I’m so thrilled to have been featured on the I Love to Create blog as a guest poster!

They sent me a lovely package of goodies from their immense ILoveToCreate.com website a little while ago (chock-full of Tulip-brand and Aleene’s products, fabric dyes, finishes, paints, and embellishments…if you haven’t checked it out for all your crafty needs, or for tutorial ideas and inspiration, please do!!  You’re so missing out!!).  I’ve used the contents of the package to create a couple tutorials for them that will be featured on their blog in the coming weeks.  My first project, a Leopard-Print Infinity Scarf, repurposes the bottom of an old t-shirt and uses a stencil from one of their tie-dyeing kits to create a fancy feline look.  Here is the tutorial in full below:

Fashion blogger Carly J. Cais of Chic Steals will be featured in the next few weeks as a guest blogger here on the iLoveToCreate blog! She has created some trendy and fashionable looks and she shows you step by step how to make them! Take it away Carly…

How to Create a DIY Leopard-Print No-Sew Infinity Scarf From an Old T-Shirt

Nothing could be easier than re-purposing the bottom of an old t-shirt as an accessory! Wear as a simple scarf for a pop of pattern at the neck, a lightweight hood, or sew the bottom closed and add a drawstring to use as a pouch for makeup. By using two colors in the leopard print and varying the size of the spots, you get a much more finished, high-end look than by just using the stencil alone.

Materials:
– Tulip Tie-Dye Fashion Kit in Wild Thing (stencil, gloves, Aqua dye, Cobalt Dye)
– white t-shirt

and…
– garbage bags
– paper towels
– cotton swab (not pictured)
– small bowl for paint (not pictured)
– fabric scissors or rotary cutter

How To:
1. Begin by creating the leopard pattern on the t-shirt. Wash the shirt in the washer (do not use fabric softener) and dry in the dryer to remove sizing.

2. Place onto a garbage bag, laid onto a flat surface. Place another garbage bag in-between the fabric layers so the dye does not seep through.

3. Place the leopard stencil from the Tie-Dye Fashion Kit onto the shirt, and cover around the stencil with paper towels to prevent overspray.

4. Put on the gloves in the kit. Mix the Tulip Aqua Tie-Dye according to the kit directions, and spritz onto the fabric using the spray bottle. Be careful to not spray too much; just enough so the stencil shapes are visible (too much and it will seep under the stencil and the pattern won’t be crisp).

5. Remove the stencil; wipe down with a paper towel.

6. Repeat Steps 3) – 5) to cover all the area below the underarms of the t-shirt on the front. Turn the shirt onto the back and repeat.

7. Allow to dry about an hour.

8. Mix the Tulip Cobalt Tye-Dye according to directions, and squirt some dye into a small bowl (not used for food). Dip a cotton swab into the dye and dab it onto the t-shirt, on top of the aqua spots you made with the stencil. (Reference a photo of what a leopard’s spots really look like to help with placement.)

9. Cover with plastic and allow to dry 4-6 hours. Once dry, wash in the washer with a small amount of detergent and water at the hottest suitable for the fabric. Dry in the dryer.

10. Once dry, cut off the top part of the shirt, from side to side right under the sleeves.

And you’re done! Wear the fabric loop as an infinity scarf for a punchy pattern at the neck, or customize further with a little craftery on your sewing machine.

Happy DIY’ing!
xoxox
Carly J. Cais

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