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MY TECHNIQUES FOR STENCIL

Cotton dish towel with borders of boats and stars
(a very easy item that you can see in my Stencil Gallery)

You will need:
Cotton or linen fabric in a light color (ecru is best),
Stencil colors (I recommend the compact ones, sold in little boxes)
Stencil brushes (one for each color), Stencil plate,
Adhesive paper tape, Solvent to clean your brushes.

Cut a piece of fabric of approx 30" x 22".
Wash it in lukewarm water to remove any starching, then iron it.

Place the stencil plate on the fabric and measure the length of the design
to see if and how many times it should be repeated to complete your border.

Once you have decided the position of the design,
fix the borders of the stencil plate to the fabric using the adhesive paper tape.

Before starting with the first color (in this case the blue)
cover up with tape the cut outs which will have to be painted in other colors,
thus isolating them from the application of the blue.
This process is generally not necessary with multiple stencil plates
(2, 3 and even 4 or 5 different sheets to be used one after the other).
In that case the cut outs are not as close to each other as in single plates,
so there is no risk of "invasions" of the wrong colors.
The multiple stencil plates also eliminate the "bridges"
which are typical of traditional stencil,
thus giving a beautiful pictorial effect similar to a real painting.

Okay, now dip the brush in the color (don't take too much if it!!!!)
eliminate any excess on a scottex sheet,
and then start painting, PADDING the color over the plate
(do not "brush" as it may move the fabric thus causing color overruns).

Insist more with the color where you want a darker shade.
To deepen the shaded effect you can apply a darker color to selected areas.

Continue with the next colors, using the same technique.
Apply one color at the time, changing the brush every time you change the color.

When all the colors are completed,
remove the stencil plate and wash it with a wet scottex sheet.

For the upper border of my dish-towel
I have painted some scattered stars, which are part of the same plate.

The colors will feel dry to the touch almost immediately,
but they will need approximately 4 days to dry completely.

After 2 days, iron the design to definitely fix the colors.
Place a scottex sheet against the design (to absorbe possible excesses)
and iron it first on the right side and then on the reverse.

After this final process, your stencil can be safely washed in lukewarm water
(hand washing is best, and - as an additional precaution -
you may want to add some white vinegar to the water of the first wash)

And now that you have learnt the stencil technique, you can go wild
with curtains, tablecloths, towels (see my Stencil Gallery for inspirations...),
and even try out the stencil on different materials
such as wood, metal, or your home walls.....

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www.gonecountrygraphics.com