craftgrrl | n00b question: Fabric paint, or paint on fabrics?

Hello ladies and gents,

I posted this question to

sew_hip a little while ago [original post here], and I was told I could get a good bit of advice from all of you also. Here's the copy/paste cross-post:

I've been lurking a while (as I'm sure most people do) and now I finally have a question that I do not feel has ever been answered well enough -- not in here or at the Craftster forums.

I have a few projects in mind that require stencils and that "spray paint went around the edges of the stencil" look. I have worked with stencils on fabric before, with acrylic paint, sponge-brushes, textile medium, and all of that.

But, I have zero experience with spray-painting fabric. What kind/brand of paint works best? What do I do to prime the fabric? When it's done, I need to set it or put a kind of sealant on it to prevent cracking or peeling? I plan on working with metallic spray paint also -- any special advice for that? How about for layering two different colors?

I need all the advice this community can throw at me. Thanks in advance! :)

Anyone?