DIY cutout tank

I don't usually like to wear or make things that are this dark...but there was something about this one, I was just drawn to it. I never wear skulls, skeletons, or anything of the sort. I do like edgy styles, crafty projects, and destroying old things to make new ones, and maybe those are all the elements that had me drooling over the idea of this project. I originally saw it on Pinterest awhile back, thought about giving it a try, and figured maybe I was just going through a weird phase, and I skipped it. I just saw it again recently and still loved it, so I decided to go for it, with a few modifications, as always...

Here is the photo that had me gawking on Pinterest. Edgy and kind of creepy...but with a pair of springy colored pants or shorts and some texturized and purposefully messy hair, I love it. There were only a few changes I had in mind: a tank top (muscle tank style), a higher design so you can't see pants or bra strap through the cuts, and a little skull smirk instead of the boxy teeth in this photo. Want to give it a try? Let's have at it!

What you'll need:

A scrap shirt (I picked up a black Russell tee for $5, I like muscle tees to have a higher neck and that is the style of these t-shirts)

Scissors

Colored pencil or fabric pencil that you'll be able to see on your fabric

Some items to make a good drawing surface (like a couple books or magazines)

A washcloth (to scrub off your pencil at the end)

Directions:

1. Lay your t-shirt out on a flat surface. I put mine out on my ottoman so my sleeves could drape over on the sides (since I'll be cutting those off next).

2. Mark with colored pencil or fabric pencil where you want to cut off the sleeves of the shirt. I used a white colored pencil for mine.

3. Cut your sleeves off, and slip the shirt on real quick to make sure it looks how you want it to. While you have it on, make a mark where the shirt hits the middle of your lower back, right where your pants start. I did this so that when I cut the skull teeth, they show only my back, and not my pants too! You can see my white mark in the photo below. If you want your shirt to look like the Pinterest photo, then skip this step.

4. Find a good stencil or photo of a skull, and practice drawing on printer paper a few times first, until you feel like you have the design on lockdown. I searched google images and found this skull photo to be a good guideline...

5. When you're confident, place two magazines - or anything that will give you a stable drawing surface - in your shirt. This will separate the back of the shirt that you're drawing on from the front, which you want to keep clean and hole-free. 

6. Take your time and start drawing your skull. Mine took me a solid thirty minutes (I'm a huge perfectionist), and it turned out like this...

I made sure that the teeth stayed a few inches from my pant line that I drew earlier, and that they upturned into a skull smirk.

7. Time to get out those scissors! Be careful and go slowly, you'll need to be careful in between the eye and nose halves, and especially between the teeth. This part is the most tedious of the project, but it's worth it! Just make sure you have a decent pair of scissors, and some patience. You'll definitely want to keep the magazines in between your shirt for this part, so that you don't cut through to the front of your tee.

8. Dampen a washcloth with cold water and scrub out all the little lines of colored pencil or fabric pen that you have leftover. Now slip on your shirt and show off your back! I wouldn't suggest wearing this if you're out tanning...

How do you guys feel about this creepy cutout tank? Are you going to give it a go? If you have any fun DIY clothing tips you can share with me, I'd love to hear them below or see them in my inbox! xoxo