Go Green Baby Clothes

Painting plain baby sets is a great way to make personalized baby clothes.  It's also a great way to go green.  Go Green Baby Clothes uses earth friendly colorants so your baby will look adorable while he or she helps to save the planet.

Materials:

• Earth Safe Finishes Colorant: violet, white, yellow, sage green, rose
• ESF Fabric Magic
• ESF Extender (optional)
• Several small paintbrushes
• Extra-fine black Sharpie
• Plastic garbage bag or paper to protect work surface
• Plastic plate
• Paper towels
• Baby outfit (pre-washed and dried)
• Scrap of white 100% cotton, such as bleached muslin

Instructions:

1. Protect work surface with plastic or paper. Place a piece of practice fabric on the work surface.
    
2. Place one drop of Fabric Magic on the plastic plate. Add 1 tiny drop of violet Colorant and 5 drops white on the Fabric Magic. Mix with the paintbrush until colors have blended well.
   
   
    
3. Dab a drop of the mixture onto the fabric.
   
   
    
4. Dab a cluster, similar to the one above.
   
   
    
5. A 5-petal blossom will look something like the one above.
   
   
    
6. When the violet mixture has dried completely. Dot yellow in the center of the petals.
   
   
    
7. The blossom begins to take on character when the outline and details are added with
   the Sharpie marker.
   
   
   
   
    
8. The leaf is a dab of green (top). Once it is dry, add details with the Sharpie, as on the
   bottom image. The green mixture is 1 drop Fabric Magic, 1 drop sage Colorant, 1 drop yellow
   colorant, and 6–10 drops white Colorant.
   
   
    
9. Baby's Breath is a cluster of dots made with the tip of the brush or the brush handle.
   The mixture is 1 tiny drop rose Colorant, 1 drop Fabric Magic, and 6–10 drops white
   Colorant.
   
   
    
10. Arrange the blossoms, leaves, and baby's breath in clusters. When they are
    completely dry, add the vine and tendrils with the Sharpie marker.
     
11. Allow the paint to dry at least 24 hours. Heat-set with a dry iron on cotton setting.
    Allow the finished piece to cure at least 48 hours before washing the first time.
     
12. Once you are comfortable with the technique described above, dab petals, leaves,
    and baby's breath in a pleasing arrangement along the hem of the pants, top, around the
    neck of the top, and on the shoes, as desired.
    
    
     
13. The baby shoes have a small vine of five blossoms over the toe. The odd number keeps
    the design in balance. The socks have a few clusters of baby's breath scattered on the
    cuff.
    
    
     
14. The pants have a cluster of three blossoms with a few leaves and baby's breath at the
    hem.
    
    
     
15. A vine of blossoms is scattered along the neckline and around the hem of the top. One
    little blossom cluster is found on each sleeve edge, as well.