My new favorite craft tool? Reynolds Freezer Paper, which was instrumental in creating this fab Banksy creeper for Miss Maize.
I got the idea after reading and completing this tutorial. I was so successful I decided to try a different stencil. Want to create your own? Here's what you need:
With my first freezer paper creation, I used a white onesie which I dyed using Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye. But, it was sort of a pain and the color wasn't as vibrant as I would have liked. This time around, I used a super-soft, super-vibrant and super-cheap Rabbit Skins creeper from the stash I picked up at ShirtsInBulk.com. Smart move.
I found the Banksy image by doing a Google Image search, copying, pasting and resizing, then printing it at home. Who is Banksy? A brilliant graffiti artist. Read about him here.
You can buy freezer paper at the grocery store. I got mine at Kroger in the tinfoil/baggie aisle.
Tulip seems to be the most readily available fabric paint and it worked just fine. I applied it with some cheap brushes I picked up at Michaels.
Finally I used my X-acto knife and cutting mat. And eventually an iron. (With my first shamrock creation, I only needed scissors but something this precise required help from a fine blade.)
How did I do it? I attached the Banksy print to the matte size of the freezer paper using double-stick tape. Then, with my X-acto knife, I carefully cut around the image, creating a stencil. When I was done, I trimmed the edges to better fit the onesie.
Looking good on Instagram.
Next, I placed the freezer paper stencil on the onesie, shiny side down, and ironed it onto the fabric. No steam and I pressed fairly hard, sliding the iron over the paper for about 3 minutes.
Maizey supervised.
The freezer paper sticks to the onesie and you're all ready to paint. Slip something behind the stencil, inside the fabric, to protect from bleeding. (I used cardboard from a Kleenex box.) As for the paint application, I used a brush (I've heard that those foam wedges work as well) and did two coats. Follow the paint instructions about drying - Tulip recommends four hours.
Watching paint dry.
Four hours later I carefully peeled the paper off the shirt - using tweezers for the finer details. I pressed the shirt again (hot iron, no steam), with a piece of plain fabric over the paint. This is supposed to set the design and smooth the edges. I waited a couple days then flipped the onesie inside-out and laundered it with the rest of the dirties. It came out famously.
I'm not sure what's cuter - the shirt or my little muffin-topped lovely.
