Making a Stencil for T-Shirts
Up to 1 hour
Pre-K – 12+
What Will You Learn?
Learn how to make an easy stencil by hand that can be used to decorate Maker Camp t-shirts.
From Family Maker Camp 2020
Watch the first half of this video to learn how to prepare your stencil!
Prepare your Stencil
Step 1
Start by printing your stencil image onto copy paper or cardstock. A template of our mascot, Makey, is easy to start with.
Step 2
You may want to consider glueing your paper stencil to a heavier weight material such as a manilla folder or cardboard from a box of crackers or cereal. To make a water-proof stencil, you can tape your paper stencil to craft vinyl, contact paper, freezer paper or a thin flexible kitchen cutting sheet. A heavyweight or waterproof stencil will be easier to use.
Cut your Stencil
Step 3
Using either .sharp scissors or a craft knife, carefully remove the black portions of the stencil. The white portions will be the “mask”, stopping paint or marker from going through to the shirt. Be careful around the “bridges” of the stencil. These connect the “islands” to one another. Without them, the stencil will fall apart when you apply it to the shirt
Step 3
If you accidentally make a mistake and cut the wrong area, use a bit of masking tape to repair the damage.
If you have a digital craft cutter like a Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo, you can simply cut the stencil using the machine. You can download an SVG at https://bit.ly/makeystencilsvg
What's Next?
Continue on to the next project, Using Your Stencil for T-Shirts for ways to use your stencil. Or check out The Big Book of Maker Camp Projects by Sandy Roberts, to create color-changing, spin art, bleached, or soil-painted Maker Camp t-shirts.
Materials:
- Paper, card stock, freezer paper, or contact paper for your stencil
- A craft knife and cutting mat (optional)
- Sharp scissors
- Makey stencil PDF template
Maker Camp Project Standards
Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. These standards provide goals for Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art. The Anchor Standards include:- Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
- Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
- Refine and complete artistic work.
- Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
- Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
- Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
- Perceive and analyze artistic work.
- Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
- Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
- Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
- Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. Also see Standards with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art for Visual Arts.NGSS MS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
NGSS HS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
- HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
- HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
- 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
