T-Shirts with Sole – Craft

( UPDATE: This T-Shirts With Sole – Craft’ was done & blogged in 2008. Now years later, with so many crafters owning Silhouette and Cricut Cutters, this craft is easier than ever!)

Finally we got to this ‘T-Shirts With Sole – Craft project we wanted to do! I got the general idea from our Family Fun Magazine, but then just came up with our own designs and cut them out as stencils.

The kids each chose their own designs and colors, helped put the paint on the soles, and did a lot of the pressing.

Below is a stencil on the shirt before painting, cut out of vinyl material.

We ended up mostly using the sole of this old sneaker for the paint pressing, because we weren’t really digging how the design from the $5 sandals was coming out. When switching to new colors for a new design, you do need to scrub wash the sole and quick blow dry it. I would recommend more dense sponges for application of the fabric paint, (like the make-up wedges maybe) because we were having troubles with these foam brushes absorbing the paint so much.

Pressing process. . . . .

After the paint was all applied, we let it set for a few minutes before we carefully removed the stencil.

Set aside to dry.

They were just washed and dried as usual.

The kids had a great time doing this t-shirt crfat project, but it does take quite a bit of adult help for the little ones (which we knew.) Especially if you don’t want paint everywhere else on the shirts (floor, furniture, walls, each other , etc.,…. : ).  They really, really love their shirts.   *UPDATE 7/2012:  These t-shirts were bought at Michael’s Arts and Crafts, back in 2008, and we bought them as too big for our kids at the time, so they would fit for a long time. Now 4 years later, they are ‘just’ getting too small, but I have to tell you, they are still great shirts!! The t-shirts have always been so soft, and now they are extra-worn comfy. But not only have the shirts themselves held up well, so has the paint pattern!  These t-shirts have been well-loved, for years.  We hope your will be too.