How to Decorate A T-Shirt Using Freezer Paper Stencils

© shoutingforha

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am incredibly thrifty (a.k.a. cheap). It's true, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Few things make me happier than a good bargain.

When it comes to outfitting my boy with clothes, thriftiness takes on a whole new meaning.

My boy came home with a brilliant idea one day. He suggested that we "make some cool t-shirts with pictures that I like on them." Being a crafty woman at heart, I thought it sounded like a great idea. My initial thought was to make iron-ons, but after a little research decided that Jacquard fabric paint would be a better idea.

We hunted around on line for pictures, mainly silhouettes, that he liked. After settling on several designs, I printed them on freezer paper (the matte side) and then cut them out using an X-Acto knife.

I then arranged the cut-outs on the plain t-shirts, shiny side down, and ironed them into place. I also ironed an extra piece of freezer paper on the inside of the shirt so that the paint wouldn't bleed through.

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Using a small brush, I filled in the stencil making sure to brush the paint away from the edges to prevent bleeding. If you are using a dark paint, one coat should be sufficient. Multiple coats will be necessary for lighter colors.

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Once I finished painting, I hung the shirts up to dry.

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After the paint was completely dry, I carefully peeled off the freezer paper. I then turned the shirts inside out and heat-set the paint using my iron.

© shoutingforha

© shoutingforha

I think the shirts look amazing if I do say so myself. The paint is soft and flexible... believe it or not, it is nearly impossible to tell they are homemade. The best part is that my son things they are "AWESOME!" Next time I may even try a design with multiple colors.