Learn how to stencil on fabric with paint to update your clothes and home decor with just a little bit of paint. You can use acrylic paints or textile paints. This is an economical way to update your home and wardrobe!
In this article, I’ll show you how to take a stencil to update a pair of throw pillows.
I had these pillows that I bought at Ikea with their linen covers. I like them but they are so boring, and just, well, white. Why not stencil some dandelions on them? Stenciled pillows are an easy afternoon project that can dress up a room. Here is how to stencil a pillow cover.
The boring before pillows:
Here is my pillow project and how I stenciled fabric to update the throw pillows.
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How to Stencil a Pillow Cover
Learn how easy it is to stencil a design on a pillow cover with these step by step instructions.
You don't need much paint to update your pillow covers.
This is an easy fabric painting project and can be done in just an hour.
Materials
- Pre-made or purchased pillow cover
- Fabric paints in the colors you'd like, if you have Shiva paint sticks, they work great, too. Fabric paints comes a much larger variety of colors and are easy to mix. I like using both, depending on what I'm working on. And, basic acrylic paints work, too.
- Stencil with your design
- Painter's tape or masking tape (I prefer painter's tape)
- Disposable plate
- Piece of cardboard or foam core
Tools
- Stencil brush, firm paint brush or cosmetic sponge
Instructions
- Take the covers off of your pillows and lay them flat on a surface that would be okay if a little paint got on it. Or, cover your surface with a plastic cloth. I love to use the plastic table covers you find at your local dollar store. They work great for several sessions, and when they get where I can use them anymore, I don't feel bad tossing them.
Put a piece of wax paper, plastic (like a plastic bag) or thick paper, cardboard or foam core inside the pillow cover. We wouldn't want the paint to bleed through to the back of the pillow. I used wax paper - it was handy and easy to dispose of.
Here are the paint colors I selected for this project - a golden yellow and red. I am using fabric paints. Here I've put some of the paint on a sheet of wax paper and started mixing them a little bit. I use a stiff stenciling brush to dab the paint on the fabric. Sometimes I use a disposable plate for the paints for my stenciling project.
- I like to tape the stencil to the fabric with painters tape so that it doesn't move or shift during stenciling. Painters tape doesn't leave any reside, as long as you take it off as soon as you are done with your project.
This stencil is a Dandelion and part of the American mixed media line at DecoArts.
- Now I'm ready to put the paint on the stencil! I started with the golden yellow and then added touches of red in places to add visual interest and a little more color to the finished design.
To apply the paint, dab a little paint on the end of your stencil brush. Then, dab the brush with an up and down motion at a 90-degree angle to the fabric. Be gentle so that the stencil doesn't shift. Don't apply a lot of paint at once as it could then bleed under the stencil and your design won't be as crisp. I wanted the centers of the dandelion to stand out a little more so I dabbed them with the red paint.
- Once it was almost dry, I carefully pulled off the stencil and let the paint dry thoroughly overnight. Then I pressed it, per the fabric paint directions, to heat set the paint.
I like using two or more colors of paints wiht my stenciling - make them so much more interesting! - I wanted two pillows with mirrored designs. I thoroughly cleaned and dried my stencil so I could flip it to the other side for the other pillow. Here they are all finished on my love seat! Much better than plain white!
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What kind of paint do you use to stencil a pillow cover?
I like to use textile or fabric paints OR use Shiva paint sticks. Acrylic paints don’t dry as soft and can make the fabric stiff. Always follow the directions with the paint to set the paint on the fabric. Most require heat setting so that the paint is permanent on the fabric. Then the pillow cover can be cleaned and your design will be intact. Shiva paint sticks are oil based and need time to cure and be permanent. See more about working with Shiva paint sticks.
What are the best fabrics for stenciling?
You can stencil on any kind of fabric. If the paint will dry on the fabric, you can stencil it. Test by putting a bit of your paint on a piece of fabric in a seam allowance or scrap of fabric. Let it dry and see how you like it.
Loose weave fabrics will take designs differently than a tighter weave. If you want really clean lines, use a tighter weave fabric.
Can I stencil on upholstery fabrics?
Yes! If the upholstery fabric has a lot of surface texture, like a cut velvet or wide corduroy, you’ll want to make sure to dab the paint very carefully with a smaller brush to make sure you get the paint into the crevices of the fabric and try hard not to shift the stencil while applying the paint.
Tips and ideas on stenciling fabric
- If you use acrylic paints, you can extend them and make them more suitable for fabric by mixing them with a bit of fabric medium.
- Stencil patterns come in a huge variety of designs! You can make your own stencil design by cutting from a piece of freezer paper, light weight plastic or mylar. Learn more about freezer paper stenciling.
- Plastic template stencils can be used on either side, like I did to make mirror image prints. Freezer paper stencils are one sided with a top and a back of your stencil.
- Some people use a light coating of a spray adhesive or stencil spray to secure the stencil to your fabric before painting. I find that the painters tape works well and is easy.
- Test your stencil on a scrap piece of paper before committing to your design. Make sure you like the design and the colors you’ve selected.
- After painting, leave your stencil on your fabric until the paint is dry for clean lines. If you try to remove the stencil when with wet paint, it is easier to get paint where you don’t want it.
- Always start with a clean stencil. You don’t want excess paint from a previous project to mess up your design.
- If you want a fuzzy design, consider adding a few drops of water or a spray of water to your fabric before painting.
- Make or buy a tote bag to stencil for a beginner project! Learn how to make an easy tote bag.
- When stenciling, use a tapping motion, or dabbing at 90 degrees to apply the paint. This will reduce the chance of paint bleeding under the stencil.
Browse through all of the home dec projects and inspiration on Create Whimsy.
