I make a lot of clothes, and not just for Gloomth. I’m forever altering things and editing things in my own wardrobe, or trying to create diy versions of things I see on the runway for my own closet. Lately, I seem to be doing a lot of diy pieces for myself- I guess I’m on a sort of punky binge.

The discount shop near my apartment sells cotton t-shirts for $2 in a bunch of different colors. I am forever grabbing large size tops to turn into dresses and tunics (a diy shirt/jacket and velvet/printed tights is sort of my uniform for running errands).

The possibilities for creating a wicked custom shirt out of a cheap t are almost limitless!

This weekend I made the one shown above! It started out as a white cotton t-shirt, bought several sizes too large so I can wear it as a tunic. $2 for the shirt.

1. I dyed it in a bucket in my shower. $1.50 Tintex brand dye in black (their fabric dye is kind of awful but it works beautifully if you want a mottled imperfect finished product). I filled the bucket with hot water then poured in the dye, waited until it dissolved. Soaked the shirt in clean water and then dipped/splattered/wrung it.

2. Rinsed the shirt until the water ran clear then threw it in the dryer to set. (I usually let them air dry but I was excited to work on the next steps!).

3. Splattered/Stained it with black pigment ink I had on hand. No idea what that cost, I bought it years ago in university in a bulk container – it’s stale and smells bad. It’s not meant for fabric and it dries a bit stiff. You can use screeprinting paint or even acrylic paint, or really anything that’ll stain the fabric.

4. Copied one of my favorite Pablo Neruda poems over and over in permanent marker on it. Cut the neck and sleeves off.

Et Voila! A wicked diy t-shirt that no one else in the world has! It’s fancier than a plain shirt with my tights for buying groceries and can be easily dressed up with black skinnie jeans and a blazer over top. :)!

All it cost was about $3.50 in materials plus some of my spare time!

-Tae