Get Your Craft On Using Freezer Paper Stencils

If you’re a crafty person by nature, or if you’re looking for a new project for you or your friends and family to try, you’re in for a treat!

Imagine being able to screenprint your own t-shirt, add a vibrant design to a plan quilt or throw pillow, or design personalized wall decor in just minutes, all without spending a fortune. That’s what you get when you learn to use freezer paper stencils.

This craft project is quick and simple to do, it’s affordable, and it’s super versatile too! There are actually two different, but equally effective, methods you can experiment with depending on what kind of finished product you have in mind.

So, let’s start with a basic how-to, and then check out some inspiring examples!

The traditional freezer paper stencil

The original method requires a piece of freezer paper, an iron, an X-Acto Knife, whatever fabric you want to stencil on, and paint that’s designed for that kind of surface. A longer supply list to make the job even easier can be found here. Using the knife, cut out whatever shape(s) from the freezer paper you want to stencil onto the fabric.

1. Lay out the freezer paper so the design you cut out is where you want it and make sure you have the glossy side down.
2. Using the iron on a relatively high heat, make a few passes on the freezer paper while being careful not to move it. (This is the key step: because of freezer paper’s unique design - coated on one side and uncoated on the other - heating it with the iron temporarily adheres the paper to the material so that it won’t move and no paint will leak through at the edges of the stencil.)
3. Apply paint to the freezer paper liberally to completely fill the stenciled space, then wait for it to dry.
4. Gently peel off the freezer paper, and you have a beautifully stenciled item that looks professionally made!

You can imagine how many possibilities this simple process offers once the creative right side of your brain kicks in. (Hint: the same process works perfectly in reverse if you want to use the freezer paper to cover negative space and paint inside the shape. Or, do a combination of both!)

Freezer paper quilting patterns

Freezer paper also makes a fantastic pattern for quilting, especially when working with free-flowing designs that may cross over squares or that require intricate maneuvering of the material to perfect the details. Here’s a quick breakdown with pictures for inspiration.

Similar to the method above, start with one or more patterns you want to quilt, which you’ll draw on and cut from a sheet of freezer paper.

1. Put the freezer paper glossy side down on your quilt wherever you want it.
2. This time, you’ll still want the iron hot, but it’s important to only dab at the paper a few times until it adheres. Keeping the iron on the fabric for too long could heat up or even melt the batting inside.
3. Now begin quilting directly around - or even right through - the freezer paper stencil as a guide for either machine- or free-moving quilting.
4. When you’re done, simply peel the stencil off the quilt and reapply if you’d like. One stencil will work well several times over, especially if you’re not sewing through it.

Again, this basic method opens the door to thousands of creative options you can use to enhance your quilts and build your quilting skills. (Hint: If you have a lot of identical designs you want to quilt, start the project with a stack of several sheets of freezer paper and cut a number of stencils out at once. This will provide better uniformity than trying to match the original after it’s been used and possibly ripped or perforated.)

Ready to start your quilting project? Order your quilting freezer paper sheets easily on Amazon.

Great examples of creative freezer paper stenciling projects

• Stenciled letters on reclaimed wood
• Staff t-shirt design
• Thanksgiving throw pillow
• Cute and colorful onesies
• Gorgeous antiqued table
• Fun monogrammed t-shirt

Have fun getting your craft on using freezer paper stencils! Send us your project photos, we’d love to see them. And if you run out of freezer paper, here’s a great place to get some more so you can keep on creating!