Faith CoLab: Tapestry of Faith: Riddle and Mystery: A Program on the Big Questions for Grade 6

Alternate Activity 4: Making Message Tee Shirts

Activity time: 45 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Optional: Newsprint, markers and tape
  • Plain tee shirts, one for each youth plus a few extra (50 percent/50 percent cotton/synthetic or 100 percent synthetic)
  • Fabric markers in a variety of colors
  • Tee shirt designs youth made in Activity 4, WIT Time - Tee Shirt Design
  • Old newspapers
  • Masking tape

Preparation for Activity

  • Purchase tee shirts and fabric markers. It is better to buy shirts that may be too big than ones that may be too small.
  • Make sure the meeting space has enough clean, flat work table area for all youth to spread tee shirts flat.
  • Retrieve the tee shirt designs youth made in Activity 4.
  • Optional: Write the instructions on newsprint, and post.

Description of Activity

Have youth decorate real tee shirts using designs they made in Activity 4, WIT Time - Tee Shirt Design.

Distribute the designs youth have made. Invite any youth who have not created a design to do so now, and give them handouts and pencils/markers.

Explain the instructions:

1. Spread the tee shirt out, flat and wrinkle-free, on the work surface.

2. Place a few sheets of newspaper inside the tee shirt so fabric markers will not bleed through.

3. Tape down the edges of the shirt to keep the fabric tight and wrinkle-free.

4. If you wish, outline your design with black marker on a white paper that you put inside the tee shirt so you can see it through the cloth.

5. Use fabric markers to apply your design to the tee shirt. Work carefully. Draw slowly so the markers saturate the cloth.

6. Give the cloth plenty of time to dry.