Stenciled Tote Bag

I decided to finally try something that I've wanted to do for a long time.  Stenciling.  I don't know why I never did it before.  It really is easy.



I had planned to do freezer paper stenciling, but I knew I would have to use my Silhouette to cut out the text and I wasn't sure if the cutting mat would be too sticky to release the wax paper once it was cut.  In the end I just went with some scrap vinyl I had on hand.



Here is a list of my supplies:

Tote Bag (I just bought a blank from Michaels)
Sun & Clouds Die (from Lifestyle Crafts)
Fabric Paint (or normal acrylic with a fabric medium)
Sponge Brushes
Wax Paper (to put inside bag to keep paint from bleeding through)

Now it's a pretty easy process.

First I cut out the dies and the text.  I used my Evolution machine to cut out the dies, but used my Silhouette to cut out the text.  You don't have to worry about reversing the text since you're using the negative space as a stencil rather than the positive space.



Next, to keep the letter centers (like the circles in the o's) in place and everything nice and straight I used some masking tape as an alternative to transfer tape since I had none on hand.  It worked pretty well, but was a little more sticky than I would have liked.  I've heard that lint roller sheets make a great and inexpensive alternative too.



Once you've got that all set, just remove the backing and place the stencil on the tote bag.  I used my rub on tool to really make sure that the edges were sealed.  I still ended up having a little bit of bleeding, but not too much.



Now you paint it.  I kind of pounced it on then gently brushed to get rid of any air bubbles.  I'm not sure the brushing part was too necessary, but it made me feel better :)



Then you just wait for it to dry!  It really was such a fun project and I cant wait to try it again!



Disclosure: I am a member of the fabric team for LifeStyle Crafts/We R Memory Keepers. I receive products of my choosing in exchange for tutorials and projects shared on MissyDear.