I am going to what is supposedly the most epic 4th of July party in the history of ever (according to every person who’s been in the years before). It is actually a whole weekend event, so when I saw this tank top on Pinterest I figured I had to make it. Unfortunately the picture didn’t have a tutorial attached, so I decided to wing it. My girlfriend and I got together and picked up a couple boy Ts from the Goodwill and stopped by Joann’s for the rest of the supplies.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A plain white T shirt
- Blue tape
- Red and blue spray paint (NOTE: it is way cheaper to buy this somewhere besides a craft store! i.e. Lowes, Fred Meyer…)
- Star stickers
- Scissors
Directions:
- Cut your T shirt how you like (For a easy way to fold it so that everything is even see my “How to fold for even cutting” picture). Be sure to save one of the sleeves you cut off. (If you want more detailed directions on how to cut the shirt look at this DIY tank top tutorial from Dollars, Sense & More.)
How to fold for even cutting: Match up the shoulder seams and fold in half so it’s folded on the front and back instead of the sides. This way you can cut the neckline evenly and also both sleeves at once instead of worrying about making them even.
Tape off your shirt
- Slide a piece of cardboard inside the shirt. For the red part tape off stripes and make sure to cover up the part you want to make blue. Depending on what kind of stripes you want you’ll spray differently. I went with a more faded look so I sprayed from farther away, while my friend did a more graffitied look. You could also do it more solid if you like. (Keep in mind that the thicker you spray the paint, the stiffer the fabric will be.)
Faded look
Graffitied look
- After the red has dried, take off only the tape that’s over the section where you want blue and tape over the surrounding red parts. Lay down your star stickers however you like and spray away!
Put on star stickers
Tape off surrounding red sections and spray
- Take one of the sleeves that was cut off and spray it whatever color you like. I did both red and blue. You’ll cut this and use it to tie the back together.
- After everything has dried, take off all the tape. Cut your sleeve piece lengthwise – it can be skinny or thick, depending on the look you like (Mine was about two inches — keep in mind that it will roll a bit). Tie the back together with your extra strip, knotting twice with the knot on the inside. Cut the ends off, leaving enough extra to tuck it into the knot so they don’t show.
Knot the back together and tuck in the ends
Graffiti look on the left, faded on the right
Enjoy!
NOTE: You can do any design with this idea. You could do letters or cut out a silhouette and spray paint over those as well. You could do a tank for each holiday! I have also seen fun Pinterest shirts where you spray over a cut-out with bleach instead of spray paint. Have fun with the possibilities!
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- How to fold for even cutting: Match up the shoulder seams and fold in half so it’s folded on the front and back instead of the sides.
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- Tape off your shirt
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- Graffitied look
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- Faded look
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- Put on star stickers
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- Tape off surrounding red sections and spray
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- Graffiti look on the left, faded on the right
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- Knot the back together and tuck in the ends
If you like crafts like this check out more on Laina’s Pinterest.
Do you also enjoy cooking, eating, and food? Take a look at Small Detail Food!
Cool! One question, doesn’t the shirt smell like paint when you wear it?
Hi Frank. No, after the paint dries it doesn’t smell. You can wash it too, if you like.