Paint An Easy Independence Day T-Shirt

Almost everyone can do T-shirt painting. It is easy and it’s lots of fun. That is why it is up there with all our other beginner crafts, such as beginner scrapbooking, mosaic crafts for beginners and a kit such as Alex Toys happily Ever Crafter.

So if you’re lacking Independence Day apparel, why not get out the fabric paint and make yourself a patriotic tee? Or better yet, get the family together and let everyone make their own!

There are many ways you could design your Independence Day t-shirt. In general, you’ll need a plain white t-shirt, a t-shirt board or piece of stiff cardboard to place inside the shirt, newspapers, fabric paint and a paintbrush.

Before you begin, wash the shirt and do not use fabric softener. Dry and stretch the shirt onto the board to keep it straight and prevent paint from soaking through to the other side.

To make a fireworks t-shirt, use fabric paint in a squeeze bottle. For each firework design, draw a horizontal line in the color of your choice with a break in the middle (in other words, two short lines of the same length side by side).

Then make a vertical line that intersects with the horizontal one, again with a break in the middle. This will look like a plus sign with the middle removed. Use another color to make an X in the same manner, but make the lines slightly shorter. Add some dots at the end of each line to finish.

Here’s another fun patriotic t-shirt idea:

Stars and Stripes T-Shirt

Other Supplies Needed

* Masking tape
* Ruler
* Pencil
* Star-shaped sponge or foam stamp
* Rectangular sponge or foam stamp
* Plastic plate, bowl or lid

Instructions

1. Stick a strip of masking tape across the shirt from seam to seam, starting just below the neck opening. Place another strip below that one, overlapping slightly. Repeat until you have taped off a stripe approximately 1 ¾ inches wide.

2. Measure 1 ¾ inches below the stripe you made, and make a light mark with the pencil. Make another stripe just like the first one.

3. Continue placing stripes of tape 1 ¾ inches apart all the way to the bottom of the shirt.

4. Put some red paint in a plastic plate, bowl or lid. Dip the rectangular sponge into the paint, and dab it onto the areas that are not taped off. When finished, let the paint dry completely.

5. Put some blue paint into a plastic plate, bowl or lid. Dip the star-shaped sponge into the paint, and press it carefully onto the shirt anywhere you like. Pull straight up when removing to avoid smudging.

6. Continue adding stars to the shirt as you like. When finished, let dry. Remove the masking tape.

If you’re particularly artistic, you could try your hand at a Statue of Liberty t-shirt. Or if you’d rather not paint, get some blue and red dye and make a tie-dyed Fourth of July shirt. Use your imagination and create a patriotic tee that’s as individual as you are!