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Fabric Stamping Gives New Life to Old Clothing

Follow this simple DIY stamped skirt tutorial to give new life to some of your old clothes! Fabric stamping is so easy, and you’ll have a new look in minutes.

Skills Required: Beginner. I recommend having experience with paint and stamping before attempting this project. If you’ve never stamped before, practice a lot on paper or scrap fabric first.

Fabric stamping on a blue ankle length skirt

I was cleaning out my closet the other day, and I found a bunch of items I decided I wanted to revive. This blue skirt was one of them – it’s the perfect length, pretty color, and so comfortable.

BUT it was just a little boring for my taste, so I decided to stamp the fabric to make it more interesting.

This DIY Elephant Stamped Skirt was so easy to make (as usual), and is such a fun new/old addition to my closet! If you like tackling fashion crafts, this idea will be for you. You can apply it to a variety of surfaces!

Blue skirt, wood block fabric stamp, and fabric paint

Before we get started, I wanted to share a few tips for stamping on fabric that I learned during the process.

If your garment is new, prewash it to remove the sizing. Don’t use fabric softener.

Check the fabric paint bottle and make sure it’s appropriate for your fabric. I like to use cotton and cotton blends because I always have the best results. Things like rayon, tulle, lycra, and similar don’t work as well, but you really have to check the bottle.

Apply the ink or paint to the stamp, not the other way around. What I mean by that is you should leave the stamp face up on your work surface and either brayer on paint or dab an ink pad down on the stamp. This helps give you the most even distribution of paint/ink on your fabric.

Elephant designs stamped onto a blue skirt with white fabric paint

Practice fabric stamping on paper first before going right to the garment. You want to get used to the amount of pressure you’ll need to apply.

Don’t expect perfection. It’s okay if not every stamping looks the same or the image isn’t *completely* crisp and clear. You can seek perfection, but understand there’s a little variation that makes the project interesting! Embrace it.

Are you ready to start? Continue reading.

Blue skirt with elephant fabric stamping
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How to Stamp Clothing

Learn how to use stamping on fabric to decorate clothing! You can try this on shirts, jeans, and any other textile surface.
Prep Time15 minutes
Active Time1 hour 30 minutes
Dry Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 45 minutes
Type: DIY Fashion
Yield: 1 garment
Cost: $5

Equipment

Materials

  • 1 Skirt or other cotton garment
  • 2 bottles Fabric paint or ink

Instructions

  • Wash and dry your garment first, especially if it's new. Don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets. Iron your garment if necessary.
  • Pour some fabric paint on a paper plate or other surface that allows you to use a stamp.
    White fabric paint being poured onto a paper plate
  • Apply fabric paint to your stamp using a brayer, or dab an ink pad down on your stamp.
    Elephant wood block stamp with white fabric paint on top
  • Immediately press the stamp down gently on your fabric surface. Continue until your garment is covered in the design.
    Hand pressing a fabric stamp down onto a blue skirt
  • Heat press or set according to the instructions on the paint or ink before wearing.
    Elephant design stamped onto blue fabric

Notes

Step 3: these stamps were specifically designed for stamping on fabric and I wanted my design to be a little thicker, so I dipped in the paint rather than rolled. But just for this project! The brayer tip still applies especially for regular scrapbooking and clear stamps.

What would you like to stamp on your clothes? I would love to hear your ideas. And be sure to come visit my sister and me as we blog about style, food, and the things we love over at The Pretty Life Girls. I’d also love for you to check out these other ways to alter clothing:

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