Freezer Paper Stencil T-Shirts

A rainy day.  Three boys.  Three plain t-shirts, freezer paper, and paint.  That's all it takes to create a one-of-a-kind shirt.   Well..I guess you really don't need the boys....  But without them, it's just not quite as much fun!

The purple shirt isn't one of my own creations.  My littlest guy loved his shirt so much that he had to wear it immediately and got it dirty before I could snap the photo!  You'll be happy to know, however, that it has been washed several times and the paint is holding up quite nicely.  

If you found this post, you've probably already searched for freezer paper stencils and know how to do it.  But just in case you're not familiar with the how-to's, I'll explain it. You'll need the following things:

• Freezer Paper
• Image for your stencil
• Exacto knife (or small scissors)
• Iron
• T-shirt (pre-washed, without using fabric softener)
• Paint (I use plain ol' acrylic craft paints.  You can also use fabric paint which is more expensive - your choice!  You can also add "Fabric Painting Medium" - sold where craft paints are sold - but I find it unnecessary.)

1. Freezer paper can be found near the plastic wrap and foil at the grocery store or Wal-Mart.  One side is just like paper, while the other side is shiny, like waxed paper.  Once you have your freezer paper, all you need is some inspiration for your shirt design.  Ask your kids what they want on their shirt - you might be surprised by what they pick.  My boys picked:  skateboarding, biking, and "all sports".  You can search for stencil images online or in kid's coloring books.   Or you can do what I did and use a photo of your child as inspiration.  My oldest son wanted "skateboarding" and, being 9 years old, knows what he wants and what he doesn't.  So after looking at a ba-jillion "skateboarding" images that just weren't right, I suggested that we use his silhouette on his shirt.  WINNER!!!!  So I found an action shot of him skateboarding, enlarged it to the ideal size, and traced the outside edges.  Instant silhouette!  
2. After you have your image, you need to make a stencil using the freezer paper.  Cut the freezer paper down to a few inches larger than your image and then, on the paper side, trace your image.  (Some people have printed their image directly onto the paper side of their freezer paper with good results.  I haven't tried this, though.)  You might want to start with a simple pattern first.  Then take an exacto knife and cut out the image, keeping any inside pieces like eyes or the inside of an "O" which you'll use in the next step.  
3. After you have cut out your stencil, it is time to iron it onto your shirt.  Place it on your shirt shiny, waxed side down.   Then, place a piece of cardboard or parchment paper inside the shirt to prevent any paint from leaking to the back (part of an old cereal box works great).  I fold and tape my shirt snugly so that it doesn't shift while I'm painting.  Iron over it using the appropriate setting and it will magically stick to the shirt- but only temporarily!  Be sure that there are no gaps where paint can seep under. Remember to add your little cutout pieces!  I iron on the main part first, then add the little extra pieces one at a time - it's just easier that way!
4. Paint!  If you've never stenciled before, it's important to use a lightly loaded paintbrush and apply it starting at the edges of the stencil  and work your way inside.  I usually do two coats of paint to ensure an even application.  It's so easy, even a 5 year old can do it with fantastic results!



I love this look of concentration!  Really, it's super easy!



Don't worry, it won't look this terrible for long!  And if you happen to get a little blue where your orange should go, don't worry, just blend it all together and it'll look like you were trying to create depth and shadows in your design!

5. Once you have finished painting, let it dry lightly and then...THE FUN PART!  Remove your freezer paper stencil and say "Oooohhhhhh!" and "Aaaaaahhhhh!

Here is the "All Sports" shirt for my middle son.  This shirt requires stencil overlays - first we painted the background colors of the balls and after that dried, we added the second stencil for the details.  

Shaun White fans will recognize this symbol:  the red "M" is actually the logo found on the Shaun White clothing collection from Target!  I merely turned the "W" upside down to create an "M", which is my son's initial! And the silhouette is from a photo of my son skateboarding...He wears this shirt as often (perhaps even more often) than his Shaun White shirts!  I always say he is like a walking billboard for Shaun White!