My daughter has an older white t-shirt that still fits her, but she obviously spilled something down the front and it's now stained. I saw this cute idea on Pinterest and thought it would be fun to do. I had done "Sharpie Tie-Dyed" t-shirt scarves with the girls at one of Eden's birthday parties and they turned out pretty cool. I loved the idea of using the Sharpies to draw a simple picture instead of making random marks. What better time to try it out, than on an otherwise useless t-shirt with stains down the front. Of course, I strategically placed the flowers to mask the stains.
Step 1: Get an old t-shirt.
Step 2: Collect the Sharpies you'll need.
Step 3: Get out some rubbing alcohol.
Step 4: Lay a plastic bag between the layers of your t-shirt before drawing your picture or design.
Step 5: Carefully add drops of rubbing alcohol to the Sharpie.
Step 6: Let your design dry completely.
Step 7: Once it is dry, set your iron on the highest setting and iron for about 5 minutes to set the ink.
I got the idea from the link above, but in the tutorial it suggests using Hydrogen Peroxide. I'm not suggesting it doesn't work, but I used rubbing alcohol for this project. I'm certainly no chemist, but I went with the alcohol because I knew it would work well from other projects I've done. The alcohol takes a bit of time to absorb into the fabric and the colours will continue to spread long after you finish dropping the alcohol. I suggest using an "eye dropper" if you have one. You also want to make sure you do a bit at a time or it will spread like crazy. Second Chances By Susan also has some really cute examples. This is a great craft to do with kids, but it can be smelly. Make sure you work in a well ventilated area or better yet….outside. I worked so fast that the smell wasn't an issue, but the girls at the party spent a long time using the markers and then the rubbing alcohol. I was feeling a bit concerned about the fumes, so just be aware.
Some suggest that you can also set the design/dye, by throwing your garment in the dryer for 15 minutes on your highest heat setting. I would still wash it separately the first time…. just to be safe.
Posted on September 9, 2014 by Cindy Roy •	This entry was posted in DIY and Upcycling and tagged activities for kids, birthday party craft ideas, birthday party crafts, how to salvage a stained shirt, kids crafts, projects for kids, salvaging a stained shirt, Sharpie tie-dye, tie-dye, upcycled t-shirt. Bookmark the permalink.