| Gilding Fabric |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-209 |
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Q: I want to create a very airy feeling in my bedroom using lots of fabric and silver accents. Can you give me some designer advice on how to achieve this look?
A: (Nate Berkus, Ask DIY Decorating & Design Expert) I would make a wall hanging using remnant fabric and silver leaf. Here's how: Materials:
Shantung remnant
Packet of metallic leaf
Several embroidery hoops
Sizing
Artist's brush
Wax paper
Paint brush
- Find a remnant of shantung, which is iridescent. Also buy a packet of metallic leaf, which should cost about 10 bucks for 25 sheets. Because the leaf is so fragile, you'll need extra in case you make mistakes or drop some.
- Prep your fabric. Lift circles of it off the worktable using several embroidery hoops. Slide one hoop under the fabric and snap the other hoop in place on top of the fabric so the fabric is taut -- and the sizing won't get on the table.
- Paint circles of sizing on your fabric with an artist's brush (figure A). Or, create your own freestyle design, keeping in mind that the leaf will stick wherever you paint the sizing.
- Lay a small sheet of wax paper over a sheet of metallic leaf and use the wax paper to lift the leaf onto the sizing (with the wax paper still on top of the leaf).
- Rub over the wax paper with your forefinger. This will make the leaf below the wax paper stick to the sizing. Repeat this process until you have completed the design you want over the entire piece of material.
- Wait for the sizing to dry completely. For a crackle effect, remove the embroidery hoops and pull the gilded fabric taut while the glue is drying.
- Once the sizing is dry, use an ordinary paintbrush to brush the excess leaf from the edges of the design (figure B).
More Questions for Nate:
Q: I have an East Indian bed cover that I intend to use as a wall hanging to cover a crack. It will also cover a doorway into the closet. How do I attach a pole to the wall and hang the cover without poking holes in it?
A: Buy a drapery rod and those little clips that are round on the top and have clips on the bottom. They look like mitten clips and they won't leave any holes.
Q: I am about to buy a new area rug for my living room. Can you give me some tips on choosing the right size?
A: If you want the room to seem larger, buy a larger area rug. If you want the room to appear as if you've got lots of little seating areas, buy two or three smaller rugs.
Q: I am decorating my children's bathroom with an ocean motif. How do I paint the walls so the colors fade as you get towards the ceiling?
A: Start with dark paint and keep adding more white to it as you move up the walls. Web site resources for Gilding Fabric: Gilded Velvet from HGTV.Com Leaf Design Sheers from HGTV.Com Midas Touch from HGTV.Com Book: Annie Sloan Decorative Gilding: A Practical Guide
by Annie Sloan
ISBN: 0895778793
Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
Customer Service P.O. Box 235
Pleasantville, NY 10570-0235
Phone: 800-310-6261
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