How to make a stencil with freezer paper

Learn how to use freezer paper to make a stencil that allows you to paint on fabric virtually without any smudges.

My daughter is part of a Hip Hop competition dance group called Redlips. Since the budget to buy costumes was limited (and because I'm always up for a little DIY !!) I offered to add red lips on their white shirts.

You will see, this technique is very easy to do and enable you to paint images on fabric, virtually without smudges.

On the other hand, if you are in Canada like me, the most difficult part to carry out this project will be to find freezer paper !! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience and at no extra cost to you. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Where to buy Freezer paper?

Well, I did the research for you and let me tell you it was not easy!

A simple solution, if you can wait a few days, is to get it from Amazon.ca. You'll find it by clicking here.

If you want a more express solution (because like me, you tend to be at the last minute and when you need something, it is RIGHT NOW that you want it !! 😉 ) you can find some at Canadian Tire.

But be careful, check availability on their website. In my case, only 1 store had some in my area. And I'm telling you, take note of the aisle number (it's really nice that their website allows this!) Because this paper is in the hunting department! And yes, I was really surprised!

Canadian Tire's freezer paper is more expensive, but you'll have 3 times more than Amazon's. It all depends on your needs. I can tell you that with 150 feet, I have some for an eternity !!

For this project, you'll need:

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Freezer paper
Iron and ironing board
Newspapers
Masking tape
Color Shot Fabric spray paint (I used the Red one and it took me 2 bottles to make the 12 shirts)
Cutting machine (like Silhouette or Cricut) or a cutting knife and mat.
Image to cut

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How to make the stencil

Cut the stencil

I'm lucky to have a Silhouette because I would not have ventured to make 12 shirts with a simple cutting knife !!! Yes, I had to make 12 stencils. I tried to see if I could reuse them, but they did not stick as well as I would have liked. And since it's for competitions, I wanted everything to be perfect.

First, cut a piece of freezer paper the width of the cutting mat. Install the glossy paper side up, taking care to remove the bubbles with an old card.

By putting the shiny side up, you'll have to reverse your design.

Once the paper is cut with the Silhouette, detach it gently.

Position the stencil

Next, to position the stencil made of freezer paper, you'll need to place the shiny side against the fabric. Press an iron at a low temperature (without steam). The paper will adhere gently to the fabric.

I then inserted cardboard inside the shirt. It is better to handle the stencil with care since it is not stuck permanently.

To prevent the cardboard from moving, I fixed it with a paper clip. Then I folded the shirt so that it was completely hidden under. It's optional, but I found it was a safe precaution !!

The shirt is folded with the stencil on top

Paint

After that, you need to take the time to tape the newspaper to the stencil.

I did a test before and I had simply laid some newspaper around the stencil. The paint got under the newspaper. I was so happy I had done a test first! See the test:

I applied two coats of paint following the instructions on the bottle. It's always exciting when the time comes to remove the stencil!

** Tip if you want to re-use the stencil: put parchment paper between your iron and the stencil, otherwise the paint will be transferred to your iron and you will gum it all !!

And here's the result for 12 shirts. It took me about a day (with a lot of help from the dancer!). But it was worth it!