Make Your Own Custom T Shirts and So Much More with Fabric StencilingStenciling is a great way to create custom t shirts, jeans, curtains, table linens, handkerchiefs, accent pillows... You can make a one of a kind design that only you will have and wear. Or, it's an easy way to duplicate a design several times without printing and requires no expensive equipment. Also, it’s fun and easy! If you are looking for information on fabric stenciling, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll find step-by-step instructions and some great tips to help make your project a soaring success! I’ll step you through the process by painting a fleur de lis on a t shirt.
What you will need: Of course, you will need something to put paint on like a t shirt, a pair of jeans, any other kind of clothing, linens…well, anything fabric. You get the picture! Choose your fabric very carefully. Make sure it does not have a stain resistant finish. I recommend that you pre-wash your fabric, so that you’ll be sure it’s clean of any surface treatment that will keep the paint from adhering. But don’t use a fabric softener. Natural fiber fabrics with smooth surfaces work best. Try to avoid any soft or floaty fabric that will be difficult to keep straight. I would also avoid fabrics that have a thick nap or weave like towel material. These fabrics don’t allow the stencils to have clean, crisp edges. You will need textile paints, specifically designed to be both washable and dry cleanable. These paints require 24 hours to dry and may need to be heat set. Nontoxic water-based textile paints are commonly available at craft stores. Make sure you read all the directions on the paints you choose. Each brand has different requirements and you want to be well aware of the procedures you need to follow before you start painting.
You will need to have something to put under the fabric to hold it from moving or sliding around and also to keep paint from seeping through to the other side. A piece of cardboard will work fine. If you are making a custom t shirt, place the piece of cardboard inside the shirt. Of course, you will need all the other usual stenciling stuff: paint applicators (brushes or foam), stencils, tape… Here are some quick reminders on Basic Stenciling: Do not add water or thin the paint. Watery paint will bleed under your stencil edges. If you want to lighten a color, add white. I generally do not recommend blending colors because if you need to touch up or reproduce that color later it is close to impossible. However, the selection of fabric paints is more limited than the vast array of acrylic paints, so you may need to blend paints to get the color you desire. Test the colors and practice your painting on a scrap piece of fabric similar to the one you are stenciling. Maybe you can test in a hem or where the paint won’t be seen. Make sure your brush is evenly covered with paint but do not over load it. An over loaded brush will spread paint under the edges of the stencil. Your goal is a nice, even dry brush technique with color that is smooth but not thick. You are looking to achieve crisp, clear edges. Fabrics are absorbant and will quickly soak up paint from an over loaded brush causing the colors to run under the stencil. It is important to keep this in mind for a custom t shirt or any fabric stenciling project. Apply the paint with a gentle pouncing motion, holding the brush straight up and down. This will keep the paint from seeping under the edges of the stencil. Do not brush side to side or use a stroking motion. Paint all the colors in your design before removing the stencil. Once it has been removed, it is almost impossible to replace it in exactly in the same spot. When you are finished, lift the stencil carefully. I like to place a firm finger on one end and roll it up very slowly. The idea is to keep from dragging the stencil over wet paint.
Tips and Hints for Stenciling on Fabric: If you can, purchase an extra piece of fabric for practice. Having some experience is invaluable. For example, if you are working on a custom t shirt, purchase an extra shirt for experimenting. After you remove the stencil, you can use an artist’s brush to touch up areas where the paint may be too thin or missing along an edge. Remember brushed on paint looks different from paint applied with normal stenciling techniques so use this for only minor problems. If paint gets on the fabric where it is not supposed to be, wash it out immediately and dry it with a hair dryer. In fact, if your stencil is a disaster, you can usually wash the whole stencil out and start again as long as you do so immediately. Again, read the directions on the bottle. Sometimes, dried paint can be very carefully scraped off with a matte knife. Just make sure it is thoroughly dried or it will smudge. Always read the instructions on the paint that you are using. Some of them require you to “fix” the paint with heat by ironing. You also want to be aware of the washing instructions. Some paints are effected by dry cleaning, machine washing or detergents. They may require hand washing. Read the instructions and make sure you are satisfied with the requirements before you purchase the paint. If you can’t find fabric paints, acrylics work just fine on fabrics too! They don’t even require heat setting like most fabric paints. However, since they were not made for fabric, there is no telling how they will react to washing. I recommend testing on scrap fabric similar to your project piece. You may want to start off with hand washing using a mild soap. Also, acrylic paints dry stiffer than fabric paints so it is not your best choice on a T-Shirt (better for jeans). Experiment, Practice, Enjoy! How to Create a Custom T Shirt with Stencils
Using stencils to make custom t shirts is a great way to create a really cool shirt for yourself or make several exact shirts for your group or team. Stencils allow you to design a shirt that reflects your personality and shows off your artistic side too. Also, you will save money using stencils and doing it yourself compared to the cost of having custom t shirts printed for your team. If you are making custom t shirts for a kids group, consider getting them involved. It would be great fun for the whole group and what a great way to build team spirit!
Follow along with me while I make a custom t shirt by painting a stencil of a Fleur de lis on a black T-Shirt. First make sure that the t shirt is clean. I recommend pre-washing to remove any surface treatment that will keep the paint from adhering. Do not use fabric softener. Get all of your supplies ready for your custom t shirts stencil project.
Notice that I have a lint roller in the photo. I like to give the t shirt or fabric one quick but thorough pass with a lint roller to remove any loose debris such as hair, dust or lint. Line up your stencil where you would like your image to appear. Do you want it in the front center? Or maybe near the top to the left or right? You decide. Tape the stencil down at all four corners and along each side. Remember that the stretchy t shirt fabric can easily shift so keeping the stencil secure is very important.
Pour paint onto your palette and apply to open areas using the pouncing motion (stippling technique). Start around the edges of the stencil openings (islands) and work your way in. I’m using a gold paint that has a little of a glimmer effect for extra pizzazz!
Well, I hope you learned a lot about making custom t shirts with stencils. Just don’t forget that being able to use a t shirt stencil is not all that this page is about. You can apply these skills to any fabric stenciling project you want. Consider making a monogrammed hankerchief for a gift, stenciling holiday motifs on a runner or table napkins for decoration, or putting a border along the bottom of the shower curtain. And how about those dragon jeans? Using stencils on fabric can create a limitless supply of ideas for you to customize your home and yourself. So, go on, get started stenciling!
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