Graphic statement tees have found their way into most people’s closets. From fast fashion retailers to runway designers — everyone seems to have their own version. They add character to your outfit. They’re versatile and can be teamed with a blazer and skinny jeans, a girly skater skirt or even tucked into a pair of shorts. As they’re T-shirts that have something to say, it’s only fair that you get to pick what you want to have on them.
You will need: A plain T-shirt, fabric paint/markers, sponge, tray, an adhesive tape, a craft knife, stencil printout (on paper or tracing paper), a piece of cardboard and an iron.
Pick your design. Think of something that defines you; or you could look at books, movies and the Internet for inspiration.
Print it out on paper or a tracing sheet – something that’s thin works best.
Use a knife and cut out the design.
Using masking tape (avoid cello tape as it can get sticky), stick the design to the T-shirt in the most secure way possible. Use an adhesive tape to stick the inner parts of the stencil to the T-shirt so it doesn’t affect the design. Make sure it’s as flat as possible.
Put a cardboard piece between the front and back of the tee so that the paint doesn’t transfer to the back and you have a nice flat surface to paint on.
Empty your fabric paint onto a tray and sponge it on to the shirt.
Do it slowly, and don’t dilute the paint – it’ll drip and you won’t get a clean line! Play with colours, mix them up, and add a bit of glitter if you want to when it’s still wet.
If you have a more delicate design, use fabric markers. They’re perfect for detailed prints and words. I personally avoid using fabric paint and a brush, as this makes the design lumpy and not quite even.
Wait a good six hours till it’s completely dry and then peel it off. It’s very tempting to keep checking it (trust me, been there, done that!) but don’t. Go grab a cup of coffee, read a book, watch a movie… do anything but fiddle.
Now peel it off. Once you’re sure that you’ve touched up any bits you need to (and those have dried too), put your iron on the non-steam mode and iron it over once on the reverse side to seal it in. Wait for 72 hours before washing it.
