Bleach Stencling With Doilies

Who knew Grandma's doilies could make cool shirts?

Posted by Ryals_Shoal

About

Inspired by one black shirt ruined by a few drops of bleach, and the beautiful designs of Indonesian Batik fabric.

Check out more examples of
Indonesian Batick fabric prints

You can easily get Doilies from the thrift store or dollar store.

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You Will Need (10 things)

  • Spray Bottle
  • 1 tbsp Bleach for every cup of water
  • T Shirt desired bleachable fabric, preferably cotton
  • Used Newspaper or whatever you might like to use to protect your surface from bleach
  • Stiff Cardboard to go inside the shirt to prevent from soaking through
  • Doilies of your choice or any other lace pattern
  • Rubber Gloves to protect your hands from bleach
  • Old Clothes to wear that you don't mind getting bleach on
  • Tin Foil or Wax Paper
  • Large heavy Book

Steps (15 steps, 120 minutes)

  1. 1

    Since you will be working with bleach, I recommend wearing old clothing suitable for the job.

    Start off by cutting through one edge of a thin (but sturdy) cardboard box, then unfold it and lay it flat. The cardboard will be used to slip inside the shirt to prevent the bleach from soaking through to the other side.

  2. 2

    Lay out your newspapers, leaving pleanty all around your work area to prevent bleach from the spraybottle getting on the table.

    Slip the cardboard into the shirt, making sure that it snugly fits and position the shirt over the newspapers.

  3. 3

    Position the doily where you would like your pattern, making sure that both the doily and the T-shirt are smoothed out flat.

  4. 4

    Make sure that the spray bottle nozzel is set to MIST.

    Then spray the bleach water evenly onto the doily. Depending on the quality of the spray bottle, it may drip while you spray.

  5. 5

    Wait a few minutes for the bleach to take effect, and carefully check under the doily to see if the bleach is having the desired intensity. You can adjust the intensity by placing the doily back and spray it again.

  6. 6

    I then used a different type of doily for the neckline of the shirt.

  7. 7

    The shirt is still a little wet, but the outline of the doily can be seen...it looks a bit like something out of the Mothman Prophecies movie to me! o_O;

  8. 8

    I decided to modify my T-shirt into a tank top, I did this by trimming off the neck hem and the sleeves.

  9. 9

    Ta da! The finished product! Be sure that it is completely dry before you handle the fabric.

  10. 10

    For a different technique of bleach doilies, you will need the tin foil (or wax paper) and the heavy book.

    Pour your bleach water into a large bowl.

  11. 11

    Soak the doilie, then wring it out getting as much water out of it. If it is too wet the pattern will bleed on the shirt.

  12. 12

    Carefully place the wet doily on the shirt, taking care that the doily is smoothed out.

  13. 13

    Place the tin foil (or wax paper) over the shirt.

  14. 14

    Then set a big heavy book onto the area where the doily is placed. Wait 10-20 minutes.

  15. 15

    Take off the book, tinfoil, and carefully peel the doily and marvel at your creation! Be sure that the fabric is completely dry before you handle the fabric. Good luck! :)