Easy Paint Crafts for Baby Clothes
DIY Block and Screen Printing, Stenciling, And More

Using ink or paint crafts for baby clothes is a fantastic way to make unique and personalized baby clothes without ever setting foot near a sewing machine. Just go out and buy yourself a package or two of plain baby onesies or t-shirts, grab some funky colored fabric inks, or markers, and go to town! Here are some ideas for ways for you to use fabric inks and paints to create your own custom baby clothes.

Part One: Make Your Own Stencil

OK, here's what you will need to get started:

Plain baby clothes (a plain onesie, pants, hats, bibs)
fabric paints or ink
sticker paper or freezer paper
X-acto or craft knife
cool graphic, image or text

To keep things simple you will need to choose a graphic with little detail. The more detail in the picture or text, the more difficult it will be for you to duplicate the design on the baby clothes. Try surfing the net for something you might already have in mind, check the free clip-art sites, or create a graphic yourself.

Once you have chosen a graphic to paint onto your baby clothes, the next step is to print that graphic or picture onto the sticker paper. Before printing you may want to crop or resize the graphic to fit wherever you will print it. A great free tool to use for this or for creating your own graphic is Paint.net

Make baby stuff After you have printed your graphic onto the plain sticker paper you will need a cutting mat or a surface that you can cut through your paper with the X-acto knife without worrying about damaging the surface underneath. Like a craft table or something similar.
Tape your sticker paper down onto the surface to keep it securely in place. Now use your X-acto knife to cut the graphic out from the sticker paper to create a stencil.

Cut your make shift stencil from the sticker paper with a space of 2 - 3" all around the graphic. Remove the backing and adhere the sticker onto the baby clothing in the spot you wish to create the painted graphic.

You may want to cover the spaces outside of the stencil with rags or paper towels to protect the fabric from any paint messes.

custom funky onesie Paint inside of the stencil and then remove your sticker stencil from the fabric. Viola! You've used paint crafts for baby clothes to make unique and hip baby clothing.

This technique can be used on most any baby clothes. To make funky onesies, or custom baby clothes. Or for baby arts and crafts projects for baby furniture, baby bibs, baby shoes, personalized baby blankets... The possibilities are practically endless!

Stencil Crafts For Baby: Using Freezer Paper

You can also make a pretty cool stencil using freezer paper!

1. Start by drawing an image freehand onto the freezer paper (non wax side of the paper). You can also place the paper over a picture or graphic and trace the image!

2. Use a craft knife to trim the image form the paper to create a stencil.

3. Lay the freezer paper over your clothing item (wax side down) and iron for a couple of seconds to hold the stencil firmly in place.

4. Place some scrap paper or fabric into the inside of the shirt to protect from ink bleeding through to the back of the shirt or item.

5. Apply fabric paint and allow to dry for several hours. For best results do not remove the paper until the ink is completely dry!

Part Two: Block Printing On Baby Clothes

To try your hand on using block printing crafts for baby clothes you could make your own DIY printing blocks using linoleum blocks and cutting tools, or even simply buy pre-cut lino blocks or, as I am using here, wood cut blocks.

I actually bought my wood printing blocks on Ebay. But creating your own blocks from linoleum can be really fun and relatively easy!

Tools Needed For Lino Block Printing:

Lino block (for beginners Speedball's speedy cut is great)
Lino cutting handle and blades
Rubber brayer for rolling on ink
Fabric printing ink

Here's a tip: At many craft stores all of these items are available as a starter kit all in one box!

Start by drawing or tracing the image which you would like to create a lino stamp with. Use a regular #2 regular old lead pencil. Make sure and really go over the lines so there is a lot of lead on the paper, with nice thick lines. This is essential for transferring the image to the block.

Once you are satisfied with your drawing lay it face down onto the lino block.use a ruler or even your ink brayer to firmly rub the lead form teh paper onto the block. Lift the paper slowly. Your image should now appear on the block!

Use your lino cutting tools to carve the image from the block. Remember, you want to leave the parts that you want to show up in the stamp. If you carve the lines only you will have a reverse image. You may want to carve all of the blank spots left on the block leaving only the drawn pencil lines.

Crafts For Baby Clothes: Printing On Fabric!

When you're done carving out your image onto the lino block you are ready to apply some ink and get to stamping!

This stamp you've created can be used for anything! Use it as a rubber stamp and print your image onto paper using regular old stamping ink. Or get out your brayer and roll on some fabric ink to do some fabric printing!

Place a dollop of ink onto a surface such as a painter's palette or even a paper plate.

Roll the ink out until it is spread thinly.

Roll the ink onto the printing block.

block printing crafts for baby
Now simply lay the item of clothing you wish to print onto down on your work surface.

Place the inked block face down onto the item and apply pressure all over the block.

I usually take a moment to pressed down in several areas to make sure ink is applied evenly.

Lift the block and admire your work!

Find a safe place to lay the items to dry.

Good job Mamma!

Part Three: Drawing and Coloring With Fabric Markers!

Fabric Markers are SO much fun! You can simply doodle and free hand draw with them, or you can block print an image in black and white and then use the markers to add some color and accents!

Ideas For Using Fabric Markers:

Free hand it! Simply start doodling away. You can draw flowers, or write the baby's name, etc.

Add color to a block print! Create your own lino block art and use the markers to fill in colors and accents!

Add color to a Gocco print! Just like the lino print above; add color to a black and white print!

Part Four: DIY Screen Printing

1. The Print Gocco

These days you can get your hands on a personal screen printing kit pretty easily. The Gocco printer, which originated in Japan is a super easy, compact solution. However, the Gocco has been discontinued. You can still get your hands on these little gems though! Do a simple web search or stop by Ebay while web surfing and you're sure to find tons of Gocco machines and supplies.

2. Yudu Personal Screen Printing

I have yet to try the YUDU, simply because I really love my Gocco and feel no need to put it aside yet.

You can get your hands on a YUDU system as pretty much any craft store these days. And supplies are easy to come by both in store or even on Ebay. If you're looking to get a cheaper, maybe even used Yudu to try out Ebay is a good place to look as well!

Try Your Hand At Screen Printing Crafts For Baby

1. Prepare your art!

2. Follow the directions with your Gocco or Yudu to burn your image to the screen.

3. Place your baby clothes item onto the work surface.

4. Apply the ink to the screen.

5. Make an imprint!

In the case of the Gocco all you need to do is open and shut the lid while applying pressure and the screen imprint is made. With a Yudu system You actually use a squeegee to run the ink over the screen and wipe away excess.

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