How to Make DIY Galaxy Shirts

galaxy shirts diyA favorite theme at the annual the S&S Trade Show featuring new products is  Galaxy Theme! Our craft expert Crafty Kate helped everyone make their own galaxy shirts using just a few simple materials. This project is great for any outer space or galactic theme, like the VBS theme Galactic Starveyor. Each person can create their shirt with their own colors and designs, so each shirt comes out looking unique. Our Purchasing Deparment had a lot of fun creating their shirts for the show! Learn how to make them in just a few easy steps.

Materials:

galaxy shirt

Step 1: Mix a 2-1 ratio of acrylic paint and chromacrylic textile medium. (Example: You would add 16 oz. of the fabric medium to 32 ounces of paint). It’s helpful to use a plate or a paint cup for easy access. We use this textile medium instead of fabric paint because it gives you the ability to mix your own colors. It also thins out your paint to help make sponge painting and layering easier. TIP: If you are doing this with a group, you can set it up in stations with a different colors at each table.

Step 2: Mix a ratio of 2-1 of white acrylic paint and chromacrylic textile medium into a spray bottle. Add a little bit of water to thin it out even more, and make it easier to spray. Set it aside – you will use this Step 5.

Step 3: Dip the craft sponge into the first color of your choice. Press the sponge onto the shirt several times in different areas. You can get creative by making a spiral design, swirling lines, or any other pattern you’d like. Don’t forget the back! Flip the shirt over and repeat on the back.

DIY galaxy shirt

Step 4: Add more colors! You can go over the first color with several other colors to make a multicolor spiral like you see below. Then scatter each color around the shirt in different areas. Repeat with as many colors as you’d like. Again, don’t forget to flip the shirt over and sponge paint the back. The best part of this project is that each person’s shirt comes out different and there is really no wrong way to do it!

galaxy shirt craft

Step 5: Shake the spray bottle with your paint, chromacrylic, and water solution. Use the spray bottle to carefully spray the white onto the shirt. This will look like a bunch of stars in your galaxy. Spray the front and back.

galaxy shirt

Step 6: Hang your shirt up to let the paint dry. Once it’s dry, you may want to cover your shirt with a piece of extra fabric and iron it in order to set the design. Then wash the shirt inside out in cold water. Hang it up to dry – do not put it in the dryer.

Enjoy your galaxy shirts!

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Here’s Crafty Kate and Chelsea wearing their Galaxy shirts!

galaxy shirts

Below are photos of the Merchandising and Purchasing team wearing their shirts at the Trade Show:

galaxy shirt craft

galaxy diy shirts

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22 thoughts on “How to Make DIY Galaxy Shirts

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  3. I want to have this as a prize for summer reading at our library, I’m thinking 24-36 shirts. How much material would I need? Also do you give discounts to small libraries?

    • Hi Sandy! That is a great idea for a summer reading prize. I have contacted our craft department to see how much they recommend for that number of people. We will get back to you soon. I will also send you an email to follow up. Thanks!

      • Hi Sandy, I am a school teacher of 21 second graders. We are studying the galaxy in class and I want to let the students make their own t-shirts. Can you give me any pointers to help make the process easier and please help me with the quanities of each color of paint for this many students. I am so excited to try this project and can’t wait to see how it turns out. My email at school is [email protected] or [email protected]
        Thank you again,
        Mrs. Donna Dyson

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  9. My son’s birthday party is on the eclipse, here in Colchester. I would love to do these as a craft. Is there a person from S & S that I can hire to come out and help the kids do this? I’m a doofus at crafts. Kids are all over 10, most in the 14 yr old range.

  10. I love this idea and will be using it next week at my vbs! My question is, how far in advance can I mix the paint with the textile medium…or does it matter? Thank you!

    • Hi Joy, so glad you love the idea! The shirts are really fun to make. You can mix the paint and textile medium a few days in advance, just make sure you shake the bottle or stir your mixture before you use it for the project. Also, if you would like to share photos of how the shirts come out, we would love to see them and share them in our blog. Thanks!

  11. Hello! Looking to make these with about 65 students. For the supplies, how much would we need of each to have enough for this many people? Thanks!

    • Hi Kyla, that is great you are making these galaxy shirts! For 65 students, we estimate you would need about 3 orders of the 8 oz metalic paint, 2 orders of the Chromacryl Textile Medium, and 1 order of the 8 oz white acrylic paint. This is based on an estimate of what we used to make about 12 shirts. You may have extra, but it is best to have more than you need, because even with adults we found they tend to use excess paint! You can do a quick demo to show them the only need to dab the sponge in the paint and not overcoat it. We also recommend that you pre-mix the paint and chromacryl ahead of time, and then set up stations for each color. You can pour the mixture onto coated plates so that several students can be at the table and use the color at the same time. Then have a station for the spray bottle, you might want two of those for a faster process. Let us know if you have any questions! Also, we would love to see photos of your set-up and how the shirts come out, if you would like to send them to [email protected]. Thanks!

  12. Hello! Planning on doing this for a large group with 150 kids/adults in May. Any kit options? Hope to hear from you soon!

  13. what is the cost of the material to make this galaxy stirt ? and do you have a kit made up for this ?…………………. thanks Teresa

    would need at lease 3 kit to make these galarxy shirt

    • Hi Teresa, how many shirts are you planning to make? We don’t have a kit made up for this as of right now, but I can suggest that idea! Is this for a school or summer camp, or that type of organization? I can look up your organization to see if they receive special pricing through us. Also, you may already have some of the materials that are listed in the blog post, like the spray bottle, gloves, etc so if you can just let me know what materials you would definitely need, I can give you an estimated cost. Thanks!

  14. Is there a reason you didn’t use regular fabric paint? I’m thinking of doing this with my second graders and thinking that fabric paint might be a little easier?

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