Following is a short TUTORIAL so you can make your own! They really are pretty easy and make fun gifts. I have printouts of the map I created and everything you'll need to know.
What you'll need:
- Plain white shirt (you can buy these at Walmart in a pack of 2 or 3 for just a few dollars each)
- Printer and paper (if you want to use the map I created)
- Fabric paint or fabric markers
- Cars to drive on your map!
If you'd like to use the map I created, the following images can be printed. Each quarter of the map needs to be printed on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. If you don't want to use my map, then get creative and design your own! I think it works best to design it on paper first, and then trace it onto your shirt (the following steps will explain how to do this). It can be fun to include things that have meaning to you. For example, I made one for Pete's dad that had a road up to Park City with a condo and the mountains (one of our favorite places to visit), a road to Bear Lake and "Grandma & Grandpa's house". One I made for my dad had a road to Seattle, and a ferry that crossed the Puget Sound over to "Grandma & Grandpa's house". If you're giving it as a gift, think about personalizing it.
Once you've printed each quarter, tape them together.
Then slide the paper in between the front and back of the shirt, with the back of the shirt facing up. This also protects the paint from bleeding through to the front.
Start tracing! I used fabric paint, but just a warning, it took FOREVER! About 3 hours longer than I had hoped :) Next time I make one I want to try fabric markers. It seems like they would make smoother lines and would save a lot of time.
Ta-da! You've created your very first car shirt!
And the winner of the car shirt giveaway is...
Jen! Congratulations! Jen, if you could e-mail me your address at jessicamjackson[at]gmail[dot]com then I will send the shirt your way!
Thank you so much for this idea! I totally made one yesterday for my husbands birthday. I took your note about how long it took you to paint it. Instead, I opened up your pictures in my paint program, and filled it in like a coloring page. I then set my computer setting to print a mirror image and printed onto iron on paper. It worked liked a charm. The total project took only an hour and a half. My husband and kids love it.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea and am making one for my hubbie for Christmas. I want to make one for my Dad also. He lives in Sequim, Washington and wondered if you could post your drawing for your Seattle one. I'm obviously not as artistic as you. Thanks for a great idea!
ReplyDelete-Ashley
Rochester, IL
This is super cute & funny! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of funny that I found this because I was just remembering how when I was a senior in high school my little brother who was like 8 at the time would drive his cars on my back every time I was laying on the floor and I remember it being relaxing.
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ReplyDeleteI LOVE this idea! I think I'll try it with a bleach pen on a colored shirt :)
ReplyDeleteAh, I agree, would you post Seattle? I live here and would love to make one as a gift but after trying to draw a little myself I must default to your talented idea.
ReplyDeletethis is fabulous!!! my husband watches tv on the floor so this is THE perfect gift for him. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteOh wow. You should consider seeing if you can get CafePress to make these for you to sell... This is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteThis is pure genious. My husband will love one I am so going to make him one for Christmas. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I can't wait to make one for my husband! He saw it and said it was brilliant and that he would love one!!! It's going to be a great surprise!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! My husband loves the boys to "tickle his back," and they love cars, so this is a win all over. I think I have found Daddy's Christmas present from his little buddies!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea!! So creative. I am a crafter for Crafters 4 Kids (http://c4k555.org) I made sure to share your link on our facebook page.
ReplyDeleteLoved this! I featured it on my blog, Mischief & Mudpies :) Thanks for the inspiration
ReplyDeletehttp://mischiefandmudpies.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/32/
This is such an awesome idea! I am pinning it right now :) p.s. I am a new follower.
ReplyDeleteBest idea EVER. My husband would absolutely love this. I'm definitely making one for my three youngest kids to give him for Christmas. Thanks so much for sharing the template!
ReplyDeleteCan't tell you how much I love this idea! I found it via pinterest and just shared it in a blog post to my readers. I showed it to my husband, he cracked up, and said "that is GREAT."
ReplyDeleteSo congratulations for eliciting the first laugh/smile ever from my husband regarding a pin ;) and thanks for sharing! New follower :)
This is brilliant! I am sharing this over at my blog today! Come by and grab a featured button!
ReplyDeleteTara
www.thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com
I love this idea! I am definitely going to do this. I linked back from my DIY Guy gifts Roundup (http://www.homesweethomebodies.net/2011/11/diy-guy-gifts-roundup-of-my-favorites.html) Thanks for sharing! PS- I looked at your profile picture and realized that I recognized you from my first married student ward... small world!
ReplyDeleteThis is waaaaaaaaay cute!! What a fun, creative idea! LOVE it! I am your newst follower! I'd love for you to follow me back, if you want to =-) I also wanted to invite you to link this up to my TGIF Linky Party http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/search/label/Linkey%20Parties - I know my readers would LOVE this as much as I do!
ReplyDeleteBeth =-)
And I was just wondering what I was going to get my hubby from the kids this year! This is perfect! Thanks so much! :)
ReplyDeleteLove this! Just posted about it on Craft Gossip!
ReplyDeletehttp://lessonplans.craftgossip.com/?p=5162
We actually have everything we need in the house already! I have four boys ages 5 and under and they all ( father included ) LOVE cars! Can't wait to try your template and personalize it. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I pinned it, and not I'm printing your map. This will be the kids Christmas gift to their daddy! Thanks for sharing! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm totally going to make one of these for my husbands birthday next month...and maybe one for me too. Thanks for the fun idea! :)
ReplyDeleteLove this! Thank you I am making it right away!
ReplyDeleteI am going to include Lake Powell because that's my husbands favorite place, thanks for the idea!
Somehow I am missing something. How do I print it?
ReplyDeleteI used this idea, but customized the design to include some of our favorite places from when we lived in Pennsylvania. If you want to see how mine turned out, you can check it out on my FB page. Thanks for the great idea! I want to make them for the grandfathers and uncles now ;) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150559347797565&set=a.10150404798137565.411885.627482564&type=1&theater
ReplyDeleteI love it! My boys and I just made this for my husband for Christmas... we used fabric markers which made it easy and fun. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI just made this (stayed up way too late!) but it is SO cute! Thanks for the idea and the pattern, my hubby and two boys are going to love it! I am going to have the boys help me decorate the front of the shirt, maybe with their hand prints or something!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for a great tutorial! The children and I made this for my husband this week as a Christmas gift. We used the fabric markers on your suggestion - and had a great time! My 4yo son tested out the roads. He loved it so much it broke his heart to wrap it up. So... Daddy got an early Christmas gift when he got home that night. Thanks for such a great idea and wonderful instructions and photos. Merry Christmas! ~Tricia
ReplyDeleteI made two of these for Christmas. One for my husband and one for my brother-in-law. I traced the map using puffy paints (I don't know what the new term is for it) and then once that dried I colored it with a paintbrush and fabric paint. I also used freezer paper to make a stencil that says I *heart* playing with my kids, on the front. My kids picked out a car to go with it from the store. Thanks so much for such a wonderful idea!!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE this idea! I've pinned it and we'll be making one for Daddy's birthday in July! :) Love it!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fabulous idea! Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeletehttp://minipiccolini.com/2012/02/its-friday-6/