How to Decorate a Pillow Using a Freezer Paper Stencil

Adding some original stenciled designs to plain pillows can liven them up.

If you have a pillow around the house that could use some sprucing up, or you'd like to decorate one to give as a gift, stenciling it with a freezer-paper stencil is a simple and enjoyable option. You can design any stencil image you'd like and recreate it on the pillow. You won't need any specialized supplies because everything you need can be found conveniently and inexpensively at your local craft or hobby shop.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Freezer paper
• Fabric paint
• Craft knife
• Cardboard
• Paper
• Foam or stencil brushes
• Iron

1. Design your stencil pattern. You can either do this on a computer in a graphics program or freehand on a sheet of paper. Make the parts you want to cut out black so they can be cut easily; these are the parts that will be the color of the fabric paint you chose. Print the pattern if you created it on a computer.

2. Cut a piece of freezer paper big enough to cover your entire sheet of paper. Cover your pattern with the waxy side of the freezer paper down, touching the top of your pattern. This ensures you do not end up with a mirror-image stencil. Press down on the freezer paper to make the design easy to see while using the craft knife to cut out the black portions. Go slowly to minimize accidents. Once you've cut out all the pieces you can discard them and the pattern paper.

3. Set your iron to heat on the cotton setting, but make sure it is not set to release steam. Remove your pillow form from the pillow case, if possible; trying to iron the stencil onto a stuffed pillow case may prove difficult. Place your stencil waxy side down on the pillowcase and iron it on slowly but without stopping your iron in any one place to prevent burning.

4. Dispense some paint onto a paper plate or other palette. Insert your cardboard into the pillowcase to prevent fabric paint from leaking through to the back side. Using your foam or stencil brushes, stipple paint onto the fabric in the cut-out sections of your stencil. Use short, even strokes, but don't smear the paint or it will look uneven when dry.

5. Allow the stenciled pillowcase to dry. Peel the freezer paper off slowly when dry to avoid paint seepage. Consult your fabric paint's instructions to see if the manufacturer recommends ironing or tumbling dry to set the paint.

Tips & Warnings

• The stencil can be reused a few times, until the wax no longer sticks the paper to the fabric.

• You can achieve a fun shadowed effect by using the stencil once in a dark color such as black or gray, then shifting it slightly when dry and restenciling in a brighter color.

• Use freezer paper and not wax paper, which is waxy on both sides and may ruin your iron.

References

• Sew Daily: Customize Your Fabric with DIY Freezer-Paper Stencils
• Craftster: Freezer Paper - Who Knew?
• Simply Modern Mom: Aloha Shirt Freezer Paper Stencil Tutorial
• Make Baby Stuff: How to Make a Stencil with Freezer Paper for Baby Onesie Decoration
• Diary of a Crafty Lady: Freezer Paper Stencil T-Shirts