Clothing Embellishment

Spark Activity: Potato Fabric Stamp

Supplies:

• Large potato
• Sharp knife
• Fabric paint
• Piece of fabric (like a t-shirt, napkin, or kitchen towel)
• Paper plate
• Paper towel
• Cookie cutter in a decorative shape (optional)

Directions: 

• Create a stamp from a potato and use it to stamp a design on fabric.
• Cut the potato in half lengthwise to make a long stamp, or through the middle for a smaller stamp.
• Pat the cut ends of the potato dry with a paper towel.
• Take a decorative cookie cutter and press the design into the cut end of the potato to get an outline of the cookie cutter’s shape. If you don’t have a cookie cutter shape you’d like to use, etch a shape outline of your choice into the cut end of the potato (such as a star, heart, or a letter of the alphabet) using a knife.
• Carefully use the knife to cut out the potato around your shape outline. Leave the area inside your shape uncut, but remove the potato (at least a 1/4 inch deep) from around the shape. You now have your stamp!
• Squeeze some fabric paint onto a paper plate and spread it around the plate so it is wide enough to be an ink pad for your potato stamp.
• Dip the stamp into the fabric paint on the plate, then press it down firmly on your piece of fabric.
• Repeat this process with the same stamp or additional stamps to create a design of your choosing.