Sunday 5 February 2012

DIY Heart Print Valentines Tights

Here's a little DIY just in time for Valentines. I feel so schmaltzy making a Valentines themed DIY, but I've actually gotten into the Valentines "spirit" as it's my first Valentines with my lovely guy. I've become lame and schmaltzy, I guess. Don't judge me!! And enjoy the DIY!
DIY heart print tights

Firstly, supplies you will need:
DIY tights
- Arcrylic paint
- Clear Nail Polish
- Sheer tights (anything from 10 to 30 denier is best, mine are 15)
- Paintbrush (forgot to include that in the photo there... but very necessary!)
- Scissors
- Cardboard (can be from anywhere, an empty ceral box etc)
- Sticky tape (also forgot to include that in the photo...)
- Lots of time is also required (DIY not for the impatient)

Next, make your stencils:
Draw one large love heart and one small love heart (or however you'd like to do it, maybe several sizes, or maybe only one? I'm not here to tell you exactly how you must do these things.) onto two squares of cardboard, then cut them out. Seal up the bit where you cut into it with sticky tape.

Next, put on your tights and place the stencil on your leg, wherever you think it'll look nice. Paint thickly, filling out the stencil. Make sure the layer of paint is fairly thick, but not goopy. You can then remove the stencil and fix up any edges that look a bit dodgy with the paintbrush. Now do as many of these as you like on the FRONT of your legs. Have a look in the mirror (while trying not to move your legs too much, and avoid bending your kness - walk around like a robot if you have to) to make sure the placement looks good.

When you're done the fronts of your legs, use a blowdryer on each heart for about 20 seconds to speed up the drying process. It's very important that you don't begin the next step until the paint is BONE DRY.

Next, paint over each heart with clear nail polish (in a thin layer). If paint is coming off and going into the nail polish, you have rushed it. WAIT UNTIL IT IS DRY.

Next, use your blowdryer again, or wait for a loooong time if you have the patience. When you can touch each heart and it doesn't feel at all wet or tacky, you are ready to take your tights off.

When taking your tights off, peel very carefully around each painted heart. If there is any paint left on your legs (other than a faint outline), STOP. It is not dry enough, and it won't work. Chill, sit back down, and WAIT another 5 minutes or so (I can't stress this enough).

Once you take the tights off, turn them around and put them on backwards. Begin process again.

Now you're done! Whether you're a single lady or spending valentines with a beloved, you will surely enjoy your sweet looking legs.

Wishing you all a super lovely day,

49 comments:

  1. This is awesome! You truly are so creative, so cool.

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  2. Ideal for saint Valentine.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  3. OMG, they are freaking fantastic. I cannot beieve you DIY-ed them!

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    Replies
    1. thanks tallulah! aww :) (they did take a reaaally long time)

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  4. THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL! you are a goddess m'am, I don't know how you make so many beautiful things!

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  5. your DIY's are always so creative and awesome! xxx

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  6. Holy crap this tutorial is amazing! I never knew you could actually diy tights!

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  7. Hi! just found your blog and I just love it! you have such great style and your hair is just awsome, very cute diy project!
    http://blamingbeauty.blogspot.com/

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  8. darling! i'll be posting about this (w/credits and link)... it's so cute! thanks for sharing your creativity.

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  9. This is so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Mabel
    Mabel Time

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  10. I can't get over how cool this is! Thank you so much for sharing :D

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  11. I can't wait to try this!! I love the Sparrows:)

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  12. I'm going to try.... I hope that they come out great like yours...
    Also , you give me another idea that I have been asking my hubby to do.... thank you Maria

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  13. following your blog now, Annika :)
    Long time, no talk! It looks awesome, your page.
    I had just saw your black tights on lookbook when it directed me here. Adorable <3

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  14. I LOVE this idea! Thank you! I've been looking everywhere! :D

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  15. this is so funny that you did this while wearing them. I never would have thought of that. So Clever.
    Anna

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  16. Just saw this on Craft's site. I absolutely love this tutorial! It reminds me of the heart tights I used to wear as a little girl...I sure do miss those tights. Thanks for sharing the tutorial. :)

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  17. These are sweet. Can they be washed afterwards? Have you tried with with fabric paint instead of acrylic?

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  18. I did the swallow print pair with fabric paint, but basically just used acrylic here because it was cheaper. Not sure which one will last longer, as they both have a clear nailpolish coat as well!
    I just assumed I would never be washing them because sheers generally rip after a few wears! But then I have found that I've been able to wear these a few times already without them ripping, probably because of all the clear nail polish I put over the hearts. So I think I'll try them out in the wash soon, and let you know what happens!

    xx Annika

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  19. i can't believe you made those tights!! best tut ever!

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  20. Such a cute idea! Thanks for the great tutorial

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  21. I'm so going to do this! and soon :D thanks for giving us this amazing project!

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  22. What if you used colored nail polish to make the hearts in the first place? Do you think that would work?

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    1. hmm.. no i don't think it would - you would definitely get a different effect, but it would be harder to paint the shapes, and it wouldn't look as matte or be as noticible an effect. i may be wrong though, and there's no harm in trying it out!

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    2. Also, I think the nail polish going right through the sheer would stick waaayy too much to your skin. You wouldn't be able to peel it away like water-based acrylic paint. Ouch.

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    3. well, you do need to use clear nailpolish over the acrylic paint. and once it's bone dry it hardly sticks. And it's definitely not painful to peel away. Unless you have quite hairy legs.... maybe you'd find you had a problem then, haha :)

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  23. i absolutely love this idea, and i have tried it out. i made tights with a pair of bows on the knees. i just have one question; how do you keep the paint from running under the stencil. i have that problem all the time if i use a stencil, and again when stenciling these tights. the paint runs under the stencil and i get a spot, which causes me to hand paint the edges, making the prints uneven and bigger as intended. do you have any tips and tricks on stenciling?

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    Replies
    1. Hmmm... I know what you mean as I did have the slightest trouble with paint running under the stencil as well, but only sometimes/on some edges or when I didn't hold the stencil down with enough pressure, so I did have to fix the edges with a paintbrush sometimes.

      Perhaps it was because you used a more complicated stencil OR because the paint you used was runnier than mine. The paint I used had a fairly thick consistency, still runny enough to paint on but not runny enough to run under the stencil. Try a brand of paint that's thicker, or, perhaps let the paint sit and thicken a bit before painting on? I'm sure your bow tights still looked awesome!! & I hope this helped!

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    2. If you use a sponge instead of a brush it shouldn't bleed as much ;)

      http://louise-amabilis.blogspot.com/

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  24. THIS IS AMAZING! Trying this very soon!!

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  25. thats really awesome, and i cant wait to try it... i probably will today.
    Just one question before i do: will the painted hearts come off when in a washing machine?

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    Replies
    1. nope, they shouldn't! Just make sure to do a cold, gentle wash. as long as you use enough clear nail polish, they should be fine.

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  26. I really love DIY ideas! Definitely going to be reading your blog for great ideas!

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  27. Maybe if you had like mannequin legs it would be easier, but I don't have such things just lying around and pretty impatient. D':

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  28. hey you pretty girl, first i have to tel that your work is really amazing, you are realy smart handy and creative!

    i am going to try painting the hearts on my tights (i bought 2 pairs, just in case :) )... and i have a question - what do you use as a pad? i mean - do you put something between the tights and your skin while painting?

    thank you again :) *

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    1. Thank you!
      And no... you just kind of paint straight onto your legs, if you don't mind getting your legs painty haha. Although you actually shouldn't end up with any paint on your legs at all if you let it dry for the right amount of time (a few hours), it should just peel off when you take the tights off.
      Though that doesn't mean you can't try experimenting with using something in between your legs and the tights! I didn't though ;)

      xx

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  29. Sweet! Can't wait to try this one! I have some white tights I don't really like too much, so I'll give this a go and see how they turn out, thanks!

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  30. OMG! BEEEEEEEEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to try this!! Thanks!
    XOXOXOXOXO

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  31. OMG, I have this idea in mind then found you on Chictopia! Now if I may ask, will silk screen work as well? That was how I planned to do it. Also, aside from acrylic, what other types of paint might I use? Thanks!

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    1. oh gosh, i have no idea, i have never tried silk screening myself! That is how patterned tights are usually done though, so I'm sure it'd probably work better. if it does, send me an email, i'd love to see the results and am always up for learning a new technique!
      You can use fabric paint as well, in fact, it works a little bit better than acrylic paint (because you can wash them afterwards!)

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  32. WOW! LOOOOVE this. I'm def doing it!

    Sydney
    http://satisfashionsydney.blogspot.com/

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  33. I love this! Thank you~ I'm gonna try this out and blog about it too!

    www.ragsandrichesblog.com

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  34. YOU ARE BRILLIANT! I've been looking to buy heart tights everywhere for a Halloween costume and the only ones I can find in my size are $30 and I can't justify that. But this idea is so much less expensive and PERFECT. Thank you so much for sharing - you rock!

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  35. These are so cute! I'll be adding them to our V-Day 'Looks We Love' post next week!

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  36. Amazing idea! <3

    Do you think can I damage the acrylic paint washing it? Will the paint keep in the tights well? How do you recommend me to wash it?

    Thank you!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Hey Teresa,
      Noo, unfortunately these tights don't last for too long :| The acrylic paint won't wash off, as long as you put nail polish over the top, and handwash them, but maybe with using fabric paint they'll last a *little* bit longer.

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