MAKE A SPLASH
MAKE A SPLASH
Want to create a splash without putting in a stitch? Go wild with fabric pens and paints! They’re great for making intricate designs or writing LOUD SLOGANS (‘Down with School!’/ ‘My other friend is Taylor Swift’). 
You can pick up fabric pens & paints from your local sewing shop or craft store – or browse the options on Amazon (there’s LOTS!)
FABRIC PENS
You can write or draw directly on to white/ light-coloured clothes.
SWISH TIP: Stick a piece of paper or card underneath the bit of fabric you’re decorating - to stop the pen going through to the other side of your garment.
Got a dark top that pens won’t show up on? Yay, you get to have EVEN MORE FUN! Cut out & colour in patches from a lighter fabric. Basically make your own motifs, which you can then sew on – or stick using fabric glue. (NB Fabric glue is a good no-sew option, but in our opinion, nothing is as secure as a stitch!)
Here’s a t-shirt we customised for the fab folk at Charity Super.Mkt, the world’s first multi-charity store. It’s like a department store FILLED with charity shops: an Aladdin’s Cave for funky thrifters (that’s you and us, that is!)
A Swisher at one of our summer workshops entertained us all with songs from musicals. Even better, she did it while making this fantastic fan-girl tee. It made her very POP-U-LAAAAAR (yes, we’re ‘Wicked’ fans!)
Get your message across like this Swisher at Winchester Young Carers!
Our fave pens are these
STENCILS
These are cheap to buy and come in all shapes and sizes. Letters, flowers, emojiis – you want it, there’ll be a stencil for it somewheeeeere!
TOP TIP: Stretch your fabric taut under the stencil – it’ll keep your lines nice and straight. Don’t forget to insert a piece of paper or card beneath the fabric. Oh, and wipe down your stencil in between bursts of creativity (or you might find yourself smudging.
Stencils are so simple, even Dads can have fun with them.
Check out our BEST EUROVISION T-SHIRT EVER
FABRIC PAINTS
The joy of these is you can use them on ANY KINDA CLOTHES. Whether your style is dark denim or silky peach (oooh, posh!), slap on a few strokes of fabric paint, and you’ve created a designer outfit NO-ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD will have. How cool is that? Grab your paints, flick your brush, and release your inner Picasso!
SWISH TIP: Wait for the paint to try before you pull on your newly decorated hot pants. No one wants a soggy bottom (or streaky rainbow legs..)
FABRIC STAMPS
You can find these online or in craft shops – and craft fairs. (We’re yet to go to a craft fair that DOESN’T have a stall selling them; also smelly candles and cats made of twigs).
Slap lots of bright paint on to the stamp, then squish it on to your preloved garment (again and again!) to create your own print design. You don’t need to have artistic fingers, just a firm hand, and the will to LEAVE YOUR STAMP ON THE WORLD (starting with your mum’s old t-shirt…)
We love this t-shirt designed by a Swisher, using a mix of printed stamps and freestyle painting. Let your imaginations flyyyy!
Want to create a splash without putting in a stitch? Go wild with fabric pens and paints! They’re great for making intricate designs or writing LOUD SLOGANS (‘Down with School!’/ ‘My other friend is Taylor Swift’). You can pick up fabric pens & paints from your local sewing shop or craft store – or browse the options on Amazon (there’s LOTS!)
FABRIC PENS
You can write or draw directly on to white/ light-coloured clothes.
Swish tip: Stick a piece of paper or card underneath the bit of fabric you’re decorating - to stop the pen going through to the other side of your garment.
Got a dark top that pens won’t show up on? Yay, you get to have EVEN MORE FUN! Cut out & colour in patches from a lighter fabric. [Kirstie, you can point here to ‘Busy Doing Nothing’ pic]. Basically make your own motifs, which you can then sew on – or stick using fabric glue. (NB Fabric glue is a good no-sew option, but in our opinion, nothing is as secure as a stitch!)
Here’s a t-shirt we customised for the fab folk at Charity Super.Mkt, the world’s first multi-charity store. It’s like a department store FILLED with charity shops: an Aladdin’s Cave for funky thrifters (that’s you and us, that is!)
A Swisher at one of our summer workshops entertained us all with songs from musicals. Even better, she did it while making this fantastic fan-girl tee. It made her very POP-U-LAAAAAR (yes, we’re ‘Wicked’ fans!)
Get your message across like this Swisher at Winchester Young Carers!
Our fave pens are these
STENCILS
These are cheap to buy and come in all shapes and sizes. Letters, flowers, emojiis – you want it, there’ll be a stencil for it somewheeeeere!
TOP TIP: Stretch your fabric taut under the stencil – it’ll keep your lines nice and straight. Don’t forget to insert a piece of paper or card beneath the fabric. Oh, and wipe down your stencil in between bursts of creativity (or you might find yourself smudging.
Stencils are so simple, even Dads can have fun with them. Check out our BEST EUROVISION T-SHIRT EVER
FABRIC PAINTS
The joy of these is you can use them on ANY KINDA CLOTHES. Whether your style is dark denim or silky peach (oooh, posh!), slap on a few strokes of fabric paint, and you’ve created a designer outfit NO-ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD will have. How cool is that? Grab your paints, flick your brush, and release your inner Picasso!
SWISH TIP: Wait for the paint to try before you pull on your newly decorated hot pants. No one wants a soggy bottom (or streaky rainbow legs..)
FABRIC STAMPS
You can find these online or in craft shops – and craft fairs. (We’re yet to go to a craft fair that DOESN’T have a stall selling them; also smelly candles and cats made of twigs).
Slap lots of bright paint on to the stamp, then squish it on to your preloved garment (again and again!) to create your own print design. You don’t need to have artistic fingers, just a firm hand, and the will to LEAVE YOUR STAMP ON THE WORLD (starting with your mum’s old t-shirt…)
There are all kinds of stamps out there to try.
The braver among you could even make your own stamps. We’ve not tried it – if you do give it a go, please send us a pic to share. We will be OFFICIALLY impressed!
We love this t-shirt designed by a Swisher, using a mix of printed stamps and freestyle painting. Let your imaginations flyyyy!
"The Swish is properly interesting. A teen novel about creativity, confidence and upcycling clothes. About time!" Dawn French
" Great book – a lovely read for teens"
LORRAINE CANDY, SUNDAY TIMES bestseller and parenting expert
"‘Geek Girl’ meets the ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’! Ideal book to get your teenagers inspired about sustainable fashion."
" Laugh-out loud funny"
SOPHIA, 13
" The Swish is amazing. From page one, I loved it"
LOLA, 12
" Funny and truthful. It shows what girls are made of!"
FLORENCE, 14
" Amazing. Kat's story shows so much about self-confidence, and never to give up!"
CHLOE, 15
"The Swish is properly interesting. A teen novel about creativity, confidence and upcycling clothes. About time!" Dawn French
" Great book – a lovely read for teens"
LORRAINE CANDY, SUNDAY TIMES bestseller and parenting expert
" A super fun read - ‘Geek Girl’ meets the ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’! Ideal book to get your teenagers off their phones/screens & inspired about sustainable fashion."
" Laugh-out loud funny"
SOPHIA, 13
" The Swish is amazing. From page one, I loved it"
LOLA, 12
" Funny and truthful. It shows what girls are made of!"
FLORENCE, 14
" Amazing. Kat's story shows so much about self-confidence, and never to give up"
CHLOE, 15
LISTEN HERE
"The Swish is properly interesting. A teen novel about creativity, confidence and upcycling clothes. About time!"
Dawn French
" Great book – a lovely read for teens"
LORRAINE CANDY, SUNDAY TIMES bestseller and parenting expert
"‘Geek Girl’ meets the ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’! Ideal book to get your teenagers off their phones/screens & inspired about sustainable fashion."
" Laugh-out loud funny"
SOPHIA, 13
" The Swish is amazing. From page one, I loved it"
LOLA, 12
" Funny and truthful. It shows what girls are made of!"
FLORENCE, 14
" Amazing. Kat's story shows so much about self-confidence, and never to give up"
CHLOE, 15
