An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but it will keep guests coming back when you use it to craft clever pillows, towels and place mats. Sheila Rauen of Deka® takes us through the steps of making fanciful fruit prints. Materials:
Apples
Newspaper or foam board
Small leaf from apple, shrub or tree
Paper towels
Sharp knife
Fabric for project--napkins, tablecloths or other linens
Deka fabric paints in red and green (or other colors, as desired)
1" foam brush
Optional: roller or brayer
- Create a background on your material. To create stripes, use evenly spaced strips of masking tape. Apply red paint to a foam brush, and paint from the tape toward the center of the stripe so no paint seeps underneath. Allow to dry (figure A).
- To create a plaid effect, repeat step 1, going across the stripes you just painted (figure B).
- Cut a small apple in half with a sharp knife.
- Apply an even coat of fabric paint to the apple and the stem, using a 1" foam brush.
- Place the apple in position on the fabric, and press firmly. Remember to press down on the stem too (figure C).
- After printing all of the apples and stems, allow the paint to dry.
- Apply paint to a leaf with a foam brush. Place the leaf in the desired position, and put a piece of paper towel on top of it.
- With a roller, a brayer or your thumbnail, apply even pressure to the leaf to make a print. Lift up the paper towel, then the leaf. Repeat until all leaves are printed (figure D).
Tips: - Apples are especially elegant when printed in gold on darker fabrics.
- If you'd like to stamp a border design, experiment with masking tape to create stripes or other geometric shapes in the center or as an overall design.
- Cotton swabs and sliced carrots make great "dots" for fabric printing.
- Try slicing across a star fruit, applying paint to the cross-section and stamping it onto fabric (figure E).
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