Painting Fabric
My local group met recently and we tried a new painting technique for fabric. It’s very simple and creates an organic look to the fabric. I didn’t manage to take any photos during the process. We watered down instant coffee and acrylic paint, really watered down. A tiny bit of paint and lots of water. Then the fabric is scrunched up and dipped into the watered down paint. After the fabric is completely soaked with paint, scrunch the fabric up again and darker paint can be added in dabs to the outside edges and over the ball of scrunched up fabric if desired. Then let the fabric dry and iron it afterwards.
Here’s all the fabric I painted scrunched and drying in the sun. It took more than two days to dry. I used fabric that had already been dyed, many of which were really bright orange and I was finding difficult to use in projects. So a bit more neutralizing was needed.
This is a piece of cotton that was already dyed gray and then paint added on top.
Here’s another piece of cotton that was orange. I added diluted blue paint and then some darker paint after it was scrunched.
I think this piece was white to start and the paint made the pattern and color.
This was medical gauze that Paula gave us. I think it will work for nuno felting, so you will probably see it again in the future.
These two were previously dyed cheesecloth (again orange) and then diluted paint added over the top.
I’m fairly certain this is silk gauze with dye and paint added. Again, another candidate for nuno felting.
The fossil print on this piece of fabric was done years ago. I designed the silk screen and printed a variety of fossils. Now this trilobite has a bit moodier background. More layers?
This piece of silk gauze started white and then had diluted paint and coffee added. I will be interested to see if the coffee holds its color with felting. I thought this might be an interesting start to a landscape.
We’re supposed to be using these fabrics for our fabric book (our year long project) but I’m not making much progress in that direction. I have three pages complete but I’m not really happy with the result. One of those projects where I’m in the middle, discouraged and can’t imagine that it’s going to end well. Hopefully, I will be inspired by these new fabric choices to use.
12 thoughts on “Painting Fabric”
Those are lovely, Ruth. I particularly like that even when ironed they have a scrunched look – I suppose that’s the point. I’m really interested to hear if the ones that are destined for Nuno felting do retain their coffee stain and paint colour when felted. Do let us know.
Thanks Lindsay, I like the scrunched look too. I did try felting the last one and it lost a lot of color. I think I will do a second round of painting and coffee to then work on from there.
Lots of interesting and inspirational results Ruth. I must admit that I’d be more inclined to use the fabrics for felting rather than “wasting” them on a project you’re not happy with, but on the other hand a bit of some of them might lead you in a better direction with your book.
I must look out the medical swabs, which were cotton gauze, which my sister gave me some years ago. [They must have been for use in the operating theatre as they had lead strips sewn into one corner – so that if the surgeon left one inside after sewing up his patient they’d be able to find it again 😱]. I know I used part of one for nuno felt. I’d like to try your painting idea and have another go.
Another Rabbit Hole. 😮💨
Ann
Thanks Ann, some of the fabrics won’t felt well so I will use those for the book project. The cotton gauze came out nicely and will work great for felting. The painting was easy and didn’t take a lot of time. So it’s a good rabbit hole if you’re looking for an easy way to color fabric.
Wonderful results! Hope you can now use your ‘orange’. Doesn’t seem possible that the fabric took more than two days to dry, but it was worth the wait 🙂
It’s awful when a project becomes difficult and hard to settle to. Have you tried setting a timer for just 10 minutes? 10 minutes is doable. In that time mulling over your project you may get inspired. If not, Try the same thing again the next day.
Thanks Ladies! I hope the new fabric will get me inspired for the book project. I am off to camp tomorrow so I will see what inspires me when I get back. And yes, I will have to start working on the book for a set amount of time per day. That way I will at least make some progress.
Such interesting results! Thanks for sharing that you’re unmotivated by a project. It’s nice to know I’m not alone. 🙂
Thanks! I like to blog about the good and the bad. No one’s work is perfect all the time and sometimes social media gives the idea that everything is easy and beautiful. Definitely not true and projects don’t always go the way of intentions. You’re definitely not alone.
I do like the results! I am inspired. I like the idea of felting on them but being a needle felter as well as a wet felter, I might try that on the cotton pieces instead of risking losing the effects with soap and water. But, then again, experimenting is the name of the game.
Thanks Donna, I hope you will give it a try. It’s an easy way to color fabric but gives an organic effect. Which is always my preference. I don’t needle felt much but it certainly would work. I am always into experimentation and I think I will add another layer of color after felting. Then there are subtle differences between the layers. But the water definitely dilutes the coffee effect. Might try walnut ink on my next try. See how that holds up. Or acrylic inks. Lots of different methods to experiment with.
Fabulous results Ruth that have a similar effect to ice dying….all very organic.
Your first piece I can see as a typical Ruth looking through the tall trees winter landscape and the third as a more horizontal maybe lake & mountains landscape.
Great that you have dulled your orange pieces, such that you feel able to use them….I’ll be interested to see what you do with them.
From my limited experience, coffee does tend to wash out. But strong tea (with a little vinegar) tends to hold. I’d be interested to see how your walnut ink holds up….somewhere I have walnut ‘dye’ granules that I used to use to colour timber when attempting repairs it was great as you could gradually build the colour up. Mmmm now that is a thought….🤔 but not for a while.
X
Thanks Antje, you’re right about the coffee, it definitely washes out. I’m hopeful about the walnut ink. The orange pieces are not my favorite but I will use them eventually. But I can always add another layer of color after felting.