Insanely simple, this DIY faux leather tutorial from SeeKateSew is so easy and fun, we’ve got to warn you, it just might be addicting. Jessica uses a classic white and black striped tee and creates a playful textured look that’s totally cute and on-trend. For her supply list, she uses:
- 1 piece of faux leather measuring about 9 by 11 inches
- pair of scissors
- paintbrush
- matte Mod Podge.
- As a makeshift workstation, you can use a piece of cardboard around 8.5 by 11 inches and a plastic bag. She even provides a simple arrow template so you can get a clean design for your tee.
- First step is to print out your template and cut out your shape from your faux leather fabric. Make sure your scissors are fairly new, as a sharp blade will help create a crisp, even line.
- Next, lay your tee shirt out and position the arrow shapes where you’d like to attach them. After they’re in place, slip the cardboard and plastic bag underneath the chest area of the shirt. This helps block any glue from leaking through and staining the back of the shirt. Afterwards, you’ll have to get your Mod Podge ready.
- Apply the Mod Podge to the back side of one arrow using your brush. Place the arrow onto the tee, and press down each edge multiple times. Make sure you apply even pressure all over the piece. If there is excess glue, wipe away with a rag right away before it hardens.
- Repeat this step with each arrow shape, and take your time to avoid any messy accidents. As you wait during the drying process, press your hand between the plastic bag and the shirt every fifteen minutes. You don’t want to accidentally glue the bag to the shirt, so check in periodically to make sure nothing extra is getting glued down.
In total, it should take about five to six hours to dry completely. After this time, you can remove the cardboard and the plastic bag from beneath the shirt.
Simple, fun and oh-so-easy, you might just want to start adding faux leather appliques to everything you own! Skip the lines at the fabric store and browse through a plethora of colorful faux leather options for sale here at MJtrends.
Written by Jade Nicolette
Matching Products:
Black faux leather
Red faux leather
I appreciate how simple the supply list is, just a small 9 by 11 piece of faux leather and basic tools makes this really approachable.
I like that the article suggests positioning all the arrows first before gluing, it probably helps avoid awkward spacing once you commit.
Good call on wiping away excess glue immediately, I’ve had Mod Podge dry cloudy before and it can ruin the clean look you’re going for.
The warning that it might get addicting feels accurate, once you see how easy it is to apply faux leather shapes, it’s tempting to customize everything.
This feels like a great beginner project since you’re just cutting shapes and gluing, but the result still looks really on-trend and textured.
The arrow template is such a nice touch because freehanding shapes on faux leather can get messy, especially if your scissors aren’t super sharp like the article mentioned.
The small workspace setup with just cardboard and a plastic bag makes this doable even in a tiny apartment without a crafting table.
The drying time of five to six hours feels long, but the reminder to check every fifteen minutes so the plastic bag doesn’t stick is really helpful.
Using matte Mod Podge for this surprised me, but pressing the edges multiple times makes sense to keep the faux leather from lifting after it dries.
I didn’t realize sharp scissors mattered so much for faux leather, but uneven edges would definitely show more on a bold shape like arrows.
I liked the tip about using a plastic bag and cardboard under the shirt, I’ve definitely ruined tops before with glue bleeding through, so that was a smart safeguard.
That striped tee with the arrow appliques sounds like a fun contrast, especially with the textured faux leather against a classic pattern.
Pressing your hand between the plastic bag and shirt during drying is such a specific tip, but I can see how easy it would be to accidentally glue layers together.
The idea of starting with a white and black striped shirt is clever because it lets the faux leather design stand out without being too busy.