Breaking the news of a baby brother or sister to your children can be a delicate matter. When Lindsay told her two young kids, 19-month-old Jack was a little too young to understand, but three-year old Hannah was very excited and took her role of big sister of two very seriously. We asked her to draw a picture of her with her siblings to create a very special present. We then took her picture and transferred it onto a couple of onesies and an itsy bitsy pair of socks -- a heartfelt present for baby that will be cherished even after the clothing is outgrown.
This is a quick and easy craft that can serve as either a shower gift or an important project for kids to welcome a new life to the family fold.
You need:
• A drawing
• T-shirt transfer paper
• Cotton onesies and socks
• Iron with a no-steam setting
• Scissors
• Scanner/printer
Step 1: Scan the design
• Once your child has finished his/her drawing, scan the image into your photo-editing program on your computer.
• Measure the dimensions of your apparel and scale your canvas size accordingly.
• Make any colour corrections or eliminate any imperfections (if desired) that may be on the page, such as fingerprints or creases.
Step 2: Print your child's masterpiece
• If your image has text, be sure to flip it horizontally in your photo-editing program, so it reads properly when ironed onto the fabric.
• Test-print a page to ensure your design fits the dimensions of your tiny "canvas".
• Insert the T-shirt transfer paper into your printer according to the package directions.
• Change your settings to specialty paper and select high or best quality to print.
Step 3: Transfer the artwork
• Trim your image as close to the design as possible.
• Turn on your iron to the highest setting for the fabric you are using, being sure to turn off the steam option.
• Iron the clothing to eliminate wrinkles.
• Check for dust or fibres that could get trapped under your transfer paper before positioning your transfer.
• Following the package's directions for ironing, place the image face down on the clothing and iron firmly in a circular motion.
• When the paper has cooled, carefully peel off the backing.
If you are presenting this as a shower gift, include washing instructions based on the T-shirt transfer paper package.
Heather Camlot and Tara Nolan have honed their digital crafting skills writing and editing for Microsoft Home Magazine. Their work has also appeared in Style at Home magazine.
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