We love working with different crafting tools and supplies that let us get creative with fabric! For example, we’ve been completely in love with the idea of working with fabric pens lately because our kids were given some as a gift and they immediately asked for our help with using them. That’s how we found ourselves looking up all kinds of new ways to get the most out of their pens and really help them have fun with them.
Just in case you’re as big a fan of the idea of creating some fun, funky fabric pen crafts as we were, if not more, here are 15 of the most creative fabric pen ideas that we’ve come across in our search so far!
1. Fabric marker stencilled t-shirt
Have your kids actually never tried working with fabric pens before but you know that they’ll get a blast out of customizing pieces of clothing, so you’re looking for a simple idea that will give them lots of help and guidance? In that case, we’d definitely suggest working with stencils. We love the way Michaels outlines some tips and tricks to make drawing on fabric with felt pens simpler, and we also like that they only skills our kids really needed to make this project happen were a gentle touch and a love for colouring!
2. Tape and fabric marker chevron onesies
Whether you decided to recreate this effect on a baby onesie for your youngest baby or perhaps across the front of a set of t-shirts that will fit the older kids you’re crafting with, the process is the same and it’s a super fun technique either way! We love the way Welcome to The Mouse House outlines the steps for blocking off a chevron pattern on fabric using painter’s tape and filling in the spaces between the tape strips with differently coloured fabric markers.
3. Graphic lined fabric marker runners
Are your kids actually a little bit older and beginning to take an interest in fashion and you’ve noticed lately they they’re having trouble finding things like patterns and designs they really like on clothing and shoes when you take them to look at the pre-made options available in stores? In that case, we have a feeling they’d get along very well indeed with this tutorial from A Beautiful Mess that outlines the process of creating your very own hand drawn patterning and detail on a pair of simple, plain white canvas running shoes! Your kids can use these instructions as a base but get as creative with their fabric markers as they please in terms of what kinds of patterns they decide to draw.
4. Neon fabric marker tote bag
Have your kids always been huge fans of colouring and colouring books and they’re very good indeed at colouring inside the lines but they’re still quite small and you’re not sure they’re up for the challenge of drawing their own designs on fabric yet? In that case, we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at how Creative Jewish Mom made a cute, celebratory design for their kids on the front of a tote bag, creating just a simple black outline image and then letting their kids colour the shapes in with their fabric markers however they please!
5. Fabric marker quote and lettering jeans
Once again, just in case your kids are a little older and looking for ways to express themselves and get creative through fashion, here’s a great tutorial that has some suggestions for how they can use those fabric markers they were gifted to make a statement or two! We love the way Sincerely Kimme took some old jeans and gave them a facelift by doing some custom lettering and writing words and quotes across the legs using the very fabric markers we’ve been talking about.
6. Colourful hand drawn throw pillow
Maybe it’s actually home decor and their bedroom space that your kids have been starting to get a creative itch for, so you’ve been on the lookout for ways to help them customize their space a little and express themselves in ways that they can keep, enjoy, hang onto, and put on display for their friends and visitors to see? In that case, we’d suggest giving them a blank, plain white throw pillow and letting them go to town on creating colourful hand drawn patterns with their fabric markers, just like Pentel did here.
7. Negative space stencilled heart onesies
Are your kids still quite little but very interested indeed in the idea of helping you make simple clothing pieces for their littlest sibling, but you’ve also already tried regular stencil drawing with them and you’re wondering whether there might be an equally simple alternative idea out there, just to keep them learning and interested? Then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Welcome to The Mouse House did some negative space stencilling instead by tracing around the outside of a cut-out shape and having their kids decorate only outside that line, leaving the space inside blank so it stands out. We’re pretty big fans of their delicately dotted design!
8. Hand drawn feather tree t-shirt
Maybe your and your kids are actually budding artists who are quite skilled indeed at hand drawing and you’ve been looking for unique, exciting new ways to help them show off their artistic talents so that the people around them can enjoy them as well and see how incredibly talented they really are? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Merrick’s Art created this beautiful hand drawn leaf design across the front of a t-shirt. Whether your child recreates this design or comes up with one of their own, the basic concept here is to make wearable art and we’re very into that.
9. DIY colourful tea towels
Maybe you’d prefer to have your kids put their art on something that you will get to see and use each day, and that you can also display around your house, but you’re just not quite sure that clothing is the answer? In that case, why not turn their attention towards your linens and other fabric household supplies instead? We love the way Skip To My Lou created customized tea towels, adding visual detail in a bright, colourful way using those handy dandy fabric markers we’ve talked so much about.
10. Scroll style fabric marker drawn wall hanging
Perhaps it’s actually you who has been keen to get creative with fabric markers because you’ve always been a huge fan of visibly homemade decor pieces, since you get a kitschy sense of satisfaction out of people being able to recognize that you actually made the things that are hanging around your home? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how The Crafty Gentleman created this hand stencilled quote piece on a fabric wall hanging. We love this idea because you could get the hanging and stencils pre-made if you’re quite new to the world of DIY and feel like you need more guidance, or you can very simply recreate each element yourself by hand using your drawing and stitching skills!
11. Handwritten fabric marker tablecloth
Are you or your kids the kind of neat hand writers who are particularly talented at freehand lettering? Well, if that’s something you’d really like to show off in your home (as it should be), we think you sound like the perfect family to give this fantastic handwritten fabric marker tablecloth featured on DIY Network a try! We love the way they made a generalized eating quote cloth that’s loosely themed enough to be used any time of year but we also enjoy the idea of making seasonal ones for different holidays as well.
12. Hand written fabric labels
Are you actually a very experience sewing enthusiast or knitter indeed and you’ve long been selling your handmade pieces, but you’re looking for a new way to leave your mark on them so that people who purchase and wear them know who created them and that they were handmade with love? Well, there are definitely websites out there that will make customized clothing labels for you but, since you’ve come so far making all these beautiful things yourself already, we have a feeling you’ll much prefer this hand-drawn DIY clothing tag idea outlined on Melanie Ham. It’s a professional but still crafty finishing touch!
13. Bedtime quote pillow
Were you actually a pretty huge fan of the idea of making a customized, hand drawn throw pillow but you’ve also kind of been hoping to find ways that you can get your kids involved with their own motivation, routine keeping, and self care in creative ways, so they’re actually part of the process rather than just feeling like you’re telling them what to do all the time? Then we think you’ll enjoy this cute DIY bedtime quote pillow case idea outlined step by step on Organize Your Stuff Now very much indeed!
14. Stencilled name pencil case
Are your kids actually huge drawing enthusiasts who are slowly amassing a collection of tools and supplies for their art, but they don’t really have anywhere to put them so far? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how I Love to Create made these cute hand stencilled pen and pencil cases! We love the idea of using the very thing you’re storing in the case to decorate that case and really make it your own.
15. Geometric framed textile art
Just in case you’re actually looking for a project that would be a little more artistic, unique, and challenging than some of the simpler things you’ve seen so far, here’s a fantastic method of using fabric markers that we’d certainly never thought of until we saw this! Check out how Curbly made a geometric pattern on fabric, filled the shapes in with fabric markers, wet the shapes to spread the ink until it looks like watercolour paints, and framed the whole gorgeous thing for a bit of wall decor.
