Guest post by Karina from Maple Ash and Oak
Hello there, I am Karina from Maple Ash and Oak. Here I will show you a simple and inexpensive way to create your very own fabric pieces. No need for large screens, squeegees, and emulsion. Beautiful prints can be created with simple methods and materials. Most of the supplies are household items and the rest can be found at your local art or craft store. Click below for the how-to:
What you will need:
*2-3 yards 1/4" Foam
*Fabric (for your prints and a cover cloth)
*Textile Inks (can be found at your local art store)
*Scotch Tape
*Markers
*T-pins or Sewing Pins
*Plastic Folders or Tray
*Scissors
*Exact o Knife
*Contact Paper (transparent)
*Containers
*Spatulas
*Iron
*Rubber Bands
*Stamps (optional)
Now comes the fun part... creating your designs! Get out your contact paper and start sketching. Bold shapes work great and are pretty easy to draw and cut out. Cut off a large piece of contact paper, about 12"x12" works well, and cut out your design using an exact o knife. Think of the contact paper as the stencil for your design. Save the shapes you cut out, you can use those as well!
I've been obsessing over triangles lately so here is one of my stencils:
After the paper is peeled from the contact paper place it on your fabric:
Now take out the extra piece of foam you set aside. Cut it into 4 - 5 square pieces. Fold the corners of the foam together and secure with a rubber band as shown below. These are your printing poofs.
Take out your textile pigments and mix as desired. I use little Tupperware containers and spatulas to mix my special colors. Pour out a little dab onto your plastic tray. Use your dauber, poofy as I call it, and dab until you have a consistent coating.
I use the contact paper triangles I cut out from my design on the right to form a new pattern on my fabric on the left. Move your stencil around your fabric to create super awesome patterns.
In progress:
I love working with fabric, the possibilities are endless. Use your fabric to truly personalize your home with hand crafted pillows, tea towels, napkins, ect.
Or simply hang your new piece of artwork and enjoy.
Hello there, I am Karina from Maple Ash and Oak. Here I will show you a simple and inexpensive way to create your very own fabric pieces. No need for large screens, squeegees, and emulsion. Beautiful prints can be created with simple methods and materials. Most of the supplies are household items and the rest can be found at your local art or craft store. Click below for the how-to:
What you will need:
*2-3 yards 1/4" Foam
*Fabric (for your prints and a cover cloth)
*Textile Inks (can be found at your local art store)
*Scotch Tape
*Markers
*T-pins or Sewing Pins
*Plastic Folders or Tray
*Scissors
*Exact o Knife
*Contact Paper (transparent)
*Containers
*Spatulas
*Iron
*Rubber Bands
*Stamps (optional)
Start by preparing your print space. I have a portable print table, but you can create your own with a little ingenuity. Cut off about a 9" strip of foam (save this for later). Take the larger piece and place it on your table, a fold out card table works best. Cut the foam in the shape of the table. Take your large cover cloth (make sure it doesnt have a textured weave) and place it over your foam and table. Secure each corner to the leg of the table by tying or taping, just make sure its tight (iron your cloth to make sure there are no wrinkles or folds).
Now you can take your fabric and pin it to your print table. In my samples I use a organic cotton muslin and a cotton/linen blend. Start by pinning the centers of each side and work your way to the corners. I space my pins about 5". Then tape each edge, covering your pins as well. I also used tape to divide my printing space into three quadrants.
Now you can take your fabric and pin it to your print table. In my samples I use a organic cotton muslin and a cotton/linen blend. Start by pinning the centers of each side and work your way to the corners. I space my pins about 5". Then tape each edge, covering your pins as well. I also used tape to divide my printing space into three quadrants.
Now comes the fun part... creating your designs! Get out your contact paper and start sketching. Bold shapes work great and are pretty easy to draw and cut out. Cut off a large piece of contact paper, about 12"x12" works well, and cut out your design using an exact o knife. Think of the contact paper as the stencil for your design. Save the shapes you cut out, you can use those as well!
I've been obsessing over triangles lately so here is one of my stencils:
After the paper is peeled from the contact paper place it on your fabric:
Now take out the extra piece of foam you set aside. Cut it into 4 - 5 square pieces. Fold the corners of the foam together and secure with a rubber band as shown below. These are your printing poofs.
Take out your textile pigments and mix as desired. I use little Tupperware containers and spatulas to mix my special colors. Pour out a little dab onto your plastic tray. Use your dauber, poofy as I call it, and dab until you have a consistent coating.
Place your contact paper (sticky side down) where desired on your fabric and start dabbing the ink.
I use the contact paper triangles I cut out from my design on the right to form a new pattern on my fabric on the left. Move your stencil around your fabric to create super awesome patterns.
Try different things like stamps, daubing through lace, and layering different stencils. Allow each print to dry in between layers.
I hand cut a rubber stamp and used it to create this repeating pattern.
I hand cut a rubber stamp and used it to create this repeating pattern.
In progress:
Play around with the thickness and texture created with your dauber.
Unpin fabric from your table and iron to heat set your pieces.
Or simply hang your new piece of artwork and enjoy.
50 comments:
Fantastic tutorial...love the graphic prints
A really clear and inspiring tutorial...going to go and try it now! Many thanks.
Yup, really, really great tutorial!
Fantastic work! And it looks so simple. Have to give it a try.
This was fabulous- love the graphic prints!
I'm completely blown away by this. Fantastic designs Karina! Thanks so much for sharing. x
totally rad! great diy!
What perfect timing! I am about to take on my first simple stenciling project this weekend. Then onto something bigger and better like this hopefully. Thanks for sharing.
OMG!!! This was just the tutorial I was looking for! Love your blog!
That tutorial is terrific! I dreamt about printing fabric and was rebuffed saying to myself I hadn't silkscreen equipment and there this tutorial comes...Hooray!!! Thank you very much :D
So cool! That yellow herringbone fabric is so beautiful! I can't believe it was done with a stamp.
Fantastic tutorial...love the graphic prints and the colour combinations are also awesome..
What fabric did you use? Also can you wash these?
Can't wait to try this!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS :>
This is SO cool! I can't wait to try this for myself. Thanks for sharing.
Yay! I've recently been thinking of experimenting with fabric printing and on canvas. That was very helpful. Ta.
Finally!!! I was looking for something like this for ages!THANK you sooo much for this post!
this is awesome!! i now need to carve some time out of my weekend just to do this... but i think it would be sooooo worth it!
I have left a msg with Karina to come answer your questions for you. We should hear from her soon.
Hi all! Thank you so much for your kind words! Im glad you all enjoyed my post.
I used an organic cotton muslin, and also a cotton/linen blend.
I say stay with cotton muslin for your first projects as it's inexpensive, easy to pin and takes the ink like a dream.
As long as you iron your fabric they should be fine to machine wash(on cold!). The more layers or thicker the ink, the longer you should iron your piece. When the print begins to meld into the fabric (you can't feel the ridges of your prints)then it is heat set. Using your dryer set on high always helps as well!
Thx
Karina
Thanks so much Karina for such a great tutorial, and if any of you make anything - please shoot me an email, we'd love to see!
Great tutorial, thanks! The blue and yellow print looks great!
How nice of you to post this tutorial! I took a silk-screen class a couple of years ago, but it really put me off...too fiddly I guess. This project really looks 'me-sized'!!
What an easy way to print on fabric! I love it. Sometimes I just can't find what I am looking for and really want to make my own. Other tutorials are so complicated and use specialized equip and supplies that it is a turn off. Thank you so much for sharing this!!
Thanks so much, very glad to hear they are washable as I'm thinking of doing a few pieces to incorporate into a quilt or two.
Wow... simply amazing & amazingly simple. I know what my next weekend project is going to be!
Can't wait to try this. I'm am obsessed with making scarves these days and this will be a perfect way to customize the patterns and the colors I want. Thanks for the simple straightforward instructions.
Jan
I want new pillow covers and this is the perfect way to make them. Thank you so much for a truly creative idea for fabric printing!
Thanks for this!!! You gave great ideas and it looks so fun! I'm curious how much those paints are... I'll have to check it out, but they look like a worthwhile investment to have around. Like you said, endless possibilities!
Seriously one of my favorite things I have come across ... printing fabric has been on my brain and NOW I AM GOING FOR IT!
Alix
I'm in love with this tutorial. It looks beautiful:)
http://craftingwithmom.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Jaclynscollections
Hello, I'm totally geeked about making my own pattern, however where would I purchase "Tranparent Contact Paper?" I'ved googled it and can't seem to find a merchant:(
Dawn
This is amazing! Thank you so much!
Try a stationary store for contact paper. What a fab tutorial i'm bursting to give this a go, thanks!
Thank you for posting this tutorial. Every plain piece of material in my home will probably get a makeover. You've created a monster!
Really nice tut!
I truly love printing my own fabric! I love the infinite design possiblities.
Your DIY is great!
Thanks for the inspiration. :-D
Nice tutorial. I have been fabric painting for years. My favorite thing to paint is to embellish solid color shirts, adding graphic interest to the collar and pockets and down the front button placket. My number one source for fabric paints is Dharma Trading. They have a large inventory and an informative website as well: http://www.dharmatrading.com/topnav/paints/
Wow, what fun! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, thank you! I've been making t-shirt designs with freezer paper stencils for a while now (much easier than contact paper btw) and have been using fabric paint. After a few washes, it starts to fall apart. I think the textile ink is the way to go. Also, brilliant idea with the poofs.
great tutorial! but i have one question. when you say textile ink, you mean the one for screenprint? any suggestion?
thnk you
http://anmarkdesign.blogspot.gr/
I'd also love to know what brand/kind of textile ink. I haven't seen any at craft store, but maybe you do mean screen printing ink? Thank you! miriam@madmim.com
How exactly do you iron these after applying the pigment?
Hi!
Thank you for your amazing tutorial. I'm just wondering if it would work if I just use the fabric ink as normal paint and use brushes to paint on the fabric?
Thanks you so much for sharing! I can't wait to try this.
Brilliant tutorial! I love reading these type of posts!
www.reesecarrozzini.com
Thanks for this great tutorial! I've included in today's round up! http://lanettascreations.blogspot.com/2013/09/print-your-own-fabric.html#.Ukf9soashac
Awesome tutorial! I really learned a lot from it, and am glad I found it. Thank you for taking the time to create and share this tutorial with us.
Very useful.. thank you for this wonderful tutorial and beautiful photos. I got an idea on what to do with my dressmaking fabric I have at home. I'll be doing it this week.
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