Wearable Kid's Art

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(Freezer paper stencils, part 2)

This is an update to my first post about using freezer paper to created stencils for custom t-shirts. I was excited to turn one of my son's drawings into a t-shirt for his dad for fathers day. Here's what we did.

Supplies:
Freezer Paper
X-acto knife
Cutting Mat
T-shirt
Iron
Ironing board
Opaque fabric paint
.5in - 1in brush

 

1. Cut out the stencil.

Place the freezer paper wax side down over the image you are using. Tape down the edges of each to the cutting mat so that the stencil doesn't slip while you are working. If the colors are dark enough, the image will show through the freezer paper enough that you can trace the art. Begin cutting the stencil with an X-acto knife. Make sure to test the shape so that the stencil will create a full image

2. Iron the stencil on your shirt.

Place the stencil wax side down on your shirt. Use a medium dry heat setting for the iron. Iron the image slowly over entire stencil. If you have small pieces like I do in this example, place the iron over them at first instead of rubbing the iron across the image. This will help ensure those tiny pieces don't shift.

3. Painting time.

Once your stencil is secure onto the fabric, you can start painting. I usually put shopping bag paper over my cutting mat and place the mat inside the shirt so I don't get paint on the back side of the shirt while working. Dab the paint slowly over the open areas on your stencil, working from the sides inward. I try not to paint into the edges because sometimes the paint can creep under the stencil if the paper gets too wet. Allow the paint to dry at least an hour or so before taking the stencil off. But don't let the stencil sit too long before taking it off as the edges can get a little gummy as it gets hard.

4. Set the color.

After the paint has dried for over 24 hrs, run a dry iron over the front and back of the image to set the paint. Check the instructions on your paint for best uses too.

5. Show off and enjoy!

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.