52 Week Challenge: #10 DIY Screenprint Dodger Tee

Chris and I are going to a Dodgers vs. Angels game next week for opening day. I don't know much about baseball, I usually just fill up on food, sun, and beer. I just cheer when everyone else does. Chris has his own dodger gear. But I wanted something to wear to support the team.

I've been seeing so many awesome textile diy's around lately: A Beautiful Mess' hand stamped dress, a bleach painting tutorial by Lune via A Beautiful Mess. I thought I'd give this screenprint diy, that I saw over at Manzanita, here's my take on this awesome and totally easy project. Here's what you need:

Shirt (thrifted), modge podge, fabric paint (this was my first time using Martha Stewart's all-purpose acrylic paint and it's amazing!), design, cardboard piece, embroidery hoop, nylon or panty-hose fabric, paintbrush, and permanent pen.

1. Create a design for your screenprint. I started with something simple since it was my first time using this method. Later, I did a more elaborate design for the front of the shirt, after I did this first heart as practice. Make sure that your that your embroidery hoop is large enough for your design.

2. Stretch the nylon over the hoop so that it is taut.

3. Trace your design using a a permanent pen.

4. Using Mod Podge, paint the "negative space", or, the space that you do not want to be painted.

5. Fill in the whole area, making sure there are no holes or gaps. I was obsessive about this because I didn't want the paint to seep through. Let dry completely. It took about 3 hours for this little one to dry.

6. Lay the hoop flat on the shirt and position where you want the design to be, and place a piece of cardboard beneath the area so that the paint doesn't bleed through the back. Squirt a generous amount of paint over the design.

7. Use the cardboard to spread the paint over evenly.

8. Carefully lift the hoop off the shirt and voila!

9. Let the paint dry completely before wearing.

I also did the front part of the shirt. I made the LA symbol inside a heart. I thought it came out cute and I'm excited to wear it to the game! Go Dodgers!

A few people have commented asking me how I made the design on the front. Here's a picture of the screen I made to create it. I painted Mod Podge on the outside of the heart, and the block letters, basically anywhere I didn't want the paint to go. So you kinda have to think in reverse. Hope this helps!