Freezer Paper Stenciling on Fabric

Instructions

1. Start by finding a bone image in the public domain, or draw one. Using public domain clip art, I found a dog bone image that I could edit to make multiples and in the right size to give me a "field" of bone-stars that measured about 6" X 6". This was a snug fit for my 92-pound dog - adjust up or down to fit your dog. I printed onto the dull side of the freezer paper with my ink jet printer, then cut out the bones/stars. Freezer paper makes for great temporary stencils, in any share you can cut out!
2. Iron the freezer paper stencil to the right side of the blue fabric. Prepare your white Shiva Paintstik by cutting away the hard film from one end with the craft knife. Have your brush ready Keep anything you don't want painted white out of reach - oil paint is forever!
3. Apply the paint directly to the stencil brush in a well-ventilated area. Taking care to keep the freezer paper stencil attached to the fabric, paint each dog bone from the outside edge to the center - this will help you keep your outline nice and crisp. Apply two or more coats to achieve the effect you want. When you are done painting, your Paintstik will develop a new protective coating until you are ready to use it again. Shiva Paintstiks are great on fabric because the hand of the fabric stays soft - doesn't get stiff like craft paints can.
4. Using a press cloth to protect your iron, heat set the paint. Here is a completed field of blue with doggy "stars". When the paint is dry, cut your painted fabric into a 6-1/2" by 6-1/2" square, or the appropriate size for your dog.
5. Using your rotary cutter and mat, cut the red and white fabrics into 1-1/2" strips that are 22: long. With three (3) red and two (2) white strips, sew an alternating strip set right sides together with a 1/4" seam, beginning and ending with a red strip.
6. Cut two (2) 90-degree triangles with a red strip along the long edge and a red strip at the 90-degree corner. Matching the long red stripes at a blue corner, sew the triangle strip sets to adjacent sides of the blue square, right sides together. Be careful not to stretch the bias edge of the strip sets. If your stripes are a bit longer than the blue square, you can square it up later. Press seams to your preference. See our article on pressing seams.
7. Use your rotary cutter and ruler to neaten the long red edge of your red, white and blue triangle 1/4" from the blue corner.
8. Using a 1/4" seam, add a white strip to the long red edge, offsetting the white fabric with an extra inch or so. Then add a red strip in the same way. Continue alternating strips until your kerchief is the right size for your dog. I added four (4) strips for my big dog, and I could have added more to make it easier to tie.
9. Here's the "top" sewn and ready for trimming. Using the blue square as your guide, trim the uneven raw edges of the stripes to make a large stars and stripes triangle.
10. Sew a backing fabric around the edges, right sides together, leaving an opening for turning. Turn the kerchief right side out, pres, and topstitch along the outside edge.
11. And the finished dog kerchief! (Made some for the grand dogs, too.