Rubber Stamp Inspired Fashions: Stamping on Fabric

We always say that the possibilities are endless when it comes to rubber stamp projects. Even in the fashion world there is a place for rubber stamps. We searched the web to find inspiration for making our own textile using rubber stamps, and were amazed by what we found. There are all sorts of fun clothing items you can make using your favorite fabrics and some stamping techniques - from scarves to tanks to leggings and bags! With a little creativity, you can add your own personal touch to the clothes you wear each day. Even better, you won't be able to find your stamped designs in the store, giving your style the unique flare it needs.

We used an old fashioned rubber stamp to make this geometric triangle printed tote bag. All we needed was a blank tote, the rubber stamp, and fabric paint. And it is 100% washable! After you make your impressions, let your fabric dry flat 4 hours. Fabric can be washed after 72 hours and should be line dried. Now I wish we would have tie-died the fabric before stamping it, so I'll try that next time! I like the textile pattern so much I would like to translate this look into a tank top as well.  

We were particularly inspired by this stamped blanket because it looks elegant, and would you believe it was made using a potato stamp? You can make stamps using many different materials, This is a great example from the This Little Miggy Stayed Home blog, where they include a step by step tutorial on how to create your own stamped fabric using potatoes and fabric safe ink.  

Poppytalk also provides a step by step tutorial on their blog from Maple Ash and Oak on how to use different stamping techniques and fabric paints to create unique textiles. They suggest using rubber stamps or sponges among other materials on their supply list to make one of a kind DIY fabrics at home. These geometric patterns inspired my idea for the triangle tote we made at RubberStamps.com. Some of their techniques were really creative, suggesting throughout the tutorial to experiment with stamping, taped lines, playing with lace, or layering different stencils to create super awesome patterns.

What is great about these unique homemade fabrics is that you can use them in many ways. You could make modern linens for your next dinner party, or design a cool pattern for a screen-printed shirt or sweater.  

Annika from The Pineneedle Collective has such a unique style of clothing and we were inspired by her ethically-sourced fashions. She is a big DIY fan and makes some pretty interesting garments using thrift finds and unconventional materials and techniques. During our search we found her rubber stamped tights that we thought would be perfect to share in our stamping with fabrics blog. For her DIY rubber stamped tights, Annika carved her own rubber stamps out of erasers to make little hearts and simply stamped an ordinary pair of tights using fabric ink. Check out her tutorial, we think these were pretty fun and unique.

Molly from Almost Makes Perfect used crafting foam with adhesive backing on a wood block to make her stamp. Using black paint on jersey knit fabric, she created a DIY no sew stamped scarf that looks pretty trendy.

My favorite thing we found while searching for fashion inspired stamp projects was this cool DIY bleached tank from Hey Wanderer. She made a bleach pad out of a few pieces of felt and rubber bands. she used a traditional wooden rubber stamp and bleach as her ink to make this really cool shirt that is fun and effortless, not to mention super easy to make. She really shows how endless the possibilities are when using stamps, considering you can use just about any stamp to make your own unique textile or design.

As you can see, using stamps, whether homemade or store bought, can be really fun and trendy. Go out there and be a trend setter with these stamp inspired looks. We would love to see what you come up with!