I have come up with a simple and fun solution to this problem. Below is a tutorial on how to make your very own pole dance shirt or tank top at home!
Materials:
- A shirt - any color except white
- Scotch Self-Sealing Laminating Sheets - pack of 5 for $5-7 (Walmart)
- Scissors
- Bleach
- Spray bottle - must be able to spray a fine mist
- Cardboard
- Gloves
Step 1. Gather the supplies listed above. Go to any store and buy your favorite t-shirt or tank top. I recommend cotton or a cotton mix for best results. If you are buying for a group, like a bachelorette party, you can often find great deals on shirts at Old Navy, Wet Seal and American Apparel. I found mine on clearance at Walmart for $3 each.
Step 2. Find a silhouette of a pole dancer. Make the picture as big as possible and print it on a normal piece of 8.5 x 11 paper. I found mine at this website. I recommend choosing a simple picture because you will have to cut around it.
Step 3. Open one of the self-laminating sheets and insert the printed picture. Seal the sheets back together and make sure there are no wrinkles. You now have a self laminated picture of a pole dancer.
Step 4. Using a pair of craft scissors, carefully cut around the laminated pole dancer silhouette. This is the hardest part of this project so take your time. By the time you are finished you should just have a laminated pole dance picture (no background). Don't worry if the back of the laminated sheet falls off - you won't need it.
Step 5. Fill the spray bottle with 1/4 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup of water. Do a couple of test sprays to make sure the mixture comes out in a fine mist. I recommend doing this outside or in an open area where nothing can get harmed or damaged. Be sure to wear old clothes too!
Step 6. Lay the shirt flat on the ground and insert cardboard or old towels into the shirt to make sure the bleach does not bleed through the shirt.
Step 7. Carefully peel apart the laminated paper pole dancer silhouette. It should peel apart without any tearing because the laminating sheets are reusable. Discard the paper and you are now left with a piece of sticky laminating paper shaped like a pole dancer, just like a sticker! Place that sticker on your shirt - anywhere you desire. Press the sticker down firmly so it adheres to the fabric.
 |
| Sticker is in place |
Step 8. If you have a tendency to trip and break things easily, you may want to put on gloves and glasses or goggles at this time. Now... using the spray bottle, spray the shirt 2-5 times around the image. You can spray into the air and let the mist hit the shirt - this will give a great look. You can also point the bottle at the shirt and spray about 2 feet away. It will give a bolder look.
 |
| Just sprayed the shirt. Sticker is still on and bleach is processing. |
Step 9. Wait 5-10 minutes then slowly peel the sticker off of the shirt. Remove the cardboard and toss the shirt in the dryer for 10 minutes to remove the bleach crystals. Do not wash the shirt right away. The bleach is still processing.
Tip: You can reuse the sticker several times before it begins to loose it's stickiness. Be sure to dry the top of the sticker before putting it onto another shirt.
 |
| Design A - after sticker was peeled off (note: the dark area was my big head blocking the light) |
 |
| Design B - after sticker was peeled off |
Step 10. Remove the shirt from the dryer. It's ready to wear!
The best part about your new shirt is it's completely unique. You also have the satisfaction of knowing YOU made it. You go girl!
 |
| We made these for our Leukemia Walk. We love them! |
 |
| Tina from Chic Physique gave it a try. I love her stencil! |
- written by TRR
