From viewer Antoinette Camille-Wilson of Great Falls, Mont., came a clever gift idea that any parent or grandparent should love. Using fabric paint, Antoinette traces around her grandchild's hands and feet and puts them onto hand and bath towels for gifts (
figure A). It's a simple idea but one that has proven to be not only a welcome gift, but also one that is kept and used, and used, and used.
Antoinette said she used to make a set of these of her son's hands and feet until he was six years old. Recently she tried another "subject." For her husband's birthday, she gave him a towel with prints of their dog's paws. This time instead of drawing around the object (paws), she poured the paint into a paper plate and had the dog step in. Needless to say, this project was done outdoors to not only prevent painted paw prints throughout the house but also so Antoinette could immediately wash the dogs paws to keep him from licking the paint off!
Keepsake Terrycloth Towels
Materials:
fabric paint
terry cloth towel
paper plate
hands and feet - Enlist the help of your children or pets.
Steps:
Method One
1. Position hands and/or feet on the towel.
2. Trace around the hands and feet using fabric paint.
3. Further embellish the towel with the name of the print owner, and the date commemorating when the prints were made or when the gift will be given.
Method Two
1. Squeeze fabric paint into a puddle on a paper plate.
2. Place hands and/or feet in the puddle of paint.
3. Press paint-covered hands and/or feet onto the terry cloth towel.
4. Further embellish the towel with the name of the print owner, and the date commemorating when the prints were made or when the gift will be given.
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