Painting on Fabric

As you know, my grandson was here at this time a week ago and we were busy, busy, busy. We did a lot of projects, enjoyed time at the library (we each got some really good books), ate at the Hog Wild and saw some Classic Cars (just go here to see them). Then we went to the State Fair so it was no wonder I needed a rest!! I'm plenty rested now so it's time to tell you all about ourfabric painting project...................

The paints we used for our project were purchased at Michael's but you can find them at local art supply stores, too. The brand name is SetacolorSoleilPaints. And if you click on that link, you'll go to a site that tells you all you need to know about using the paints. Our photos are just a quick look at the fun you can have with this project. Just gather your paints, some brushes, jug of water and a spray bottle of water, and some plastic spoons for mixing. Also, have a couple of plastic surfaces to work on and a plastic tablecloth to lay the fabric on while it dries in the sun.

We used 100% cotton and also 100% wool. You'll want to mist the fabrics so that they are damp and they will take the paint so much better. In the photo above, Jacob has begun painting one of the cotton pieces. We used a slightly thinner mixture than suggested on the paint bottles. That's the fun of this.......you can use it however you wish!

And in this photo, he is almost finished.

And then he did another one!!

This was my first cotton piece.

And then I started a wool piece. Painting on the cotton fabric is easy as it is thinner and absorbs the paint better. But the wool takes the paint nicely, too. It just takes a little more patience. I applied some color here and there. I wasn't going for a pattern. The fabric will be used for birds, flowers, etc., anything where I might want a blended color. Click here and you can see how I used the painted wool for the birds in Anne Suttons' Bunny Hill Blocks (click the button on the lower left if you want to collect her free basket blocks).

I added more color and at this point, I misted it all with water and then I poured droplets of water on this piece so that the colors would "bleed" into each other.

And the piece above is the result.

We painted all sorts of color to the fabric and then left it in the sun to dry. You will notice that there are paper cut-outs on a couple of pieces. They were there so that the sun would imprint that shape onto the fabric. It sort of worked on the one with leaves but it didn't work on the other pieces. When the fabric is dry, it must be ironed to heat-set the color. Jacob took his pieces home to show Mom and Dad and will bring them back next time he comes to visit. Then we plan to make a piece of framed art with them or perhaps a pillow. Who knows what we'll come up with but it will be fun whatever it is!

This was a fun project! It's kinda messy so you'll want to work in a basement like we did or some area where it won't matter if you spill the paint. :-) I especially like the colors that I get when I paint on wool and did six more pieces in a variety of mixes that can be used for autumn leaves, flowers, etc. I have also begun dyeing some wool with fabric dyes and that will be another post in a couple of days.

Have a great day!

Sandi