Freezer Paper Stencil T-Shirt Art Tutorial

I finally have Freezer Paper! Last week, we had family fly over from Kentucky to visit us in Germany and we had a wonderful visit. Every time before people come, they ask if there is anything we are missing/craving or need them to bring. Aside from restaurant stuff, we pretty much can get everything we used to buy here. Although I sure do have some Chic Fil A withdrawal going on. This time, I thought of something I really wanted to try out that I couldn't find here in the stores. Freezer paper! So, they came with a huge roll of it for me!

We bought some T-shirts for the kids, and let them each design their own shirts which they loved. I let them draw with permanent markers straight onto the freezer paper. I then cut out the drawings, ironed on the freezer paper, and painted the shirts for each of the kids. Here are the results!

Aidan's Dodo bird and rainbow

Ashley's Maya and Maple (my dogs)

Coop's Hedgehog

Here is how you do it:

You'll need:
A mat or cutting board
A blade cutting tool
Freezer paper (not wax paper)
Fabric paints
Paintbrush or Foam Brush
Iron

1) Trace your image or drawing onto the matte side of the freezer paper.
NOTE: We used a permanent marker and drew directly onto the freezer paper so I wouldn't have to retrace the kids drawings.

2) Cut out the shapes/lines from the freezer paper that you want to have paint with an exacto knife to create a stencil. Sometimes you have to save the pieces you cut out to iron back into the image.

3) Place the freezer paper shiny side down where you want it on the shirt.  Put some cardboard underneath the shirt's front side so paint won't go through to the back side. Iron for a minute or so until the freezer paper is sticking to the shirt.

4) Paint the stencil using fabric paints or acrylic paint with a fabric medium mixed in. A sponge brush works better than a paint brush, but either one will work.

5) Wait 24 hours for the paint to dry. Once dry simply peel off the freezer paper.

6) Throw in the dryer for 5 minutes to set the paint and you are good to go. I have washed these shirts dozens of times already and the paint has not faded a bit.