Make being on the Naughty List a whole lot sweeter this Christmas with a stenciled Lump of Coal Gift Bag!
I love creating handmade Christmas gifts, and especially love making them for my husband's co-workers. This year, we've put everyone we know on the Naughty List, and they're all going to receive some hilarious Lump of Coal Gift Bags that I made using just drawstring bags and a custom stencil (thanks to my Ikonart kit). This is such a fun and simple project to make, and they look just how I imagined once they were filled with homemade coal treats! I've been so excited to show you how to make this festive and funny holiday gift, plus I've got the FREE design so that you can make some for your Naughty-Lister friends!!
New to making reusable stencils? Here's how to Get Started with Ikonart!
To make your own Christmas Lump of Coal Gift Bag, you will need these supplies:
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To make a stencil, you need to start with a printed design. Download the Lumps of Coal Bag Design (for personal use only) and print the design as dark as possible on either inkjet or laser Ikonart Printer Film.
The next step in the process is to expose the stencil film. For this project, you need to use the purple Ikonart Textile Film instead of the blue Ikonart Stencil Film. The purple film works just like the blue film, but it's stickier and a little more stiff, which makes it perfect for using on fabric and other textured or difficult surfaces.
Set up the exposure stand with UV LED Light by following the directions included in the kit. The Textile Film is light sensitive, so be careful to keep it out of sunlight and bright lights before exposure. Cut a piece of the film the same size as the design print.
Lay the piece of film down on the base of the stand with the textured side facing UP. Place the printed design on top of the stencil film, making sure it's right-side up. This means that if there are words in your design, you should be able to read them.
Lastly, place the clear exposure sheet (found in the stencil film pack) on top and press it down well to seal the design tight against the stencil film. Turn the exposure light on and expose the film for 30-35 seconds.
The final step in the stencil-making process is to washout, or rinse, the stencil. Clip the exposed stencil film to the Ikonart clipboard with the shiny side (carrier sheet) touching the clipboard. Use the kitchen sink sprayer to rinse the stencil film with warm water until the design shows through and becomes completely clear. The washout process shouldn't take more than 3 minutes.
Gently blot excess water off the the stencil, and hang or lay flat to dry for about 45 minutes. When the stencil is dry, you shouldn't see any water spots or discoloration. Once the stencil is completely dried, place the it back on the exposure stand and expose it again for at least 2 minutes without the clear cover sheet. This extra exposure will increase the durability of the stencil so you can get as much use out of it as possible.
Use a permanent marker and write "back" on the carrier sheet (shiny side) on the back of the stencil. This helps later when you put the carrier sheet and the stencil back together when you are done using it.
You will need a small piece of thick cardstock or cardboard inside the bag to help to block the paint or ink from bleeding through to the back. Slide the cardstock or cardboard into the bag and make sure that there aren't any wrinkles. Use a lint roller over the surface of the bag to remove any debris from the front.
Center the stencil on the front of the bag. Press the stencil down well against the fabric, making sure that it's completely flat.
Apply a thin line of black Speedball Fabric Ink along the edge of the stencil, and then use the squeegee to lightly pull the paint across. Keep dragging the paint over the stencil until it has been completely covered. Scrape away the excess paint and put it back into the bottle.
Carefully lift the stencil starting at one corner and pull it up about halfway. If you see any areas that need more coverage, lay the stencil back down and go over it again with a little more fabric paint/fabric ink and squeegee. Lift the stencil again and remove it completely once you are satisfied with the coverage.
Let the fabric ink dry for at least 24 hours, and then heat-set the paint using an iron or EasyPress.
Quick Tip:
To help the paint dry faster on fabric projects, get out a hair dryer and go over it for a few minutes using low heat. It works great and saves you so much time!!
While you're waiting for it to dry, really look at how this stencil came out! Can you even IMAGINE trying to weed this design out of vinyl? No, thanks.
Did you know that you can use the stencil multiple times in one go? As long as you don't get bleeding underneath, you can move on to create coal gift bags for everyone you know without having to wash the stencil in between!
STENCIL WASHING:
Once you are finished with the stencil, wash the paint away immediately. First, get the clipboard wet so your stencil doesn't stick to it. Place the stencil on the clipboard with the textured side up, and lightly rub the stencil under cold running water to remove all the paint. Do not rub or scrub the adhesive side of the stencil, and NEVER use anything other than water to wash the stencils. Staining on the front of the stencil is normal. To prevent the stencil from breaking down, don't ever leave the stencils to soak.
Remove the stencil from the clipboard and lay it down with the adhesive side up. While the stencil is still wet, place the carrier sheet onto the stencil so that the word “BACK” is readable. Hang or lay the stencil flat to dry completely.
Now you can fill the newly customized bags with homemade Santa's coal treats (recipe coming soon!)! I absolutely LOVE how these Lump of Coal Gift Bags turned out, and can't wait to give them to all of my naughty friends and family! Ikonart truly made this project so simple and fun.
I'd love to hear what you think about this project, or if you want to know more about Ikonart's reusable stencils. If you've made your own stenciled projects, I would love to see your creations! Share them on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #AFMCrafts!
Looking for more handmade gift inspiration?
Check out this collection of OVER 100 creative handmade Christmas gift ideas!!
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