Paper Options
Freezer paper is your best bet for making a clean stencil on fabric. It comes in a roll and can be found at your local grocery store. It is not the same as wax paper, parchment paper, or any of the other papers you find next to aluminum foil. If you cannot find it locally, there are many places you can find it online. Freezer paper makes a one time use stencil.
To use it, cut out a sheet that will fit your printer (8.5 x 11 inches is the size of a standard sheet of printer paper in the US) and flatten it out by rolling it in the opposite direction of setting it under something heavy. Print your stencil onto the non-slick side and cut it out normally. Iron it to the material, slick side down. Paint it, wait until it dries, then carefully peel it off.
Contact paper comes on a roll and is typically used to line cabinets and drawers. It is sticky, you peel off the paper side and stick it on without an iron. Stencils made with contact paper can be used more than once, but the results are not as good, bleeds are more likely to happen. You can use contact paper on canvas as well as fabric. It is found at office and paper stores, and comes on a roll as big as gift wrap. It is easy to use and long lasting, but the results are not clean.
For fabric, I use full sheet adhesive labels, found at my local office supply store. It is similar to contact paper in that it is adhesive, but that’s where similarities end. I get better results than I ever did with freezer paper. It makes a one time use stencil, but the adhesive sticks really well, and that means no bleeding and clean edges.
Regular printer paper can be used for stenciling, but is not recommended. It is thin and paint can leak right through it. Cardstock (heavy paper) is a better option, as it can be used multiple times.
Transparency sheets, or other thin plastic sheets can be used to make stencils you want to reuse indefinitely. It can be found at office and school supply stores.
You will need to use temporary spray adhesive to bond your stencil to fabric or canvas if you are not using freezer or contact paper. Spray the adhesive onto the bottom side of the stencil, wait for it to get tacky and stick it onto your material. It is important to test your materials before you commit to something vital. Spray adhesive can stain your fabric or leave residue behind.
