Have you ever tried fabric printing. You can print on just about any kind of fabric. Try making something new for your house or decorate a T-shirt that you can wear.

What You’ll Need

  • Scrap paper or newspaper
  • Styrofoam trays
  • Scissors
  • Masking tape
  • Acrylic paint or fabric paint in assorted colors and paintbrushes, 1 for each paint color
  • Paper plates, 1 for each paint color
  • Large piece of plain fabric, such as a pillowcase or a T-shirt

FYI Sometimes vegetables and meat at the grocery store come in Styrofoam trays. If you want to reuse a tray that held meat, wash it thoroughly with soap and hot water before using it in this project.

FABRIC PRINTING TIP
If you want to wash your printed fabric many times, use fabric paint. You can find fabric paint at an art supply or craft store, and follow the bottle instructions for how to use and wash the paint.

Step 1. Cover your work space with scrap paper. some simple shapes from a Styrofoam tray. Tape and pinch pieces of masking tape to make little handles on the backs of each shape. Squares, rectangles, ovals, and zigzags are good shapes to make.

Step 2. Lay your fabric out flat. Pour a small amount of each paint colour onto a separate paper plate. Holding your shapes by their handles, brush them with paint and stamp them onto the fabric. You can print random designs or make a pattern. Let your fabric dry before moving it.

How to Crochet a Pair of Earrings

If you are already familiar with crochet, these earrings are quick project that yields amazing results — thread crochet over purchased 2-inch hoops. You can make a pair for every colour in your wardrobe.

YARN

  • Cotton crochet thread size 10

CROCHET HOOK

  • Steel US 6 (1.6 mm) or the size you need to obtain the correct gauge

MOTIF GAUGE

  • 1¾” in diameter before joining to hoop

OTHER SUPPLIES

  • 2″ hoop earrings (a front hinge works best)
  • Embroidery needle

Pattern Essentials

Puff st (Yo, insert hook into indicated ch-1 space, yo, pull loop through to front of work) five times, yo and pull through all but 1 loop on hook, yo and pull through remaining 2 loops on hook. Note: If you have trouble pulling through the puff stitches, make your yarn overs looser by holding your hook a little farther away from the work.

CROCHETING THE MOTIF

Row 1 (WS): Ch 16; working into the back of the ch, hdc in the 3rd ch from hook (first 2 ch sts count as first hdc), hdc in each ch across, turn. You now have 15 sts.

Row 2 (RS): Ch 5, skip first 7 hdc, (tr, ch 5, tr) in next hdc, ch 5, skip next 6 hdc, slip st into top of ch-2 at end of row, turn.

Row 3 (WS): Ch 4, skip ch-5 space, dc in next tr, ch 1, (dc into next ch, ch 1) five times, dc in next tr, ch 4, slip st in ch st at end of row, turn.

Row 4 (RS): Ch 4, skip (ch-space, dc), (puff st in next space, picot-4) six times, ch 4, slip st ch st at end of row. Do not fasten off.

ATTACHING THE MOTIF TO THE HOOP

Place the motif inside the hoop with the working yarn coming out from the back of the hoop. Sc around hoop and motif to join them together as follows: With RS of motif facing, work 3 sc sts into the side of the motif working toward the top of the hoop; work 15 sc sts around hoop, ending at the top of the earring; fasten off.

Starting at top (on other side of hinged post), work 15 sc sts around hoop. Now make 3 sc sts into the other side of motif, work 10 sc around hoop, sc in next picot, (work 5 sc around hoop, sc into next picot) five times, work 10 sc around hoop, slip st to first sc around hoop to join. Fasten off. Weave in the ends.