Wearable Independence Day Crafts

Great Homemade Things to Wear on the Fourth of July

May 27, 2009 Kelley Huston

Kids love creating wearable art work. These creations could be made for the entire family.

It's Independence Day and everyone is wearing red, white and blue. Why not use a few simple craft supplies and the kids' skills to create the red, white and blue that everyone will be wearing?

Stars T-shirts

Materials

Red and blue fabric paint
Star fruit or potatoes
Plain white T-shirts

Procedure

An adult should pour the paint into pie plates or paper plates.
The star fruit is cut in half and blotted dry. If a potato is used, the potato is cut in half and a star shape is cut on the cut ends.
The fruit or potato is dipped into the paint and then stars are pressed onto the shirt.
The shirt then dries overnight.
If desired, the above steps can be repeated for the back of the shirt.
Once thoroughly dry, the shirts are ready to be worn.

Tye Dye Firecracker T-shirt

Materials

T-shirts
Red and blue fabric dye
Squeeze bottles
Rubber bands
Newspapers

Procedure

Cover the work area with newspaper.
The T-shirt is laid flat.
Grab the center and turn the grabbed portion, wrapping more of the shirt each time until the shirt resembles a giant cinnamon roll.
Wrap rubber bands around the shirt to hold the spiral in place.
The dye is mixed in the squirt bottles according to the package instructions.
Blue dye should be poured onto the center of the spiral soaking it well. The shirt can be flipped over to make sure both sides get covered with blue.
Red dye is then poured in stripes radiating out from the center, again making sure to cover thoroughly and flipping as desired.
The shirts are allowed to dry for 24 hours.
The rubber bands are removed from the shirts and the shirts are rinsed in cold water.
The shirts are washed twice in cold water with regular laundry soap.
Finally the shirts are ready to be worn.

Flag Hats

Materials (per hat)

Two full sheets of newspaper
Paint: Red, White, and Blue
White Construction Paper

Procedure

The two sheets of newspaper should be laid atop one another as if being read. The sheets are now a single unit.
Use a ruler to draw a line 3-1/2 inches from the bottom edge of the sheet.
Fold along the line, and roll up again making the band of the hat.
Paint the band blue.
When the blue is dry, paint red and white stripes on the reverse side of the sheet.
While the paint is drying, cut stars from the construction paper.
Fit around a child's head and staple in place forming a cylinder.
Cut flaps down to about the middle of the cylinder and fold over to allow the color to show.
Glue stars to the band.
Wear with pride.

Kids love making homemade items and seeing family members wear them. With a little adult assistance any kid can make fun things to wear for Independence Day.

The copyright of the article Wearable Independence Day Crafts in Crafts is owned by Kelley Huston. Permission to republish Wearable Independence Day Crafts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Tie Dye