Custom Stenciled Shirts

There's no need to buy a new clothes when you can update any fabric with an original custom print. It's easy to do and takes no time at all.

You'll need the following supplies: Freezer paper or large printable labels, a copy of the image you wish to use, pencil, Xacto knife or cuticle scissors, fabric paint, paper plate, wedge sponge or small paint brush, iron, clothing you want to paint (shirts, shorts, denim, etc-I chose one of my son's plain T-shirts.), piece of thin cardboard (pizza box, T-shirt box, heavy card stock, etc)

1. Wash and dry the T-shirt using NO fabric softener.
2. While your shirt's in the wash, print out the image you want on your shirt. If it is a small image, you can print directly to the printable labels and go to step 4.
3. If using a larger image, trace it onto the freezer paper's dull side.
4. Create the stencil by cutting out the image using either an Xacto knife or cuticle scissors from a manicure kit (I used the cuticle scissors). Remember the white parts will remain unpainted!
5. Iron on your stencil taking extra care to make sure all the edges and corners are stuck well to the material. (If using the printable labels, peel off the backing and stick to the material. Again, make sure the edges and corners are secure.) The paint can seep under the edges or corners if not properly secure! 
6. Insert the thin cardboard inside the T-shirt to prevent the paint from seeping to the other side. Alternatively you can iron on a larger section of freezer paper.
7. Squirt some paint on a paper plate and using your sponge, paint the exposed parts. Follow the manufacturer's directions for drying times and washing instructions. You may need to apply more than one coat. (I had to do three coats of white paint on this blue shirt)
8. After the paint has dried, peel away the freezer paper and Whala, you're done! Experimenting with different paints will give you different looks. This one was done with a white velveteen paint so it gave the shirt a professional appearance.

Kitty Buttons has TONS of free stencils, by far the most I found in one place. Here's a site for the Star War's fans out there which will be my next project! If you're feeling especially creative, try incorporating different fonts or drawing your own stencil for a one of a kind item. Stencil bags, jeans, shirts, hats, anything you want to put your unique creative stamp on! Just remember you can't sell it if it's a copyrighted image but you can use it for your own personal use or give as a gift! So go ahead and get your craft on!