boy's Batman shirt

I rarely buy anything from BabyGap, but I can never resist stopping in just to see if I can score a bargain. The last time I visited, they had super cute Batman t-shirts that my son would love. And they were like $40. For a toddler t-shirt. So I made my own.

Materials:
black t-shirt (though gray would look good, too)
scrap of black knit fabric (I used an old t-shirt)
heat-n-bond lite
freezer paper
yellow fabric paint (or acrylic paint and textile medium)
paint brush
Batman logo template (I found one here)
black thread
sewing machine (or you can hand sew)

Prewash t-shirt. I purchased a pocket-less shirt (yeah!) at Target for $4.

Trace the Batman template onto the freezer paper and cut out around the oval. You can print the template out then place your freezer paper on top (shiny side down) and trace. Or you can wait until your husband isn't watching, put your freezer paper (shiny side down) right on your computer screen and trace lightly with a pencil.

Cut a scrap of black knit fabric slightly larger than the Batman logo and cut a piece of heat-n-bond lite the same size as your knit fabric. Following the instructions on the heat-n-bond lite, apply the heat-n-bond to the wrong side of the black knit fabric.

Place your Batman logo on the paper side of the heat-n-bond lite and trace the oval shape. Cut out around the oval.

Cut out the bat shape from the freezer paper, center it on the right side of your knit fabric (shiny side down) and iron in place.

Apply yellow fabric paint to the black knit fabric. (I used Delta Ceramcoat crocus yellow and Delta Ceramcoat textile medium.) It's best to either "dab" the paint on or brush from the freezer paper out so the paper doesn't peel up and you end up with paint under the freezer paper. I wanted a faded, vintage look so I applied two thin coats.

Let the paint dry. This is the hardest part for me as I immediately want to rip the freezer paper off and see my amazing creation. Bad idea. This is a good time to do some laundry or wash dishes. Or if you're like me, you go to Target. When the paint is dry peel off your freezer paper. (I waited 24 hours.)

Remove the backing paper from the patch and center it on your shirt. Iron the Batman patch to the front of your t-shirt. (The textile medium I used said to wait 7 days before heat setting the paint. I waited 24 hours. I cannot wait a week to finish a project.) I covered the patch with a cloth so the paint didn't destroy my iron and pressed for 20 seconds.

Using a sewing machine and black thread (or you can stitch by hand), stitch around the edge of the patch.

I spent $4 for the t-shirt. Everything else I had on hand.

Linking up to:

the CSI project

Knock Offs Challenge