Martin Luther meets Freezer Paper

Hey there! I'm back! My early fall has been chock-full of travels, but I am back and settling down into my normal routines once more. Blogging (and creativity!) will hopefully resume with a bit of regularity as well.

If you've been reading along for any time now, you know I tend to dabble in all things crafty. Since Reformation Day is quickly approaching (October 31), I thought I'd share this tutorial for making your very own Martin Luther shirt! My husband was in need of a costume for our church's annual Reformation Day party, and this was a quick fix. (Not technically a costume, but it kept the spirit of the event!).

For your supplies, you'll need a tshirt, freezer paper, pencil, iron, X-Acto knife, Tulip fabric paint, and a brush.

First you'll need to find an image you want to make into a stencil. I searched the web for a portrait of Luther and then adjusted the contrast in a photo editing program. You want to get it nearly black and white, paying attention to the black areas. These will become your final image, so keep them them big enough to cut out with an X-Acto knife. I tried to keep them connected so it was as few shapes as possible. Feel free to use some artistic license! Size you image to the desired final size and click print.

Here's my work in progress. I used the famous portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder for my starting point.

Next, transfer your image to the dull side of freezer paper. An easy way to do this is to print out the image, then cover the back of the print with graphite. Then lay the print right side up on the freezer paper and trace around the shapes. The pressure from tracing will press the graphite onto the freezer paper, like the old fashioned carbon copies.

Carefully cut out all your shapes with an X-Acto knife. It's a good idea to have a few sharp blades handy. Dull blades tend to tear the paper. 

Smooth out your tshirt and insert a piece of cardboard (such as a cereal box) into the shirt to keep the paint from bleeding through. Center your freezer paper stencil on the shirt and gently iron it on. A low temp setting works well. Test the edges to make sure they're sealed down.

(sorry - no pic of this step!)

Now you get to paint your stencil!! I brushed paint onto the shirt rather thinly because I wanted a worn/faded look to the final piece. Make sure to overlap paint onto the paper so your edges are well defined. Let it dry about 30 min.

Slowly, carefully, peel up the paper.

That's it! Enjoy wearing your new creation! 

This was four years ago, and the paint has held up very well through many washings.