Printing on Fabric

Be The Artist You Are At Heart: Create Custom-made Fabric Prints

Fabrics can come in whichever design or print you deem fit, so why be like other crafters and sewers when you can use your own custom-made prints? Fabric prints are easy to make, depending on the desired effect. All it requires is a little handiwork and an artistic touch. These are some of the do-it-yourself techniques you can use:

• Your first job is to choose a fabric. The easiest two to work with are cotton and silk because they easily accept dyes and paints.
• Now, make up your mind on what kind of print you want. Be mindful of the fact that every printing technique essentially yields varying results.
• Sketch out your print if you can. It is advisable to do this on graph paper before attempting to create your printed fabric.
• On a sample fabric, test the colors you plan to use. This will allow you to see whether or not the colors will translate well, using the coloring method you have chosen.

Create your fabric print with any one of the following techniques:

• Tie-dye -- Simply twist several sections of your fabric in different directions, using one or two rubber bands to secure the sections.
• Stamping -- Brush acrylic paints onto various stamps, and then you can start stamping the fabric however you want.
• Masking tape stripes -- Spread out the fabric so you can measure and mark your lines. The masking tape will make it easier to create your lines where you want them. Now, brush the color paints onto the fabric. If you rather create stripes in different colors, do not remove the tape until each color dries.
• Crayon designs -- Draw with any number of crayons to create the designs you want. Once you create your fabric print, you need to place it between two sheets of heavy-duty wrapping paper so you can iron it well. This will help the crayon colors to set into the fabric.

In a nutshell, there are the big keys you should remember: First, try your best to be as creative as you can when you are making your fabric designs. Also, be sure to wash and dry the fabrics you are using before attempting to print on them. Most fabrics, when they are new, have a protective finish that prevents paints and dyes from adhering correctly.

This post comes from Fabric Studio, where you can order fabric online. Visit their site for plenty of cool fabric ideas.