How to Decorate a Shirt, Jacket, or Jeans - Fun Creative Ideas

Embellished clothing is all the rage! This how-to article will help you understand the options and steps involved in creating your own wearable masterpiece using a layered technique. This is the perfect project for teens, slumber parties, and summer camp!

I've found that projects turn out best if you include at least three of the following basic embellishment options:
1. Fabric paint - stamping, stenciling, or freehand painting
2. Iron-ons - Letters, words, or pictures
3. Fabric scraps, patches, or flowers
4. Lace or beaded trims
5. Glitter with Glitter Bond (for retro glitter styles)
6. Glitter spray - Permanent for fabric
7. Rhinestones, metal studs, or eyelets
8. Bows or ribbons
9. Charms or pins

Select your materials based on the options you've chosen.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clothing that will be embellished - shirt, jacket, jeans, socks, etc. (Pre-wash without using fabric softener)
• Cardboard, newspaper, or plastic bag
• Waxed paper
• Iron
• Flat ceramic tile (to put inside of the clothing when using the iron; use large for shirt or small for sleeve, pant leg, etc.)
• Optional: Fabric Paint
• Optional: Paint Stamps (foam wall stamps work best)
• Optional: Paint Stencil
• Optional: Paintbrush or sponge
• Optional: Iron-on transfers (letters, words, pictures, etc.)
• Optional: Fabric scraps, patches, or flowers
• Optional: Aleene's Patch & Applique glue, Mighty Mend-It, or similar product
• Optional: Lace or beaded trim
• Optional: Fashion glitter with Tulip Glitter Bond
• Optional: DecoFabric Glitter Spray or similar product
• Optional: Rhinestones or metal studs (plus: heat-transfer, adhesive, or other setting equipment)
• Optional: Eyelets with setter
• Optional: Fray Check
• Optional: Bows or ribbons
• Optional: Needle & thread
• Optional: Charms, pins, zipper pulls, etc.

1. Get your working space ready by clearing a flat surface. If necessary, cut the cardboard, so that it will fit inside of the clothing. Place a layer of wax paper on top of the cardboard, newspaper, or plastic, and place it inside of the article of clothing. The waxed paper will keep things from sticking.

2. 
    
   Paint > Flowers > Iron on > Rhinestones

   Come up with your plan... Decide how you want to create your masterpiece. Think about where you want to apply the embellishments. You may want to draw out the design on a piece of paper. When using iron on designs, you may want to cut them out and lay them on the clothing, then take a picture to help remind you how to place them. You'll want to decide on the order of your layers.

3. 
    

   If you're using paint, you'll probably want to start here. Foam stamps are the easiest way to add interest to your clothing. Don’t dip your stamps directly into the paint, unless you want to make things look messy on purpose. Instead, use a sponge or brush to dab paint evenly onto the stamp. When using stencils, you can either dab paint with a sponge or spray fabric paint. You can also use a paint brush with paint to add scrolls, leaves for flowers that have been stamped, or other freehand touches. You can use multiple colors on the same stamp or brush to create gradient effects. Metallic fabric paints may cost a little more, but can be especially eye catching.
   
   Once your paint has dried completely (air dry for 24 hours or follow the directions for your paint), many fabric paints recommend that you heat-set the paint by ironing both sides for about 30 seconds with a warm iron (cover with a piece of light cotton fabric rather than iron directly on the paint surface).
   
   See my tips below for more info on working with fabric paint.

4. 
    

   If you're using heat transfers (iron-ons), such as letters, words, or pictures, this step may be next on your list. You'll want to take out the wax paper and cardboard, and insert the ceramic tile for this step. You can spray your letters with glitter or edge them with fabric paint to really make them stand out.
   
   Follow the instructions on your transfers, applying steady heat with your iron.
   
   After applying your heat transfers, you may want to apply additional fabric paint designs (back to Step 3).
   
   For more helpful info on using heat, see my warnings below.

5. 
    

   If you're using fabric scraps, patches, flowers, lace, or beaded trim, you'll continue with this step.
   
   Before you attach silk flowers, you will want to check colorfastness, so they won't fade out or stain the clothing with normal washing. If you get them wet to test them, make sure they are free of soap and allow them to dry completely before continuing.
   
   Make sure that you have the wax paper and cardboard, newspaper, or plastic inside the clothing before attaching these embellishments. When you're ready, apply Patch & Applique glue, Mighty Mend-it, or other fabric adhesive to the back of your embellishment, then press it into place. Wipe away any excess adhesive. Follow the drying instructions on your adhesive and make sure that it is dry before continuing.
   
   You can apply additional paint or heat transfers after this step.

6. 
    

   If you want to incorporate glitter with glitter bond, you'll follow this step. Glitter bond is most easily used with sticky stencils, but you can also use a paintbrush to prepare your glitter area. After applying the glitter bond, heavily sprinkle on the fashion glitter and let it dry for at least two hours. Carefully tilt your project to dump off the glitter onto a piece of newspaper and pour any excess back in the glitter container for future use. Your glitter design will be reminiscent of the 70's style glitter iron-on shirts.
   
   To avoid losing loose glitter everywhere, you may want to wait 24 hours, then use a sticky lint roller to pull off any loose glitter.

7. 
    

   If you want to use DecoFabric Glitter Spray or a similar product, this is the time to add it. You may want to test the glitter spray on a similar piece of fabric to make sure that you're happy with how it looks, then spray away!

8. 
    

   Rhinestones or metal studs can add that flash you're looking for. They come in heat-transfer, adhesive, or clasp options, so you'll want to have the appropriate setting equipment. For heat-transfer gems, you can use a heat stone setter, like the BeJeweler Stone Styler. Beacon Gem-Tac permanent adhesive works well to adhere gems, sequins, glitter and rhinestones to fabric. The BeDazzler can also be used to attach gemstones.

9. 
    

   If you want to add metal eyelets, you'll want to use an eyelet punch to cut the hole. It's a good idea to use Fray Check around the hole to make sure that it doesn't start to fray after washing. Set the eyelet with the finished side out (set from the inside of the clothing).

10. If you are adding bows, ribbons, or decorative buttons, they can be glued on with your applique glue or sewed with a needle and thread.

11. 
     
    Decorative pin with charms

    It's time to put on those finishing touches. Charms, pins, and zipper pulls can add that final touch to your design. Charms or zipper pulls can be added to a zipper with a simple jump ring. You can attach charms to a decorative safety pin and pin it through your design.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't just think "front" and "back"... Some of the most interesting designs extend around to the other side.
• Pre-wash your clothing and dry without fabric softener.
• Make sure you use fabric paint. Regular acrylic paint will crack after multiple washings.
• Always make sure you insert a piece of cardboard or a plastic bag inside of your garment, so that the paint doesn’t go through the other side.
• Don’t dip your stamps directly into the paint. Instead, use a sponge or brush to dab paint evenly onto the stamp.
• When possible, practice stamping or stenciling on a piece of scrap fabric similar in color and texture to your garment. This will help you decide if you need to apply more or less paint to a stamp, or how different color blends look when dry.
• If you mess up or don’t like how it turned out, immediately wash the paint out with soap and water. Make sure all soap is rinsed out and that the garment is completely dry before repainting.
• If your design includes layering with multiple colors, you may want to allow your paint to dry before starting with the next color, unless you want the paint to blend on purpose.
• Once your paint is completely dry, “heat set” your art by covering it with a light piece of cotton fabric and gently ironing it with an iron set on high.
• When Working with Heat, pay attention, so you don’t burn yourself or damage heat-sensitive surfaces.
• Insert something like a ceramic tile inside of the garment to create a solid, heat-reflecting surface and to make sure that adhesive doesn’t go all of the way through (binding the front to the back).
• Use a light piece of cotton fabric over iron-ons or when working with non-cotton fabrics to reduce the chance of scorching.

[Dino1353]

on 5/27/2009 GHreat article and well written 5*

[Psalmist4M]

on 5/16/2009 Now, this really sounds like fun. And I love the organized way you've written the details, particularly the tips. Thanks for the article. 5*s

[djackman]

on 5/3/2009 shirts , jeans and jackets always need decorated a little 5*

[maddengodfather]

on 4/27/2009 Great Article 5*

[mooretira]

on 4/27/2009 Your hired. Where do I send my denim to????