12 easy steps to stencil tea towels using Mont Marte fabric paints

Yesterday I showed you two different ways to make stencils out of freezer paper. Today I’ll use Mont Marte Signature Fabric Paints and Odif OdiShine Glitter Gel to stencil my design onto plain cotton tea towels.

Step 1 Pour paint onto the palette.

I’ve decided to stick with a spring color palette of pink, purple, yellow and green, so first I’ll pour a bit of the pink paint onto a Mont Marte Round Plastic Palette. The paint is quite thick (which helps it to not run on the fabric) so it’s easy to control how much comes out. I’ll use a couple of foam hobby brushes to pick up the paint.

Step 2 Dab paint onto the stencil.

Instead of brushing the paint across the surface of the stencil, I’ll use the foam brush to dab it onto the tea towel. This makes it easier to control where the paint goes and helps to prevent the edges of the stencil from lifting and allowing the paint to run under.

Step 3 Add different colors.

Next, I’ll load up a second foam brush with some of the purple paint. I’ve decided to paint the words with two colors instead of just one to add more interest to the design. I’ll also dab some of the purple paint over top of the pink to mix them a bit and create less of a distinct line between the two colors.

Step 4 Try different applicators.

My foam brushes are quite large, and the flower design is small so I’ll try using a makeup sponge to dab the yellow paint in that area.

Step 5 Mix colors.

All of the Mont Marte Signature Fabric Paints can be mixed to create new colors. I’ll try mixing a little of the Sap Green with some of the Light Green to color my leaves and stems.

The Mont Marte Signature Fabric Paints set didn’t have an orange, so I’ll try mixing Pink and Cadmium Yellow to see what I get.

Step 6 Add shading.

The Pink and Cadmium Yellow paints created a nice orange color that I’ll use to add some shading. The best way to do this is to use the sponge and make strokes from the stencil onto the painted surface of the tea towel. You don’t want to brush from the center to the edge of the stencil because you might lift the edge and mess up the crisp line.

Step 7 Add glitter.

In my QUILTsocial post 6 easy steps to add glamour to your wall quilt with OdiShine Glitter Gel on January 9th, I showed you how to use the OdiShine applicator to apply the gel to a stencil. Today I just want to add a little glitter to my tea towels, so I’ll use a paintbrush instead.

I’ll use the same motion to add the glitter as I did with the shading. I’ll put a little bit of the Odif OdiShine Glitter Gel – Opal 65g on the brush and then pull it from the stencil into the middle of the stenciled area.

Step 8 Clean brushes.

Before the Mont Marte Signature Fabric Paints and Odif OdiShine Glitter Gel – Opal 65g dries on my sponges and brushes, I’ll take a minute to clean them with soap and water and then set them aside to dry.

Step 9 Remove stencil.

I’ll carefully remove the stencil next, making sure not to smudge any of the paint that’s still drying. I didn’t apply the paint too thickly, so it almost feels dry to the touch.

Step 10 Allow to dry.

Next, I’ll set the tea towels in a safe place and allow them to dry overnight.

Step 11 Iron.

To ‘fix’ the paint, I’ll place a cloth over the design and iron for 3-5 minutes at 100°C (212°F). Now the paint is permanent and I can machine wash and dry my tea towels when needed.

Step 12 Enjoy.

My tea towels are all done and ready to hang on the handle of my stove. Now to just keep my mischievous dog Piper away from them – she loves to take off with any tea towels that are hanging there!

This was a quick and fun project and I’m already thinking of other things I can stencil! The Mont Marte Signature Fabric Paints and Odif OdiShine Glitter Gel were really easy to use and the results are fantastic! Tomorrow I’ll start making the background for the spring banner – see you then.

This is part 2 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 1: 2 ways to make stencils with freezer paper | A spring project

Go to part 3: 2 ways to showcase thread in your quilting project | 8 steps to WOW!