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 baby shower, include washing instructions based on the T-shirt transfer paper package.
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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.
