Recycled Mermaid fabric spray painted T Shirt

finished t shirt

I was up early this morning and had a paint project on my mind, so after making breakfast for Tom, and packing his lunch, I knew I had several hours to play before picking up my dad around noon.

I grabbed a white t shirt that was fairly new, but had a few stains on the front. The shirt was too good to be tossed in the trash. Last week with a 5o% off coupon from Michael's I bought a package of Tulip fabric spray paints. The color choice wasn't the greatest for the project I had in mind, but since the T shirt is now going to be a shirt to wear to bed, I figured just go with what I had. I also brought up from the cellar a big container of Lumiere paint in a blue green color that has a gold hue.

When I took the beach themed album/book on my birthday at  The Crop Shop , in Rockland, Massachusetts.  I also bought some other beach related items. One of the items was a stencil sheet that had a scallop shell, starfish, small and large mermaids, another shell and seaweed for $5.00.

I ended up using the seaweed and the large mermaid stencil with the spray fabric paints. I can't say I am in love with the pump spray bottles, as sometime the paint comes out in big blobs and at other times a very fine mist. I love the fine mist effect. Oh well, this was my first attempt using the paints, and I have lots of old stained t shirts that I can practice on.

I sprayed the paints outside, and the wind picked up and lifted the parchment paper I had placed around the stencils, and so a few areas got paint where I didn't want it to be. But, all in all, I am pretty happy with my new night shirt. For the air bubbles, I just dipped the end of sponge brush into the Lumiere paint cap. The seaweed was showing thru the tail, so I went over the tail area with the Lumiere paint.

first I spray painted green the seaweed and then the large mermaid in blue, and a quick spray of blue paint.

added another section of seaweed, and some green spray paint

then lightly sprayed green and blue over the front and sleeves of the shirt. I went back after the paint dried for a bit with more green and a heavier coat of blue. When the paint has dried according to directions, I will heat set the front of the shirt, and then wash the shirt inside out.