How To's: Stenciling Fabric

Using DecoArt Easy Blend Stencil Paint and StenSource® Stencils

• Fabric Preparation: Prewash, dry and iron all fabrics to be painted. Do not use fabric softener of any type in the washer or dryer. If the fabric is stretchy or unstable (knits, etc.) you may find it easier to spray stencil adhesive on the back of your stencil. Be sure adhesive is dry and only tacky to the touch so that none will come off on your fabric. For stable, woven fabrics, masking tape will suffice to hold your stencil in place while painting.
  
  
• Stencils: Most StenSource® Stencils are one part designs, meaning that the entire design is on one piece of plastic, eliminating the extra time and possible smearing caused when using multi-part stencils for various colors. Since all colors are on one stencil, you may need to use a shield to cover areas that are close to each other but of different colors. A piece of note card cut to fit the shape you wish to cover works very well.
  
  
• Paint: Follow the directions under APPLY to prepare paints for use.
  
  
• Brush: Choose a stencil brush in a size proportional to the size of the design you will be painting. You will also find that one brush per color is easiest since you won't want to be cleaning your brush every time you wish to change colors (and you NEVER want to use a brush that is wet with water or paint remover).
  
  
• Painting Techniques: Dab the brush into the paint 3-4 times. You only need a VERY small amount of paint on the brush. To test, dot brush on a paper towel until only a very little paint comes off on the towel. The brush is now ready to paint with. Depending on the surface you are painting and the desired effect you wish, apply the paint by either swirling the paint on in a circular motion or dotting it on with an up and down motion, this is called stippling. Since fabrics may move a bit with swirling, you may prefer to use the stippling technique. Practice on a sample of the same fabric to see which is most comfortable for you and gives you the look you want.
  
  
• Adjust colors: To get darker colors, do not put more paint on the brush. Darken by going over the area more times with your lightly loaded brush. Too much paint will cause a buildup around the edge of your stencil and unsightly streaking of the paint.
  
  Shading may be accomplished by using two colors on opposite sides of a design or just letting the background fabric show through a bit, by applying the paint heavily at first then lighter as you go across the design. Because the colors are so easy to blend, you may apply one color over another to get a third shade. For example, put down a light coat of calico red, shading from dark to light across a heart. To make the dark side even darker, go over it with just a touch of purple at the very edge. From the light side of the red, put in just a touch of antique gold and blend into the red, going only about to the middle of the design. Experimenting is half the fun!
  
  Layering (putting one design over another, such as a rose vine over a trellis), is done by painting the foreground (roses) first, then placing the background (trellis) stencil over the rose and stenciling only the part that does not overlap the rose. You may find it helpful to use a masking card as mentioned above (Stencils).
  
  
• Setting and Drying: When complete, let dry at least 24 hours. Launder with a mild soap by hand or on gentle cycle of your washing machine. Use an automatic dryer on "low" only and remove promptly. DO NOT DRY CLEAN. If ironing, use a press cloth to protect your iron.
  
  
• Clean Up: Use the same cleaning instructions as explained on page 2 under clean up.