Have you ever wished you could silkscreen something onto fabric, but you don’t have a silkscreen setup? Or time to silkscreen anything? Well I’m here with a fantastic solution for you: Freezer Paper Stencils. They are so easy to make and the results are stellar. I had the opportunity to visit Charlotte Today and show Colleen and Larry Sprinkle just how great they are. Here’s the video. I’ll share some additional tips below.
(Video not working? Click here.)
Let’s start with supplies: Freezer paper and paint. Freezer paper is available in most grocery stores, right where you would pick up plastic wrap or foil. Fabric paint is available at any craft shop. Although you don’t need to use fabric paint — any acrylic paint will work just fine. But on some fabrics, acrylic paint may feel a little too stiff when it’s dry.
Decide what you want to create, draw it (or print it) on the paper side of the freezer paper, and then cut it out of the freezer paper. This is easiest with an x-acto knife.
After you’re done cutting the stencil, iron the freezer paper (plastic side down) onto your cloth using the highest setting that works for your fabric. Move the iron over the paper, pressing down with a little bit of force until all the paper is adhered. This will give you a perfect stencil that won’t allow paint to seep underneath. Then you apply the paint by dabbing it on with a sponge brush. Don’t use brush strokes because this can cause paint to seep between the paper and the fabric.
When the paint is dry to the touch, you simply peel off the freezer paper and show the world how talented you are!
After the paint is completely dry (after about 24 hours), you’ll want to heat set it for permanence and washability. Most fabrics can be heat set by ironing them on medium or high heat for 3-5 minutes.
There are so many things you can do with these stencils. Please share your ideas with me — I’d love to see what you create!
