Fall Project Preview!

I've been tinkering at home with some projects for this fall's series (coming soon! yay!), and had to give you a preview of my latest creation. This graphic t-shirt is the newest addition to my wardrobe. You'll notice that it features the golden yellow I've been obsessed with, in a fun, floral punch.

Here's how I made it:

I started with a plain white t-shirt...

And then pulled out my fabric paints. As I've mentioned before, I rely almost exclusively on yellow, red, blue, white and (in this case) brown.

Then I grabbed my assorted collection of paint brushes, and set up shop.

First I mixed my paint to get the right color. This is always a trial-and-error process for me. I had to toss a whole batch of pumpkin orange before I figured out the right golden yellow formula!

Once I had the right color, I could start laying out my design. I'm sort of a "wing it freehand" kind of girl, so I just took the paintbrush straight to the shirt, but certainly a pencil or fabric pen would work well for sketching out the pattern first.

A few tips for painting on fabric: I placed a piece of thin cardboard inside the shirt to prevent bleeding, and to hold the fabric taunt. I also recommend using a very firm, short bristled brush when outlining the design because they create more defined lines. You can then follow up with a softer brush to fill in the pattern.

Once the design is completely painted, allow the shirt to dry for 24 hours (or at least overnight if you're impatient like me).

Then launder and enjoy!


The practice of taking something you already own--perhaps that's buried in your closet or tucked into a corner--and turning it into something fresh and new is just one of the main principles I'll be chatting about during this Fall's coming series, Real Recessionistas!

To participate in the series, click on the logo on the sidebar and read more! Or...grab a t-shirt and create your own graphic fashion statement today!