Making a removable painted decal for clothing

Dolphin45 asks: What type of paints and pens should I use on my daughter's tutu? I have to make a silver or gold design on it and it needs to look professional. Do you know of anywhere to get these items and names of products so I can get them asap.

I wrote and asked Dolphin45 what the tutu was made of - the answer was lycra.

I don't like to paint on lycra because I think when it is stretched the edges are never sharp looking. What I suggest is making your design separately and then attaching it to the tutu. There is a new product called Styli'Stick (from Pebeo) that will allow you to make a decal that can be ironed on to the lycra. I think this is ingenious because you could make a nice design and then because the decal is removable you can use the tutu for other shows. The Styli Sticks come in many colors as well as metallics.
Hope this helps!
Judi

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How to transfer your drawing to Wonder Under

Kristen asks:
I'd like to know how to transfer my drawing onto the back of the Wonder Under.

You should transfer your drawing to the paper side of the wonder under. You can do this by either using a light box or taping the drawing to a window and placing your WU on top of it and tracing.

If you have an inkjet printer you could cut a piece of WU slightly smaller than a piece of bond paper, then tape it to the paper and run it through your printer. As long as there is no heat it should work (laser printers use heat so that's a no-no).

Judi

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How to make a blackout lining for bamboo window blinds

Susan says:

I have bamboo roll up blinds on 2 windows. They are see through at night. How do I make a privacy cloth backing for them? Thank You.

Our decorative painting expert, Judy Leasure, has made some Roman Shades recently and this is her suggested solution:

I have made Roman shades and with those you sew your fabric and the lining together and then sew rings on the lining side. When the shade is finished, you thread cording through the rings and across the top to one side. To raise, you pull on the cords (which are all joined together so they pull uniformly). To lower, you release the cords. If the bamboo shades work the same way, you would have to find a way to create a channel around the cords so they will move once the backing is applied.

You might try making a liner of black-out fabric by cutting a piece of fabric 2 inches larger all around than the shades. Hem all 4 sides with a 1/2-inch double hem. (machine stitch). Then align the liner with the shade and hand stitch with a heavy thread vertically along the sides and vertically in one or two rows in the center. Your stitching would wrap around every other bamboo rod on the way up the shade. Whip stitch the bottom around one of the bamboo rods and you may need to do the top as well. In this way, the mechanism should still work and the fabric will stay in place with the shade.

This appears to be a lot of work, but I can't think of another way to keep the functionality of the shades. Again, I'm not 100% sure how the roll-up mechanism works.

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Vintage iron on transfers

I'd like to know how to look for cowgirl, or western hot fix iron on heat transfers. Does anyone know who specifically carries this type of transfer. Thanks.

This was tough - I wasn't sure if you meant hot fix as in templates for hot fix crystals or just pre-made iron on transfers. I actually found that you can find both at eBay. The key to searching for the pre-made transfers is that they are now considered vintage as most of them are from the 90's. With the advent of ink jet transfer sheets and ink jet t-shirt transfers crafters are making their own art. Just go to eBay and search on 'western iron on" and/or 'cowgirl iron on' and you'll get lots of choices.

Best of luck!
Judi

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Can you paint a suede jacket?

Connie asks:
I'd like to know if it is possible to stamp or paint a suede jacket. It's a nice enough jacket but I'd just like to tizzy it up a bit, or perhaps I'm better off just to add a braid trim?

I talked to the folks at Dharma Trading Company which is a firm that specializes in dyes and fabric paints. They said that without knowing exactly what your design or application is if you want good control use a thicker product like: Lumiere, Neopaque, Setacolor or Jacquard Textile Color. Keep in mind that you will need to heatset the paints. Depending on what the lining of the jacket is you could probably put it in your oven to heat set. So, yes, you can use fabric paints on your jacket!
Best of luck!
Judi

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How to make wallies or wall decals

Caren asks:
I'd like to know how to make your own wallies or stick up wall art... Do you have any suggestions?

I have a couple of suggestions. First - to make a wall decal that will be removable with no damage to the wall make it out of fabric and then soak it with liquid starch. It will stick to the wall. I've actually heard of people doing this with large pieces of fabric - so little shapes should work well. The second suggestion would be to use wallpaper paste and thick paper or even canvas as the substrate. This would be harder to remove though.

Have fun!
Judi

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What is the most permanent fusing method?

Ladybug says:
I found you doing a web search for how to permanently fuse fabric to fabric. What is the most permanent method? I'd like to attach a small (half inch square) piece of fabric to a cotton tee.

I would have to say the most permanent method would be to combine fusing with sewing. I would fuse the piece to the tee and then outline stitch it down.

Judi

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Mola - what are the felt pictures from Panama?

Jackie says:
I can't remember the name of those felt pictures - the ones with lots of layers and stitching. Help!!


I think you are talking about a mola. These are made by the Kuna Indians of Panama. Traditionally they are part of their clothing but you can buy them as small blocks that have been made specifically for the tourist trade now.

According to Panama Arts:


The Kuna Mola is made by the Kuna (Tule or Dule) women, who live at the San Blas Islands in Panama (also known as Kuna Yala). Mola means blouse or clothing in Tule Gaya, the language of the Kuna and is an intrincately designed and sewn art work that the Kuna women use to embellish their dresses.

The Mola is a reverse applique technique in which several layers of cotton are hand sewn together, forming colorful designs which can be traditional geometric shapes or representations of everyday life. The Kuna mythology is also a frecuent theme. They are decoratively stiched for further embellishment.

Often, the best molas seem to be worn down. This is due to the fact that they are used for everyday wearing. After Kuna women no longer want their blouses, and decide to sew a new one, they disassemble the old one and sell the mola panels. This is regarded as a sign that the molas are genuine.

Hope this helps,
Judi

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How to sew slippery fabric

Naomi asks:
I hate sewing taffeta and fabrics that slip and slide. Any hints to make this easier?

I know how you feel - I'm not a fan of that either. One of the best hints I've ever come across is from Patti Culea. She says to dissolve some water soluble stabilizer in in a spray bottle of water. Spray it on the wrong side of your fabric and let dry. Then it should act like a cotton. If you've ever used the water soluble stabilizers you'll know they get sticky and gooey as they dissolve so I can see how this would work. I would test it on a scrap first though.

Hope this helps,
Judi

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How to dye synthetic fabric

Naomi asks:
Can you dye synthetic material like nylon?

Yes, you can. There are special dyes you can buy called disperse dyes. Although you won't get vivid colors from what I gather. You can get these dyes from Pro Chemical. Here's the instructions for the different types of synthetics. You'll need a good candy thermometer to do this as the differing water temperature seem to be critical in this process. Best of luck.

Judi

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How to get glitter glue off cashmere

Kelly says:
Hi! I have a cashmere sweater I purchased (supposedly a vintage) on ebay and when I received it, the design has been done with a kind of glue/paint with glitter in it that was popular to use back in the 80's. Can this be removed with heat, a chemical, a product of some kind? It won't just pick off. I have tried!

Oh my gosh. This one is nearly too scary to answer - I don't want to mess up your vintage cashmere sweater! I don't think a chemical would be kind to cashmere. I thought maybe you could heat the glue with an iron or a heat gun and blot the glue off but I'd be afraid I'd burn holes in the sweater.

Judy thinks you could try this and it would be fairly gentle ... here's what she advises Kelly ..

I have no idea if this will work on factory applied set-in paint and I especially don't know what it will do to cashmere, but here is something non-destructive on other materials that you might try:

You can try using Purell or another clear waterless hand cleaner. Lay the sweater out flat. Apply Purell liberally to the area you are trying to remove. Let it sit for a minute and carefully blot/wipe with a clean, dry cloth. If it appears to be working, repeat until glitter/paint disappears. Then wash the sweater following the manufacturer's instructions.

I know that this method works to remove acrylic paint from fabric (shirts, jeans, etc) and on carpets as I have personally used it. On those materials, the last step is sometimes to use a toothbrush with the Purell to get the last of the paint out. That said, I have no idea what it would do on a sweater (I wouldn't use a toothbrush, for instance), let alone on cashmere. I also do not know what process is used to set the paint and glitter in a factory manufacturing setting. It may be something that makes the paint/glitter much more permanent. My application is usually paint that has gotten on my clothes while I am working or, most recently, a bottle of paint that my dog discovered and crushed before I realized she had it--I defy you to find the stain(s) on the carpet.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Hope this helps. Let us know what you end up doing.
Judy Leasure, TDA

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How to sew straight strips for a quilt block

Kylie asks:
I am trying to make a quilt block using strips but after I sew half a dozen it's not straight anymore; the whole thing bends to the side. Is there some kind of quilting secret I don't know to keep these straight? It's really frustrating.

Oh my - been there, done that! My quilting teacher told me the secret is to flip the block each time you add a strip. In other words, sew two strips together, then when you add the next strip start at the bottom instead of the top. Turn the entire block around so the bottom is now the top. Flip it each time you add another strip.

It's also important to make sure your material is on grain before you cut your strips. One way to do this is to pull one thread out of the crosswise grain. Snip the selvedge and pull one of the threads, it's not the easiest thing in the world if you have a tightly woven fabric, but it can be done. Then you can cut the fabric where the pulled thread was. Now you have a straight line to even up your fabric from.

Hope this helps,
Anne

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Etching onto a suede surface

Gabi asks:
I'd like to know how an etching would be transferred onto a suede surface so that there is no depression--completely smooth surface--am cataloguing an art collection and have found two such works.

Without seeing it or feeling it I can only guess at how this might have been done. It could have been done with a burning tool with a very light touch and then smoothed over. Or maybe a chemical was used to 'burn' the design onto it. Have to say I'm pretty much stumped on this one. Anyone else have any ideas?

Judi

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Safety issues associated with melting Kunin Felt

Judi says:
Let's talk safety again .. this time we'll address melting Kunin Felt.

I wrote to the folks who make Kunin Felt and asked them for a copy of their Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). I had mentioned that as a fiber artist I occasionally melt their felt with a heat gun. I was curious to see what the MSDS said about partial combustion. The MSDS does mention that the product is flammable and to treat being touched with the molten material as a thermal burn, but it doesn't address partial combustion in particular. Here's the note I received with the MSDS .. seems they aren't too happy with us fiber artists!

Hi Judi,

Attached is our MSDS sheet. I would assume proper ventilation is the key here. Like any material that is melted a fume would be given off. We are aware that the crafting community is doing this and I have to say it is not something we would promote on our color cards. This is polyester or acrylic and like most fabrics they are flammable. This is the same polyester used in woven fabrics so when you melt a shirt on the iron same effect.

I hope this helps.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.


George
George Stellmach
National Sales & Marketing Manager

Kunin Group / A Division of Foss Manufacturing Company, LLC
380 Lafayette Road
Hampton, NH 03843

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How to make bumblebee appliques

Dayna asks:
How do I make bumblebee appliques?

You can use the same basic directions that are given in the previous post Make Your Own Appliques. Here's a hint to help with the bumblebee though ... make the body in one color (yellow) and then add the black stripes on top of that. It's easier than trying to make stripes in both colors and then match them up. Also, depending on what you are using the applique for you can make antennae with fabric paint or fabric markers.

Hope this helps,
Judi

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What adhesive to use for a temporary hold for fabric

James asks:
I'd like to know what type of adhesive I can buy that stays tacky after it has dried and is low or no odor. I need it for holding fabric I am working on and so I can remove the fabric and stick another piece of fabric to it to work on. thanks a lot!

I really like using the temporary spray adhesives. There are many brands available now; some companies who market them are June Tailor, Dritz, Sullivan, Sulky, and JT Trading. These are all odorless or low odor. I personally use the 505 Temporary Adhesive from JT Trading. Mainly because that's the only one offered at the local quilt shop. I'm happy with it though.

To avoid overspray place your fabric on paper or cardboard before you spray (something disposable). For small pieces you can place them inside the top of a box. Be careful when you get to the bottom of the can, it doesn't spray nicely and you can get globs of the glue spraying out.

Although I have never shopped here, Quilting-Warehouse has a catalog page that shows all the products I mentioned.

Hope this helps,
Anne

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What is an art bra and how do you make one?

Karen asks:
What is an art bra? My friend is making one and acts like it's a big secret. Can I make one?

An art bra is basically an artistically decorated bra; an embellished bra. Art bras are fun - they are popular items for artists to make for Breast Cancer fundraisers. What you do is take a regular bra - usually padded - and cover it with fabric or beads or paint - or all three plus whatever else comes to mind. Some art bras have a theme, some are serious, some are funny, some are just decorated and given a name. There are calendars made with art bras which are also sold as fundraisers.

Since the bras will not be worn you can use any material you like to decorate them with. You don't have to worry about keeping the sides or the straps elastic and you should decorate them too. Here are some links to view some art bras.
A Way to Women's Wellness 2007
A Way to Women's Wellness 2006
Celebrating the Female Form

I think your friend might be so excited about her art bra that she just wants to wait until it's done before she shows you. In some cases, these are very special pieces with a lot of meaning behind them.

Hope this answers your question!
Judi

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What glue to use to decoupage tissue paper to fabric.

Yvette asks:
I would like to know what type of glue to use to decoupage tissue paper and other types of paper items on a finished cloth doll body. Would the glue adhere the same if the body was painted with acrylic paint as opposed to just fabric? And what type of glue to use if you want to add three dimensional objects to a cloth doll body.

To decoupage tissue paper onto cloth I'd recomment Fabric Mod Podge. It takes longer to dry but it stays softer than the other Mod Podges. Plaid says to wash your fabric first and don't use a fabric softener. They also say it your project is washable after 72 hours in cold water on a gentle cycle (or by hand). Although I don't see you washing your doll!

The glue would adhere the same if the body was painted with acrylics. I would use the Ultimate Glue to add 3-D objects to a doll body.

Here is some info on Mod Podge...I love that stuff:
Paper Mod Podge...doesn't make the paper wrinkle like the normal if doing flat work
Reg Mod Podge great for tissue or handmade papers that you want to decoupage
Fabric Mod Podge takes longer to dry and stays softer then others
Outdoor Mod Podge...for those who want to do stuff for their garden...

Hope this helps,
Sherry

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How to make craft/acrylic paint fabric friendly

Barbara asks:
Can I use my craft paints on clothes? I'd love to decorate some of my old jeans.

Yes, you can make craft paint fabric friendly! What you need is a special product called Textile Medium. This basically causes the paint to bond with the fibers and when heatset will be permanent. You have to heatset most textiles mediums at a temperature of 250 degrees (F). You can do this with either an iron or your oven. Most home clothes dryers don't reach a temperature of 250 degrees but commercial dryers can. The bottle of textile medium will give you the directions for that particular brand. Textile medium can usually be found in with the craft paints at your local hobby store.

Have fun!
Judi

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How to use saran (plastic) wrap in your art

Lori asks:
What is saran wrap art?

It's not so much a separate art but a method of employing the material IN your art. Saran wrap can be used a couple of different ways. You can use it to make great textural backgrounds with paint. Here are two ways of doing this. One is to paint a background color, let dry, then take a second contrasting color and dip a piece of 'squished' up saran wrap in it and dab it on your piece. The other is to paint your background color, let dry, then paint a second color over it, lay a piece of 'squished' up saran wrap on it and let it dry. When dry pull it off. It should pull off some of the paint and make an intersting background.

Some fabric artists have been playing with making fabric by melting layers of saran wrap together with snippets of thread or fabric in between layers. You do have to use a teflon pressing sheet or parchment paper to keep the saran wrap from adhering to your iron though.

There's probably more you can do but this is all I can think of off the top of my head.

Hope this helps,
Judi

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