of vinyl.  It is only being used as a stencil, so pick your least favorite color of vinyl to use!

 {You can't tell in the picture, but the Silhouette does a brilliant job of cutting vinyl!}

{STEP TWO- Weed Out the Vinyl}

Make sure to weed out all the pieces of vinyl that you want to see as your shape.  In other words, the white is your design.

  {This shape is called "Dream Big Hks" by House of 3  and can be found in the Silhouette Store} 

{STEP THREE: Attach Vinyl to T-Shirt}

I always suggest using transfer paper, especially in such a detailed design as this one.  Triple check that you have pressed down all the pieces firmly.  Leaving a gap could result in paint smear.

Note: If your material is very stretchy you might notice that it shifts while you are pushing down your vinyl.  Just make sure that the shirt AND the vinyl are both squirming around together and you will be fine.  If it's sticking to the shirt, you're good to go.

 Before painting, slide a piece of cardboard between the top and bottom layer of your shirt so that the paint does not bleed through.

{STEP FOUR-  Paint!}

Lightly paint over your design, keeping all excess on top of the vinyl piece.  It is okay to glop it on, but don't worry about getting into the edges or you might get underneath the vinyl.  I just brushed quickly over it all and it turned out perfectly.

  

{STEP FIVE- Let Dry & Peel}

Most paints wont take long to dry- mine took less than a half hour.  Use your judgement.   After it is all dry, carefully peel up the vinyl and enjoy your new personalized tee!

 {We just got a bunch of snow in Indiana, so I had to throw on a sweater with my awesome new t-shirt!  Don't you just love that snow?!}

{Your Turn!}

What do you think?  How cool is it that we can screen print without a screen?!  I think I have found my new favorite craft (like I need more clothes!)  If you don't have a cutting machine or are curious about the screen version, make sure to check out Calico Skies (the blog from which I pinned my inspiration)- she is amazing!  I think next time I will try a big painted area like her heart pattern.  Too cute!

What about you?  Update me on your progress.  I can't wait to hear what you are all up to!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

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