Custom T-shirts with Freezer Paper Stencils

I had never heard of freezer paper printing until a friend mentioned it a few months ago. It's such a simple idea and people have been doing it for ages. I had to test it out. My husband was talking about making Rainier beer cap messages and I thought it would make a fun design for a shirt. Here's how I did his tee.

1. Start with a roll of freezer paper. Easily found at most large grocery stores. (I now own about 100ft of it)

2. Sketch your shape in the paper, wax side down. (From this side your art can be right reading.) Or place a printout of your artwork under the paper to trace from.

3. Use an exacto knife to cut out your shape.

4. After placing a thin old towel or pillow case under the cloth, position the stencil wax side down onto your fabric.

5. Use a dry iron for 2 min over all of the image. If you have floating pieces, be careful not to rub the iron over them, as it will push them out of alignment. Instead, press the iron over them to set the heat.

6. Once the stencil is secure. Begin dabbing your fabric paint over the exposed area of the stencil with a small soft brush until all areas are covered. (If you are using a darker fabric, select paint specifically made for that kind of material. Otherwise it might not show up.) Be careful along the edges. I usually paint toward the center instead of into the edge to make sure the paint doesn't creep outside the lines.

7. Allow to dry completely. I was a little impatient and helped it along toward the end with a hairdryer. To be extra safe, let it dry 24 hours before peeling off the stencil. It should come off without any residue.

Each stencil works only once but it's perfect for a one-off gift or special project. Good luck and have fun.