Freezer Paper Tutorial - HallowGreen

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Today's freezer paper tutorial is going to have a live-blogging element to it...meaning...it's football season and Green Husband's team is playing today. Need I say more. Hopefully the tutorial will be complete by 4:00 p.m. EST (read: post naptime). In the meantime, I'll be posting in dribs and drabs.

Also, please note. I am not a crafty person. I cannot take a good photograph to save my life. Please be kind. :)

Supplies...darn cat.





This morning we happened to do sponge prints of pumpkins, so I've decided that that will be my stencil. Here's my pumpkin that I will cut out and trace onto freezer paper. You can trace something directly onto the freezer paper - I would have used the sponge pumpkin, but it's already covered in paint! LOL!



Now don't forget to save any little scraps that you cut out (in my case the pumpkin's eyes, nose and mouth). Those are used to mask the paint. Also, my picture is symmetrical so it doesn't really matter which side of the freezer paper I trace my image. If you are concerned about what part of your image appears on the right or left side of your finished product, don't forget that the shiny side of the paper needs to go face down on your fabric.



My image is now ready to be ironed onto my son's t-shirt. Because these aren't exactly keepsakes for me, I've used an orange t-shirt that I know isn't going to make it another summer season. Placing the shiny side of the freezer paper down, carefully iron on all your elements down using low heat/no steam. You can just put a towel under the t-shirt if you're worried about the heat. I'm not so worried.



Ironing tips: You don't really need to "iron" per say. Just press the iron down flat on the paper for a few seconds until the freezer paper fuses. Remember: where ever you have paper there will be no paint.

Now, here is the important part which I learned the hard way last time. Go slide something between the two sides of your fabric if your fabric has a front and a back (like my t-shirt). I'm using this Sunday's Post magazine. It's the home addition and I really can't afford anything in there anyway. If you don't do this, the paint may seep through the fabric, causing the front and the back to stick together while drying. Hence, the hole in the back of my son's shirt last time when I tried to separate the two.

Pick up your brush and apply a very thin layer of paint to your image. You can work from some paint you squirt out right onto your fabric. You do not need to glob it on, but you want to make sure you get right up to the edge of the freezer paper, so don't be shy...paint right over the paper.




I can already tell that I've used a bit too much paint (it's acting uber-saturated) and that one of my "floating" pieces was not ironed down well enough so I'll probably have some paint seepage under there. Que sera, sera, eh?




Now. Lay flat and put somewhere where the paint can get nice and dry. And, note to self, do not leave it where the cat can sit on it again. My paint brand says to wait 24-hours. Bummer. The one I used before said 4.

So tomorrow, or whenever, simply and carefully peel off the freezer paper. You can use a pin or a paper clip to gently get under the paper instead of marring the image with your fingernail.

Follow your fabric paint's directions, but it's best to wait at least 72 hours before you wash it...kind of like those perms of yesteryear.

The kids are stirring... I hope you enjoyed this tutorial; thanks for waiting. I can't wait to see what creative things you come up with - I could sure use some inspiration in that department!

Go 'Skins!