How to Make a Shirt Into a Cute Design for a Teenage Girl

Turn that boring T-shirt into a fashion trend.

In the warm summer and spring months, your teenager may grow tired of her plain T-shirts and ask you to help her make them into a new, fashionable and creative piece of clothing in her wardrobe. T-shirts are easy to cut and become fashion experiments with a pair of scissors and some planning. There are a number of cute, classy designs you can try on your teenager's shirts.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Beads
• Cardboard
• Pen
• Acrylic spray paint

Instructions

1. Lay the shirt out flat on a table, making sure the front and back seams line up. Starting at the top of one shoulder, cut material away from the neckline in a shallow swoop until you meet the other shoulder. Cut less than you think you want the first time around, try the shirt on and reassess whether you want the swoop to go deeper down your neckline. The shirt falls off your shoulders in a relaxed style. Layer with a spaghetti string tank-top in a complementary color. This casual look goes with jeans, skirts, shorts and sneakers

2. Stylize the sleeves of the shirt. Turn long-sleeve shirts into short-sleeve shirts by cutting them off at the same length on both sides. Fray the edges of the sleeves for a "grungy" look. Alternatively, cut thin, vertical strips into the sleeves. Put a bead on each strip and tie a knot at the end to secure the bead.

3. Create a moderately revealing back. Cut horizontal strips in the middle of the back of the shirt, leaving 6 inches at the top and bottom of the shirt. Cut away some material around each strip. Cut the individual strips in half and tie both pieces together in a bow or knot. Now, tasteful sections of the wearer's back will be revealed, or she can layer a different color tank top underneath.

4. Stencil designs onto the shirt. Draw a stencil onto a piece of cardboard. Cut out the middle of the stencil, as this is the part of the design that will appear on the shirt. Spray acrylic spray paint through the stencil. Let it dry overnight.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice your idea on an old T-shirt before trying it on the final shirt. Some ideas may work out well while others miss the mark. It's better to know this ahead of time.

• T-shirts painted with acrylic spray paint will withstand regular washing only a handful of times before the design fades.

References

• Recycle Crafts; How to Upcycle an Old Pair of Jeans with Stenciling; August 2011
• Free Kids Crafts; Recycled Clothes
• Parents; Clothing Crafts: Make New Duds from Old Things; Amanda Kingloff