D.I.Y Tees That are easy to do

What to do with an old, boring, or oversized tee

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Easy 1,2,3 ideas

You can do these with a pair of scissors and any old tee.


1. Add boat neck 


2. Cut out a v neck 


3. Crop top


4. Fringe the ends


5. Customise your own tee.

(You can mix and match ideas)

Dye-deas;)

These require dye, sharpies, rubbing alcohol, and any white article of clothing.

1. Dip Dye

2. Less- Mess  Tie Dye

Directions for Dye-deas:

1) Dip dye 

We used Rit liquid dyes in Denim and Navy (ritdye.com). You can combine colors for custom shades. This technique can be adapted for unfinished wooden items and bamboo blinds (let them dry on paper towels), and paper (let the dye solution cool before dipping paper).

It's best to dye the sleeves and bottom separately: Roll up the part you're not dyeing into a plastic bag to protect it, and secure with a rubber band. Dye, rinse, and let dry between the two dips. For items you plan to launder, set the colors by washing the finished objects in synthrapol detergent (dharmatrading.com). This concentrated, pH-balanced detergent will keep the dye from bleeding onto undyed parts of the fabric.

MATERIALS
  • White tee shirt
  • Large plastic storage bin or galvanized-steel bin
  • Stir stick
  • All-purpose liquid dye
  • Sample fabric or paper towel
  • Sewing pins
  • Synthrapol detergent (optional)
STEPS
  1. STEP 1

    Wash and dry fabric to remove any finishes that resist dye. Fill plastic bin with hot water to a depth of at least 6 inches. Stir in dye, starting with a small amount and adding more as desired. Dip a sample strip of fabric or paper towel to test the color. If too dark, add water; if too light, add dye. Let solution settle, so there are no bubbles at the surface.

  2. STEP 2

    Determine where you want the top of the dyed band to be; use pins to mark that line on fabric. Holding your fabric as straight as possible, dip into dye solution to just below the pin line (make sure you don't dip the pins; the fabric will wick the dye higher). Keep fabric in dye until it turns the desired color (it will dry slightly lighter).

  3. STEP 3

    Rinse fabric in cold water to remove excess dye until the water runs clear. Hang to dry. If desired, wash item with synthrapol detergent.

Directions For 1,2,3 Ideas: (you can mix and match ideas)

Tee idea #1

1) Take a pair of scissors, and your tee

2) Cut from 1 inch above the bottom of the sleeve all the way across to 1 inch above the bottom of the other sleeve

3) try on with a tank top underneath!

Tee idea #2

1) Take a pair of scissors, and your tee

2) From the edge of the neck hole, cut into a slanted v shape evenly on each side

3) Enjoy!

Tee idea #3

1) Take a pair of scissors, and your tee

2) Cut the bottom off your tee depending on how much you want it cropped

3) Enjoy!

Tee idea #4

1) Take a pair of scissors, and your tee

2) Cut into small sections of one centimeter or smaller (for best results), and go all around the end

3) Enjoy!

Tee idea #5

1) Take a pair of scissors, your tee, and fabric markers

2) Draw or write whatever you want on the white, or light colored tee


2) Less mess Tie Dye:

  • White T-shirt
  • Cardboard
  • Sharpie permanent markers
  • Baking pan (or glass or plastic container)
  • Binder clips (or rubber bands)
  • Isopropyl rubbing alcohol (91 percent)
  • Eyedropper
  • Iron or clothes drier
STEPS
  1. STEP 1

    Wash and dry T-shirt. Insert a piece of cardboard into T-shirt to prevent ink from bleeding through to other side.

  2. STEP 2

    Using desired marker colors, make a preliminary design on T-shirt. (Note: For a flower pattern, make a large dot of ink in one color, then surround in many smaller dots of a complementary color.)

  3. STEP 3

    Remove cardboard and stretch T-shirt over a baking pan, securing with binder clips. Be sure shirt is taut enough that it is not touching the bottom of the pan. (Tip: Individual sections of shirt can also be stretched over the mouth of a glass or plastic container and secured in place with a rubber band.)

  4. STEP 4

    Using an eyedropper, slowly drip desired number of drops of rubbing alcohol into center of ink design. The more drops of alcohol used, the further the ink will spread and the larger the design will be. 
(Note: Avoid flooding design with alcohol all at once.)

  5. STEP 5

    Once desired design is achieved, let T-shirt dry completely. Set color into shirt by applying a hot iron for 5 minutes or placing shirt in clothes drier on high for 15 minutes. (Tip: Be sure your iron is on the highest heat possible when setting the ink. Wash shirts separately on the delicate cycle and in cold water.)