The First thing I do is to find a SIMPLE image.
It is super important for the image to be simple because you are going to be cutting it out and you don't want to spend a long time cutting out little details and trying to keep track of little pieces.
So here is an image I got off the internet.
Print it out at a size that will fit the shirt or whatever you are going to paint it onto.
Next you will trace the image onto the papery side of some freezer paper.
Note: You can find freezer paper at the grocery store next to the tin-foil and plastic wrap. It comes in a HUGE roll and you will never use it all so just get some from me. Especially since I now have two GIANT rolls of it. (I thought I lost the first one when we moved.) Of course I could always use it as it was originally intended and wrap up meat for my freezer. I will make sure to do that the next time I butcher an animal at my house.
Anyway here is how I do that.
Next you can use an exact o knife to cut out the image. Pretty simple, just be super careful and use a good cutting surface underneath.
There may be little pieces that you will need to keep for your image to look right. Like the middle parts of the R's in Merry. So keep track of those.
Next you will need something to put your image on. I chose a soft/cheap T-shirt from Target.
Now it is time to iron your stencil onto the shirt. Make sure to place the stencil waxy side down or it will stick to your iron. I am not sure at what temperature I iron mine at.
Maybe a medium-ish???
Also make sure your steam is turned off.
So there it is ironed on. Notice that I added in the little middle parts of the R's. I usually iron the large piece of the stencil down and then add the little pieces one at a time. It is easier to keep everything in the right place that way.
Next, gather your painting supplies. You need some Soft fabric paint, a sponge brush, a little water, some paper towels, a piece of card board to slide under the fabric you are painting on and it is imperative for you to have a RedVine at this point. Otherwise your stencil will just look horrible.
Now, I like for my sponge brush to be just slightly damp so I dip it in the water and then squeeze it out and dry it with the paper towels. And make sure your card board is under the layer of fabric you are painting. NOT under the whole shirt (or whatever), just the layer you are painting on, or your paint might bleed through to the back. And we don't want that now do we??
Then go ahead and paint a nice thin layer adding more if you need to.
Here it is after I finished painting and as it was drying.
After a few hours it should be dry and then you can peel off the freezer paper and viola!!! You have a personalized shirt or bag or onzie or cape or napkin or whatever.
It really is a most satisfactory craft! Peeling off the freezer paper at the end is so fun. It is kind of like the fun you get from peeling off a band-aid, except it doesn't pull out any hair and there is a fun picture underneath instead of a gross scab! Hurray!
