You will be spraying the area around the stencil to create a reverse stencil effect. Something about the size of your hand would be ideal. You can try using store-bought stencils, but make sure that they are reverse stencils, where it is just a solid shape, and not a cut-out.
You can find freezer paper in a grocery store alongside the wax paper, parchment paper, aluminum foil, etc. If you can’t find freezer paper, use contact paper instead. Do not use wax paper or parchment paper; they are not the same thing.
Do not iron contact paper, or you will melt it. Instead, peel the backing off, then press the contact paper to the shirt.
If you want a more drastic effect, use 70% bleach and 30% water instead. Work in a well-ventilated area, and protect your work surface against stains and spills.
Hold the bottle closer to the shirt to make the bleach more saturated, and further away to make it fainter. Apply the bleach strategically, as it will pull the color from any fabric it touches or splashes on. Bleach the areas closest to the outline of your stencil the most. This will create a nice outline in the end. Be careful with contact paper. If you spray too much bleach, the solution will melt the glue holding the contact paper to the T shirt.
You don’t have to wait for the bleach to turn white. Once you are happy with the effect, you are ready for the next step.
Save the stencil if you wish to reuse it. Discard it if you don’t want to reuse it. You won’t be able to reuse contact paper stencils; there will be too much fuzzy stuff on the back for it to stick again.
Do not wash the shirt with other white garments from this step. Many colored T shirts contain dyes that may come off in the wash and stain white garments.
Use a ratio of 1 part bleach and 1 part water.
Tuck a piece of cardboard into the shirt if you don’t want the design to transfer to the back. Remove the cardboard before rinsing the shirt.
Tuck a sheet of cardboard into the shirt first if you don’t want the design to transfer to the back. Remove the cardboard before you rinse, wash, and dry the shirt. Create “stars” by flicking bleach onto the shirt with a stiff bristle paintbrush. The closer you hold the spray bottle to the shirt, the more saturated the bleach effect will be. The further you hold the bottle, the lighter the bleach effect will be.
You can find bleach pens in the laundry or cleaning department of a grocery store. They are typically used to clean between tiles.
Use a solution of 1 part bleach and 1 part water. Make sure that you coat both sides of the shirt evenly, or the stripes won’t come out right. Place 2 to 3 strips of painter’s tape together to create thicker stripes.
