‘Tis the season for wearing ugly holiday sweaters! For many of us, it has become a ritual to pull out our tacky, tinsel-adorned sweaters and wear them to a holiday party. But wouldn’t it be nice to be festive and still look cute? To solve my holiday fashion conundrum, I decided to take matters into my own crafty hands. For this DIY holiday sweatshirt, the design is simple and subtle but will still help you celebrate the holidays like the good Jedi that you are.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
– Plain sweatshirt (I found mine at Forever 21)
– Freezer Paper
– Fabric paint in green and brown colors
– Sponge brush(es)
– Yoda the reindeer image
– Cardboard
– Exacto knife
– Iron
– Ribbon (optional)
For my design, I modified a Yoda silhouette I found online and photoshopped reindeer antlers on top of his head. Click HERE to download the full size image.
Scale the image to the size you want, then print it out. Once printed, place the freezer paper on top of your Yoda the Reindeer image. Make sure the shiny side of the freezer paper is face down.
Then trace the image onto the dull side of the freezer paper.
Cut the image out with an exacto knife. (I recommend using a cutting board or cardboard underneath.) Keep in mind that the parts that you’re cutting out are the sections you’re going to paint.
Before you iron your stencil, cut a piece of freezer paper that is the same size size as your design. Turn your sweatshirt inside out and iron that piece of freezer paper (shiny side down) to the shirt.
The size of the paper should be large enough to cover the entire backside of your design area. This will prevent the design from shifting later on.
Now turn your sweatshirt right side out. Put a piece of cardboard inside your shirt to prevent the paint from seeping through.
Place your stencil (shiny side down) onto the sweatshirt. Turn your iron on high and iron your freezer paper to the shirt. (Make sure not to use any steam!)
Now it’s time to paint! Using your sponge brush, press the paint into the open areas of the stencil. Use the green fabric paint for Yoda’s face and the brown fabric paint for the antlers. As it begins to dry, you may need to paint a few coats to get a nice saturated color.
Let the paint dry for several hours or overnight. Once it’s completely dry, carefully peel off the freezer paper.
TIP: To set the paint, cover the shirt with a thin piece of cloth and iron it using a hot setting.
I decided to give Yoda a little holiday flair by cutting a small piece of plaid ribbon and tying it into a bow. Then I used a little fabric glue and basic stitches to secure the ribbon to the shirt.
TIP: To wash your shirt, turn it inside out, hand or machine wash in cold water, then lay flat to dry. (Using a dryer will cause the paint to crack.)
Ready for the holidays, you are!
Happy Hothidays! ☆*･゜ﾟ･*\(^O^)/*･゜ﾟ･*☆
