Father’s Day DIY: Hand Stamped Handkerchief for Dad

This contributor post was written by Michael Ann of Michael Ann Made.

Hello Crafty Friends! Today’s DIY is for a graphic Hand Stamped Handkerchief, easy enough to bust out as a last minute Father’s Day gift (wink wink!) and simple enough for even the youngest of crafters to help. Dads always love handmade gifts, especially when they also have elements of practicality. So let’s get stamping!

Here are the materials you’ll need:

1. Sticky back foam for the Stamp. You can either cut out your own shape, or use pre-cut foam shapes found at the craft store. Pre-cut shapes would work well for kids to be able to help.

2. Something to put your stamp on. I used an old film canister, you could use a cork, wood block, bottle cap, etc.

3. A scrap piece of felt and a plastic tray or lid. This is how you will make the stamp pad.

4. Fabric paint.

5. A plain handkerchief. You can also make one quickly out of a square of fabric.

Here’s how you make it:

1. Prepare your foam stamp. If you are drawing your own stamp, make it a simple graphic that can be easily cut with scissors or a craft knife. You first drew it on a piece of paper, then trace it on the foam to get it just right.

2. Make your stamp. Peel off the paper backing and stick your stamp to your stamping device. I also used a sharpie to mark a small dot on the side of the cap so i would know which way was up while stamping.

3. Make your stamp pad. An easy way to make a stamp pad when using fabric paint is to put a good sized drop of paint on a plastic tray and then lay a piece of felt on top of the ink.

3 cont. Stamp at the felt until the paint bleeds through, and you have your own stamp pad! If during your project you find you need more paint, just lift the felt and add a couple drops of paint to the tray.

4. Stamp away! You can try to align your images, or just go for it freestyle. Letting some of your images bleed off the edge will make it look like the fabric was printed professionally.

5. Finish it off. Most fabric paint requires that you let it dry for a couple hours, then heat set it with an iron before washing it. Follow the directions of your specific paint.

Now you have a loving handmade gift that even the most practical of dads will love! Good luck stamping, and happy Father’s Day!

Michael Ann is a sewer, knitter, crafter, thrifter, living a crafty life with her husband in Portland, Oregon. You can find her at her blog Michael Ann Made where she shares projects, tutorials, and bits of inspiration to help you live a crafty life too. You can also follow her adventures on twitter.