Hidden Threads

If you are interested in a quick and easy way to see if you’d like fabric painting, I have a story to tell you:

About two years ago, I decided that I wanted to see if I could paint fabric.  I’m not an artist, so I didn’t want to make a big investment.  Let’s face it, quilting isn’t a cheap hobby, and I had the idea that if I wanted to spend money, I wanted it to be on fabric that I knew was beautiful, not on my fumbling attempts at making something presentable.

I read somewhere, I’d tell you where, but I can’t remember . . . I read that you can use inexpensive acrylic paints (the stuff in the little bottles you find at the craft store) to paint fabric, and I thought that might be a good place to start.  This was in the fall, and within a couple of weeks I found a sale at a major crafts store that had craft paint on sale three bottles for a dollar.  I bought a few dollars worth of paint, a couple of brushes, some sponges, and one stamp (a cat’s paw print).

Now, I needed some fabric.  I wanted ready to dye fabric, some quality muslin, but couldn’t find any around, so I started looking for sales on 200 thread count sheets that were 100% cotton.  When I found a sale, I bought a couple of white flat sheets.

Now, we move on to the fun part.  And it WAS fun.  First, I washed the sheets to remove any sizing and cut them into fat quarter sized pieces.  I thought these would be easier to handle.  I then set-up my painting area and covered it with a big trash bag to catch the spills.  I squirted some paint onto a paper plate, and kept my brushes in a plastic cup that I’d filled with water.

After that, it was just experimentation.  I added a little water to my brush, filled up on paint and started in.  When I wanted to completely color the fabric, which was most of the time, I increased the amount of water.

After I became a little more sophisticated, I started using sponges, stamps, and gel medium to keep my designs from running.

Mostly, it was just pure fun; I didn’t waste much fabric, and sewing the denser fabric pieces hasn’t caused me any problems as long as I use Sharp needles.

I let my painted pieces dry on a wooden drying rack that I place in the tub on top of another trash bag.  Once dry, I let them set for a few days and then washed them, alone, in warm water.  They don’t bleed much.

My painted fabric pieces are color-fast and looked darn good, if I do say so myself.  I started the entire project for under $20.00, and now do it a couple of times a year.

My favorite painting process involves blending colors, and I have created blends that have come in handy, for applique in particular.  I have moved on to other painting methods, but my acrylic craft paint phase was fun and the color on the all of the fabrics that I’ve used has stood up to multiple washings just fine.

This is a great way to spend a fine spring or fall day when you have a couple of hours to spare.  Give it a try.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS