After seeing this gorgeous stenciled blouse on Kasia’s blog, I was dying to try out fabric stenciling myself. So I went to Michaels and picked up some acrylic fabric paints, stencils and got to work. I have piles and piles of boring, solid color fabric that I got cheaply from thrift stores (various bed linens, curtains, etc) so I thought that this would be the perfect way to jazz them up. It took a bit of practice, as I foolishly chose to pay little attention to the warnings of experienced stencilers to not overload the brush with too much paint. Not a good idea, and as a result, my first attempt ended up in the waste bin. Too much paint will cause the color to bleed underneath the borders of the stencils. You really have to make sure that your brush is almost dry when you’re dabbing your paint on. Yes, dabbing (in an up and down, perpendicular motion) — as opposed to brushing. It takes a few coats (which can be a bit wearing on the wrist muscles) in order to achieve an opaque finish — but the outcome is quite beautiful, I think!
Here’s some stenciling I did on a wristlet pouch and basic tote that I made out of a couple of thriftstore bedsheets. I used Tulip brand Soft fabric paint.
THE INCURABLE HOMEBODY 
Your stencils look sooo good! NIce work. I wish I had some time for my crafts, now. I am jealous.
Hello my name is Luciana and I came across your blog on the BurdaStyle website and was interested in your profile. I am new to the sewing game and have so many great ideas for blouses and dresses but do not have the motivation or tools to get me started. I do not know where to begin from picking the right dressform,how to follow a pattern, or even how to use my sewing machine properly. Is there any way that you can give me some tips and as many pointers as you can to give me that extra boost? Reading your blog has inspired me to get on here and actually post for help which is not something I would normally do but, I would much rather ask for help and get guided in the right direction from someone who has just started out not that long ago and is doing an excellent job. Thanks for taking the time out to read this and I can’t wait to hear your response!
These are so beautiful! I love that you can make plain bedsheets into something as fabulous as this.
hana and kasia — many thanks!
luciana — i know exactly how you feel as i was where you are just a few months ago. the best advice i can give is for you to enroll in a basic sewing class because there’s no substitute for in-person training. i initially attempted to teach myself using the internet and books, but couldn’t gain enough momentum that way. i took a one-time class on machine basics (i got to bring my own machine in) and i learned enough in that one lesson to make a very simple unlined tote bag. from there, i started buying books (my favorite is Wendy Mullin’s Sew U) which taught me about fabrics, how to sew with patterns, etc. so, i definitely encourage you, first and foremost, to find a class (or an experienced friend or relative) to show you how to properly use your machine. then just dive in! don’t be afraid to make mistakes — we all make them, experienced or not! there are so many resources online to turn to if you need help, including the wonderful community on Burdastyle. really hope that this helps you!