How to Decorate Kids' Jackets

Learn how to decorate kids' jackets with materials that range from ribbon to post cards.

While they may require a bit of parental help and patience, these craft projects are worth the results, adding to the look of an existing jacket, or turning an older item into a bright new wardrobe piece.

Kids love to create things and wear items that reflect their own individual style. And, while they craft out their jackets, they're learning a few new skills, too.

The following articles give step-by-step instructions on how to decorate kids jackets:

Ribbon Roundup Jacket Craft

Iron colorful ribbon patterns to any denim jacket.

Traveler's Denim Jacket Craft

Create a wearable souvenir by decorating a jacket with pictures and postcards from a favorite trip.

An iron and some ribbon helps you transform an ordinary jacket into a rainbow.

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Ribboned Denim Jacket

Make a ribboned denim jacket by transforming a dull jeans jacket into a rainbow of color and texture. Apply a few easy techniques and just enough patience when trying out this project -- the results are eye-catching.

What You'll Need:

Step 1: Pin a piece of tracing paper on the jacket or jeans and trace the general shape of the area to be covered with ribbon, allowing about a 1/2-inch overlap on all sides. Draw diagonal lines at right angles to each other in the direction you want the ribbons to follow. This mark will serve as your starting point for placing the ribbons.

Step 2: Remove tracing from jacket, and straighten the drawn edges with a ruler. Trace this shape onto a sheet of fusible webbing and cut. Cut two of this shape, one a mirror image of the other. Follow the shape of the jacket for the yoke shape. The vertical strips on the front of the jacket we used measure 3 1/2 × 13 inches; the pants leg strips measure 3 1/2 × 36 inches. (Our jacket and pants are a girl's size 14.) On the adhesive side of pattern, using a water soluble pen, carefully -- without ripping the adhesive -- draw a cross at right angles to the direction you want the ribbons to run, just as in Step 1.

Step 3: Place fusible webbing pattern on ironing board, adhesive side up. Selecting colors and widths at random, cut several pieces of ribbon long enough to cover length of pattern. Begin placement of ribbons on pattern at marked cross, working your way to the ends. Using straight pins, pin ribbons to ironing board as you cover pattern. Continue to cut ribbons in random colors and widths and pin to board until pattern is covered. Ribbons for yoke pattern will be varying lengths. Ours were cut 4 - 6 inches long. Ribbons for vertical strips on jacket and pants will all be the same length. Ours were cut 6 inches long.

Step 4: Cut a few ribbons to cover length of pattern in opposite direction. Because the pattern is covered with ribbons at this point, refer to the marked cross on tracing paper to position ribbons correctly. Beginning at center, weave a ribbon under and over each pinned ribbon. Keep all ribbons flat and at right angles. Also make sure they cover the entire pattern.

Step 5: When all vertical and horizontal ribbons are woven in place, fuse ribbon to webbing, carefully removing pins as you press. Caution: Follow manufacturer's instructions for fusing. Do not allow temperature of iron to exceed suitable temperature for ribbons. Be especially cautious when using silk, lightweight, or finely printed ribbon. High temperature can cause too much adhesive to bond to the ribbons. Once fused, turn ribbon assembly over and press again on paper side to secure fusing. Cut off all ribbon tails along edge of paper then remove paper backing.

Step 6: With right side facing up, place ribbon fabric over area of denim to be covered. For the jacket yoke, place appropriate ribbon fabric over yoke, mark where the button hole should be, and cut a slit in the ribbon fabric for the button hole. If desired, use seam sealant to stop fraying where ribbon fabric was slit. Return ribbon fabric to yoke. Turn under and pin 1/2-inch seam allowance on all edges, but do not pin ribbon fabric to denim.

Step 7: Remove ribbon fabric from denim. With wrong side of ribbon fabric facing up, fuse webbing strips to all edges of seam allowances. Fuse only seam allowances, do not allow iron to touch center fused area of ribbon fabric. Remove paper backing.

Step 8: Return ribbon fabric to denim and iron over entire area, fusing ribbon fabric to area. Repeat for all ribbon fabric pieces. A little dab of fabric glue will help to hold trouble spots.

Tip: A great deal of ribbon is needed to complete both the jeans and jacket. Consider doing only the jeans or the jacket, which should cut your ribbon usage by about half.

Ribbons bring color to a jacket, but you can show your true colors in another way -- with a traveler's denim jacket.

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Traveler's Denim Jacket

Make a traveler's denim jacket out of your favorite post cards. This technique takes a little extra time and patience, but the result is a professional-looking, completely personalized jacket decorated with images of the places you love.

What You'll Need:

Step 1: Tentatively plan the placement of postcards and map on your jacket. Do this before you have your copies made so you know what you will need. After photocopying your postcards and map, trim white edges from postcard photocopies as shown. If you included a postcard with several photos on it that you want to use individually, cut them apart. Do not trim the photocopy of the state map. Cut white fabric into 4 or 5 rectangles about 9 × 12 inches as shown. These will be easier to work with than a single strip of fabric. Place each piece of white fabric on a sheet of waxed paper.

Step 2: Lay photocopies, including the map, face-up on separate sheets of waxed paper. Working on one copy at a time, apply a thick layer of transfer medium with your finger or a sponge brush. Be sure all edges and corners have been covered.

Step 3: Place each copy face-down on white fabric. Smooth with fingers and rolling pin, being sure to remove any air bubbles. If any transfer medium is pressed out of the sides, wipe it up immediately. Leave about an inch of fabric border around all copies. Dry flat for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove fabric from waxed paper and heat-set both sides of transfers for 30 seconds using a pressing cloth and a dry iron on a wool setting. Let cool.

Step 4: Soak transfers in water for 30-60 minutes. Remove from water. Squeeze excess water from fabric as much as possible, but do not wring the transfer area. Lay fabric on a clean, flat surface. Using your fingers, gently rub off paper backing. Work from the center of the transfer to the outside edges. When you have removed the first layer of paper, return fabric to water to soak for another 15 minutes. Remove from water, repeating process until all paper particles have been removed. Be especially careful when rubbing edges so as not to tear the transfer. Let fabric dry flat. (Transfers may appear cloudy. They will become more defined when washable glue is applied later, but they will never be as clear as the original.)

Step 5: Cut a rectangle of fusible webbing slightly smaller than each piece of fabric. When all paper particles have been removed and fabric is dry, follow manufacturer's instructions and fuse webbing to back of all fabric pieces.

Step 6: Using a disappearing-ink pen, draw a line just outside the state's borders on the map. Cut on the line. Cut postcard from fabric pieces along edges of cards.

Step 7: Remove paper backing from adhesive on the back of transfers. On a hard surface -- not a padded ironing board cover -- arrange photo transfers of map and postcards as desired on jacket. Cover transfers with pieces of paper backing from iron-on adhesive, shiny-side-down to protect your iron and your transfer. Follow manufacturer's instructions for fusing. Iron on all transfers, front and back.

Step 8: Pour a puddle of washable glue onto palette and use sponge brush to apply a thin, even coat to transfers on front of jacket. If some of the transfer edges are popping up, spread a small amount of glue underneath. When front is dry, repeat for the transfers on the back.

Step 9: When glue is dry, outline cards and map with dimensional glitter paint. Be sure to keep the tip of bottle on the fabric. Do the front of jacket, then, when paint is dry, turn over and do the back.

Step 10: After paint dries, arrange acrylic gemstones in desired spots on the back of the jacket. We used a star on the state capital, a heart on our favorite city, and various sizes and colors of round stones on different cities throughout the state. We used 15mm round stones and plastic dogwood leaves to represent oranges, and we placed 15mm stones on the back buttons. Use pliers to remove holes from brass charms, if desired. Arrange charms on the back of your jacket.

Step 11: Lift up one gem or charm at a time and use a toothpick to apply industrial strength glue to backs. Work in a well ventilated area to avoid inhaling fumes from glue. Do not allow children around this type of glue. To glue round gems to metal buttons, use toothpick to spread a layer of glue on the back of gem and on the top of the metal button. Allow each to dry for about 10 minutes before pressing together.

Step 12: Turn jacket over and arrange gems and charms on the front. Glue charms and gems on jacket and buttons as directed in Step 11.

Tip: When selecting charms, consider the geography and character of the state you've chosen. Sailboats and seashells work well for an ocean-side state, but snowflakes would be good for the north, while cowboy boots may work well for a western state.

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