stenciled curtains - tutorial

stenciled curtains - tutorial

What you'll need:

• fabric or pre-sewn curtains
• paint and roller (I used Martha Stewart Zinc)
• stencil paper (found mine at Hobby Lobby)
• print out of pattern
• pencil
• Xacto knife
•  clear packing tape (if taping two pieces of stencil paper together)

How to do it:

STEP ONE:  Print out the pattern you are wanting to stencil.  I found a pillow with a print I liked online, but wanted the print to be much larger.  I enlarged the image and had it printed out on several sheets and taped them together.



STEP TWO:  Place the stencil paper on top of your image.  Use a pencil to trace the pattern onto the paper.  Mark the areas you don't want to keep when cutting out the stencil.  Note:  I taped two pieces of stencil paper together using clear packing tape for a larger stencil.



STEP THREE:  Carefully cut out your stencil using an Xacto knife on a protected surface.  Make sure you leave yourself a boarder around all edges of your stencil so it stays together.



STEP FOUR:  Time for painting!  Lay out your fabric or curtains onto a safe, flat surface (I placed trash bags in between my wood floors and the curtains.  Place your stencil on top of the curtain and start rolling on your paint.  Start off with a light layer of paint and build up once you find the right amount.  Too much paint on the roller can cause paint to seep under the stencil.

STEP FIVE:  Carefully lift up your stencil and reposition.  Keep on painting!  If you get a little off centered like I did along the side, you can always go back and touch up those sections later.

STEP 6:  Let your fabric dry completely before moving, and then enjoy your completely custom pattern!

I did end up switching out the silver grommets for black in order to match the curtain rod.  I just flipped the curtains upside down, turning the old grommets under to make a new bottom hem, and then added new black grommets.

I'm pretty thrilled with the result.  Even more thrilled that I got the exact pattern I wanted, but couldn't find anywhere.  Well, I'm sure I could have found something similar.  It would have just cost me an arm and a leg.  Now go find a pattern you love and make yourself something fun!