Stenciling With A Fabric Paint Marker

Stencils And Fabric Paint Markers Can Customize Plain Curtains

Welcome back, my DIY makeover mavens!  Cutting Edge Stencils has said many times that window treatments truly complete the look of a room.  We also believe that stenciling curtains is an easy and affordable way to embellish your windows.  But painting fabric can be a daunting task if you’ve never done it before.  Today we’re going to share a stenciling shortcut using a fabric paint marker.

What is a Fabric Paint Marker?

A fabric marker contains permanent color  that’s designed for optimal performance on most fabric surfaces and will not wash out. The paint markers come in a variety of colors, are sold at craft stores, and make certain projects, like stenciling, super easy.  All you have to do is run the tip of the marker along the edge of the stencil for a clean thin line.

Stenciled Curtains Using A Fabric Paint Marker

We’d like to welcome back Kristi, the clever DIY blogger behind Notes For My Little Ladies.  Just last week, we shared her bedroom nook makeover using our Sophia Trellis Allover Stencil.  Do your remember this gorgeous looking space?

So pretty, right?  Right!  Well Kristi didn’t let that stencil stay clean for long.  She decided to  reuse her Sophia Trellis Allover Stencil for another fabulous DIY project.  It all started when she was looking for a very specific type of curtain for her dining room.  Her problem was that she couldn’t find a curtain that was the right length in a pattern that she loved for a price she could afford.  Then one day, Kristi came across plain white curtain panels from Ikea that were the perfect length.  That’s when her stenciling light bulb went off.  She decided to stencil her own pretty pattern but instead of using acrylic craft paint she wanted to try using a fabric paint marker.  Here’s how they turned out!

Here is the scoop on how to stencil curtains using a fabric paint pen (this project comes from Notes For My Little Ladies):

First you’re gonna need this stuff listed below:

• curtain panels (white RITVA curtains from Ikea were used for this project)
• A stencil (for this project the Sophia Trellis Allover Stencil was used)
• Fabric Paint Pen
• Painter’s tape
• Paper towels
• plastic tablecloth

1. Gather Materials: Start the stencil project by gathering all of the materials listed above.  If it’s needed, iron the curtain panels to remove any wrinkles.

2. Secure The Stencil: Find a flat surface, like the floor, to complete your stencil process.  First, Kristi put down a plastic tablecloth on the floor to catch any paint that might seep through the curtains.  Then she placed the curtain panel on top of the plastic tablecloth.  Position the stencil design on the curtain panel. Then you can secure the stencil in place using painter’s tape.

3. Start Stenciling:  Use the fabric paint marker to trace the outline of the stencil design.  Be careful not to put too much pressure on the paint marker.  Too much paint will cause the design to bleed and smudge. For this project, Kristi used a black fabric paint marker that she purchased at Walmart.

4. Complete the Pattern:  Allow the paint to dry a little and reposition the stencil so you can continue to paint the pattern on the entire curtain panel. Once the curtain panel is complete, check to see if there is a heat setting required for the fabric paint.  If there is, then you may have to run a hot iron over the curtain panel once it’s painted.  Kristi’s did not require this and she let the paint dry for about two hours before she hung her curtains.

Here are Kristi’s stenciled curtains hanging in her dining room.  Kristi says that working with a fabric paint marker, “Worked like a charm!”

Here is a close-up of the stencil work.  Kristi said, “Love how they turned out!! Thank you, Cutting Edge Stencils, for such a great stencil that has now been used in two rooms of my house! :) ”

Tell us, what do you think of the idea of stenciling curtains with a fabric paint marker? Leave us a comment below.

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