Stars & Stripes Shorts DIY

Fourth of July, Olympics, Labor Day- Any day! Show your pride for 'Murica with these easy and fun shorts!!

Supplies:
-1 pair of shorts
-2 sheets of duct tape to make stencils
-bleach (optional)
-vinegar (if you use bleach)
-fabric dye or craft acrylic (I used Folkart craft paint) in Red & Blue (whichever hue you like)
-gold fabric paint (optional)
-paint brushes

Step One: Get a pair of shorts! Buy em, steal em from a sibling, cut up a pair of old jeans- whatever! I bought mine on sale for $4 at Forever 21 and they were originally a medium wash denim.

Step Two: Bleach! Now this step is entirely optional- if you only want to paint your shorts then just skip on ahead. I wanted really white stripes & stars however without the stiffness of paint covering the entire thing. So put on a pair of protective gloves, fill a container with bleach, head outdoors or in a well ventilated room and dip in those shorts- A little bleach goes a long way (especially on cheaper fabrics like my forever21 shorts) so pay attention. If you don't want to bleach the entire pair try using a paint brush to place bleach in the sections you want to make white (I wanted the back of my shorts to remain blue so I chose to paint on the bleach in selected areas). Have a bucket of water and vinegar ready and dunk your shorts in when you're done bleaching- this will stop the bleaching process. Wash em with a bit of detergent to make sure all the bleach is gone!

Step Three: Make Stencils. I used duct tape sheets (you can find them at any local craft store- they come in normal colors too but I thought why not tie dye) and cut them as stencils for the shorts. You'll need straight strips for the stripes (about 3/4 an inch thick) and a bunch of stars (try drawing them on the tape before cutting them out). I used an exacto-knife for the stars and then placed them on a piece of plastic wrap. 

Place your stencils on your shorts and put plastic or paper between the legs to protect the back side!

Step Four: Paint! What we're really trying to do is stain the shorts, not load them with heavy paint. This will give them a more natural/ uneven look. You can use fabric paint or craft acrylic paint (I like Folkart, Americana, and Martha Stuart). Mix with water until the stain is at the desired amount. I used very little paint for a whole cup of water (you can always paint on more layers if it's too light- but if you go too far the denim will forever be crunchy, yuck).

I added about twice as much water to this cup before painting.

Now paint the striped side red and the star side blue!! Be very careful when painting around the stencils not to lift the edges- once the adhesive gets wet it will no longer stick to the denim. Try painting away from the edge of the stencil instead of towards it so you don't disrupt the edge.

Step Five: Wait for the paint to dry completely and then carefully remove the stencils! I wanted a little more sparkle to my step so I outlined my stars with a gold fabric paint.

Wash them by themselves with a little detergent before wearing- it'll get off any excess paint, make them softer, and set in that faded stars & strips look.

I love my american flag shorts!