Mention the word stenciling, and most people think of Early American interiors with stylized pineapples, eagles, and scrolling leaves repeated along the walls. It’s a classic case of confusing a technique with a style. Apply modern materials and imagery to the process, and stenciling becomes one of the easiest techniques to explore and one of the most flexible methods for decorative surface design. It can be done on any flat surface, but I prefer to stencil on fabric. I’ve worked out many variations of the basic technique, and I haven’t looked at a piece of cloth or clothing in the same way since.

I use easy-to-cut acetate for stencil material and scraps of foam-rubber sponge to apply the fabric paint, and I can cut out a complex, subtle stencil and be printing in minutes. I’ve even transformed ready-to-wear, like the shirt in the photo above, with stencils,…