We have it on good authority that guys love things their kids make them for Father’s Day. So this screen print trophy t-shirt (inspired by a Studio Ink Father’s Day card) will likely be worn until it falls in tatters from his Dad bod.
Think.Make.Share (and Hallmark) Designer Ashley H. shows you how super easy it is to screen print with a few pretty basic craft supplies.
Screen Print Trophy T-shirt supplies
- T-Shirt
- Father’s Day Trophy T-Shirt Printable
- Scissors or craft knife
- Panty hose
- 8″ Embroidery Hoop
- Permanent marker
- Paint Brush (size depends on design)
- Mod Podge
- Fabric Paint (in a color that contrasts with the t-shirt—we used gold)
- Piece of cardboard (should be a little bigger than the design)
- Piece of chipboard
Screen Print Trophy T-shirt Instructions
Cut off one leg of the panty hose. Then snip a 10″ section (a little bigger than the 8″ embroidery hoop).
Slit the hose down one side and smooth it flat.
Stretch the hose to fit the embroidery hoop, and pull taut.
Cut off all excess hose. This will be your mini-screen.
Print and cut out the Father’s Day Trophy T-Shirt Printable.
Trace around the trophy onto the hose with the marker.
Mask the space around the trophy and inside the handles by painting the hose with Mod Podge. To make sure no paint gets through, I like letting one coat dry and adding another.
When the “screen” is completely dry, place it hose-side down on the t-shirt where you would like the trophy to go. Put a piece of cardboard in the t-shirt—under the hoop, between the front and back layers—to keep the paint from bleeding through.
Squeeze a good gob of paint on the screen a little bit above the trophy—it should come out a little past the handles. Hold the edge of the chipboard above the paint, and pull (scrape) it down over the trophy design. I pulled the paint down two times, just to make sure I had good coverage.
Carefully pull the screen away from the t-shirt. Look for any places you want to touch up with the paint and brush.
Once the piece is dry, remove the cardboard from inside the t-shirt. Follow the instructions on the fabric paint to make sure it sets—you’ll probably need to iron it.
Your Father’s Day trophy t-shirt is ready to be worn by your dad of the year!
This same screen printing technique works with any simple, iconic shapes or letters. You can add additional colors by making separate screens and following the same process once the original layer dries. If you try it, we want to see it—share it with us on @think.make.share or post on Facebook.
Photography: Ty Hester