Printing on fabric is easy when you have the right tools. Vicki Payne, host of DIY Crafts, uses acetate sheets to transfer paint to fabric. Materials:
Acetate sheets
Grease pencil
Fabric
Fabric paint in blue, white, red and black
Paper plates
Paintbrushes
Iron
- With a grease pencil, mark off the area on the acetate sheet you want to be the design space, leaving about 1" excess on all sides (figure A).
- Pour blue fabric paint into a paper plate, load a paintbrush, and cover the design space on the acetate sheet with paint. Brush the paint on one direction first, then crosswise over the first strokes to make an interesting design on the fabric (figure B).
- Place fabric right side up on your work surface. Turn the acetate sheet over so the paint side is down and place on the fabric. You may want to add registration marks to the fabric to line up the design layers. Rub your fingers over the back of the acetate sheet to transfer the paint to the fabric (figure C).
- Hold the fabric down, and lift off the acetate sheet. You'll be able to see the texture of the paint (figure D).
- Use another piece of acetate for the second layer of the design, or wash the paint off the first sheet. Pour white fabric paint into a paper plate, and load a paintbrush. Brush short strokes of white around the border of the design area on the acetate (figure E).
- Turn the acetate sheet upside down, and press it onto the background color on the fabric. Rub the back of the acetate to transfer the paint to the fabric. Peel the acetate from the fabric (figure F).
- On a third acetate sheet or after washing the paint off the original acetate sheet, apply red fabric paint in a spiral in the center of the sheet (figure G ).
- Turn the acetate sheet upside down, and press it onto the fabric, rubbing the back of the sheet with your fingers to transfer the paint to the fabric. Be sure to center the design. Peel away the acetate (figure H).
- When the paint is completely dry, heat-set the fabric paint by ironing it from the wrong side.
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