In this project, a choice of strong, hard, geometric shapes has been tempered by the use of pale, pearlescent colors, creating a wall hanging that would be delightful to install almost anywhere in the house (though it may not last too long in a bathroom or a steamy kitchen). Because the technique is so straight forward, once you feel confident with it you can develop your own shapes and patterns, and choose your own colors, in order to tailor the design to the personality and style of your home.

You Will Need:

• Sheets of unprinted newsprint (or wallpaper lining paper), measuring 50×70cm, or the size of your screen.
• Cutting Mat
• Craft Knife
• Rule
• Masking Tape
• Screen Measuring about 50×70cm
• Roll of 1200 or 1400 grade lining paper
• Large printing surface
• Overalls, apron or old shirt
• Plastic Gloves
• Protective Goggles
• About 500ml ready mix pearled textile pigment dyes in each of 2 or 3 pastel colors.
• Specialist screen printing squeegee
• Brick (optional)
• Wallpaper paste, tacks or self-adhesive hook and loop tape

The “How-To”:

1. Put a sheet of newsprint on the cutting mat and use the craft knife to cut out a rectangle within it – the rectangle should be no longer than 50cm and no wider than 38.5cm. This will be the first stencil pattern.
2. Tape the stencil to the back of the screen, positioned so that the reservoir area of 10-15cm is created at one end of the screen. Hold the screen up to the light to check that all non printing areas are covered by the stencil.
3. Tape the lining paper (either way up) to your printing surface and place the screen on it anywhere you like, allowing at least 20cm at the top for hanging. Wearing overalls, gloves and goggles, pour about 300ml of your first color dye onto one end of the screen.
4. Then, holding the frame with one hand and the squeegee with the other, pull the paste firmly and smoothly across the screen 2 or 3 times. Vary the angle of the squeegee and the pressure to apply more or less paste (the lower down the squeegee, the more ink you will squeeze through). You could place the brick at one end of the screen to hold it in place and use both hands.
5. Carefully lift the screen away from the paper and place elsewhere to start printing a pattern. You will need to print quickly to prevent the paste from drying on the screen.
6. After printing as many rectangles in this color and size as you wish, scrape any excess paste back into the pot, throw away the paper stencil and clean the screen and squeegee under cold running water. Make another paper stencil in a similar size and choose another color, then repeat steps 2 and 5 to build up a varied pattern. If you decide to overlap any printing areas, ensure that the dye on the area you have already printed is dry. When you have decorated your desired area, neatly trim the lining paper top and bottom and allow to dry. Paste onto the wall as normal wallpaper, or use tacks or a strip of self-adhesive hook and loop tape.

Read This Article to find info on what Screen Printing is, and Here to learn how to stencil.

If you would like to make decorative floor cushions for yourself, Click Here.