I wrote a super thorough step-by-step guide on becoming a textile designer, since the other resources just touch on a small piece of what you need to know!
This week we were using acrylic paint on fabric to create different effects. We started by stippling some calico with a dry brush using 2 colours - blue and yellow in my case, resulting in lots of green and looking like a flowery meadow! Then we moved on to using a diffuser and thin paint to give an effect like airbrushing, holding a piece of ripped paper in front of the fabric to act as a mask so that some parts stayed white. Then we moved on to a way of making monoprints on glass. We put blobs of paint on a sheet of glass. Some of the paint was special acrylic interference paint that produces a shimmery effect when printed. We then put another sheet of glass in top and pressed hard and twisted the glass to get the paint to mix at the edges. When the sheets of glass are prised apart, you get feathery patterns in the paint. We places pieces of fabric on, pressed lightly and printed off the image. These are some of the prints I made from 2 different attempts. As with all these things, it is the choice of colours that is most important for a pleasing result. The paint dries quite quickly but it can be easily scrubbed off the glass to do further prints. I then chose one of my prints to quilt. I made a sandwich with the printed fabric, cotton wadding and calico. Then I sewed round the edge of the feathery edges using free-machining to produce the quilted effect. It took a long time to do all the 'fingers' of paint but the final piece is very appealing. Next we had to choose another print and try out a quilting technique called Trapunto. Here you have the printed fabric and a backing fabric and outline your shapes. I chose a more 'blobby' print and outlined the islands of colour using free-machining again. Then you stuff selected blobs from the back with wadding. This shows part of the back of it. You cut a slit with sharp scissors, poke the wadding in with a bodkin and then sew the slit back up with herringbone stitch. I don't know if I have over-stuffed mine as the final piece is now quite wrinkled. Another learning point is not to use this kind of furnishing fabric as a backing fabric again as it seemed very hard to sew using free-machining - the needle seemed to get caught in the jacquard pattern. I have been working on my manipulated calico sampler this week too. Once I had decided what size to go for (about 32cm square) and laid out the pieces I had already made I didn't have that much more to do. I have still got to mount it onto card, which is why the corners are still hanging out. The end result is going to be quite impressive. The techniques used are (clockwise from top left): Furrowing (see post from Week 13) Pleating Stuffed pyramid Fabric strips folded alternately like a paper jack-in-a-box spring Frayed edge strips gathered and sewn in rows Selvedge strip gathered to form a rose Random tucks sewn horizontally and vertically Stuffed sausage shape decorated with a strip of gathered frayed fabric Frayed strip gathered to form a rose Circle gathered round a piece of card and topped with another one and a frayed gathered strip Various circles gathered and stuffed, the large one quilted through in places Thin strips pulled through a square of Binca fabric (in centre of sausage circle) Thick wool wrapped in calico Strips of folded fabric woven Raw edge circles gathered and pulled up, large one round card and small one stuffed Fabric gathered by hand in both directions, ruched up and sewn down round the edge only Fabric gathered round chick peas 2 circles gathered up round card, one with snipped edge and one with turned edge Various fabric 'nipples' made by sewing a running stitch in a spiral and pulling up Evenly spaced tucks pressed and then sewn across at right-angles in alternate directions Today is it my daughter's 16th birthday so I wanted to make her a special card. I chose co-ordinating papers and decorated them in various ways, dragging the edges across a black ink pad to give a vintage look. I was very pleased to find a sheet of paper featuring a rabbit that looks similar to hers, except for the colour! I also made a Valentine's Day card for my husband using a square of red heart plastic bag behind a silver Angelina fibre heart, topped off with a red heart cut from a Quality Street wrapper! The hearts are suspended across the window on very thin wire wrapped round tiny red brads. It looked really good for not much effort and lots of recycling!
If the mere thought of clothes moths fluttering out of your closet strikes terror into your heart, imagine if your...
more overdyeing... this one is indigo with goldenrod and tea
This blog post walks your through the steps of mordanting fabric for natural dyeing. If you want to dye fabric naturally with plants and food waste, follow this tutorial to prepare your fabric.
Introduction to Tambour Hand Embroidery: A Step-by-Step Guide Have you ever seen an intricate design elegantly embroidered onto fabric and wondered how it was done? The art of hand embroider…
3 layers of 75gm Tyvek layered with polyester organza. The Full Works is my basic workshop learning how to use heat tools. We work wit...
I have to be honest, woven t-shirts are usually not my friend. I have a hard time fitting them and bias tape makes me cringe (but so do facings)….it’s so hard. But, before my trip to Utah I really wanted to sew up some new rayon tops and was so happy I did – there’s […]
What you need: about a half metre (a little more than half a yard) Linen Fabric (or try any white or light coloured 100% cotton fabric) Turmeric Coffee White Vinegar Large Pot (I used 2 cups vinegar, 8 cups water) This process preps the fabric so the dye will adhere to the fibres. Machine wash in cold water and dry before sewing!
Sourcing fabric for sewing projects. There are a few main sources to collect the raw materials for sewing projects. If you sew, you will already have definitely realized that you have lots of small scraps of fabric. In this case the journey will be easier for you. Clothing from your closet or close family that you were thinking of getting rid of is a wonderful source of fabric. Another source is charity stores, op shops and the recycle industry. If you have access to the textile industry, the
What is dissolvable fabric or soluble fabric? What can you use it for? Is it safe? And how do you store it? Textile artist, Agy, shares a few pointers based on her experience using them in her free motion embroidery work.
Keep things au naturale with this easy tutorial.
Sewing with knits can be a daunting experience for someone who is new to them, but it doesn't have to be. As someone who took the plunge as a seamstress awhile ago, I recently acquired a new appreciation for working with knits as a designer. Knowledge is key, so before my first knit pattern is released this week, I wanted to share a little bit about my experience of designing a knit pattern. There is a lot to consider when sewing with knits: types of knits, sergers vs. sewing machines, types of needles, stretch percentage, stretch recovery, cutting knit fabric, etc. I'm going to be focusing mostly on stretch percentage and recovery and will provide links to some great resources that cover the other topics. To be honest, when I've sewn with knits in the past, I never paid too much attention to stretch percentage and recovery, I just sewed with fabrics that I liked. The results were overall quite satisfying, although there were a few patterns that caused me to think "Oooo, the size is a bit off on this one.". Never before did I have the eye opening experience that I had last week when I sewed two samples of the same pattern. A very wonderful group of testers had been sewing up my Stellar's Vest pattern, and sending me their results. Through no fault of their own, the results came back ranging from perfect sizing, to very large. How was this happening, when they were using the same pattern and even the same size? I adjusted the sizes in the pattern, and had another set of testers do a second round of testing. The results were better, but still inconsistent. I figured I had better sew up a couple more samples of my own. I sewed Anja a size three Stellar's Vest in the A-line version with some adorable fabric from L'Oiseau called Deerly Beloved. (Side note - I highly recommend everything at L'Oiseau. The quality and service is absolutely impeccable.) Ok, back to my experience. The vest turned out great…the fit was perfect in the chest, armholes were good, everything about it was comfortable and cute. She wore it immediately and wouldn't take it off until bedtime. The next day, we did a little mother-daughter local fabric shopping (something that is getting more and more fun now that she enjoys selecting her own fabric!). She chose some pretty Michael Miller Blossoms 100% cotton knit. It was a great choice as I wanted something that would match nicely with Tobias' vest. I took the fabric home, pre-washed it (a must with knits), and sewed up another Stellar's Vest during nap time using exactly the SAME pattern pieces I used the day before. Nothing changed other than the fabric. Here was the result: What changed? Did my daughter mysteriously shrink from one day to the next? HA, of course, not! :) But the second garment is a full two sizes too big! This is when I realized the importance of not 'winging' the use of my knit fabric. I should've known better, I admit it. But here's the positive that comes out of this experience: I'm hoping to prevent you from making my mistake! The first fabric had a stretch percentage of over 50% and excellent recovery, while the second, around 25% with good recovery. How can you tell with your fabrics? Cut a 4"X4"(10cmX10cm) piece of fabric, fold it perpendicular with the grain line. Download and print this stretch percentage guide with tips for sewing with knits, hold the fabric firmly at zero, and stretch it as far as you can. Alternatively, you can use a ruler using the same principle. Either way, just make sure you do this. It makes a world of difference! DOWNLOAD HERE So now that you know how to determine the stretch percentage, how do you use this valuable information? Well, always read your patterns carefully and only use the fabric type and stretch percentage recommended by the designer. If the pattern does not specify, contact the designer and ask, if possible. Or, don't use your best fabric the first time around. You can size up or down depending on the result of your first garment. Stretch recovery is also very important to consider when sewing with knits. When you stretch your fabric, does it return to its original size and shape? Or is it now a little wider than it was before? You definitely want to use fabric that has a very good recovery. This recovery corresponds with the quality of the fabric, after all, who wants to wear a garment that becomes wider each time it's worn? I also prefer my knit fabrics to have some weight and/or a bit of lycra to give them that extra bit of recovery and avoid flimsy, lightweight or sheer knits. Of course, this all depends on the pattern you are using, so keep that in mind as well. In the photos below, it's clear to see which fabric has better recovery. The top one basically stayed the same width after it was stretched, while the second one returned to its original size. You can also feel a big difference between the two; the top one has a slightly, rough texture, and the bottom is soft and smooth. What I failed to do for my testers, was specify the stretch percentage and recovery needed to achieve the best results with my pattern. Incidentally, the fabrics of all my samples had a stretch percentage 50% or more and very good to excellent recovery until the final floral one. So, I think a logical explanation is that stretch percentage and recovery played a pretty major part in the varied results (especially after the first round of testing). Lesson learned! Here are some other tips I find useful to keep in mind when sewing with knits: Use a stretch or ballpoint needle. The rounded tip passes easily between the knit threads by separating them. Press often. When you sew a seam, and it looks wavy, giving it a good press will more than likely fix the problem. Do not pull or stretch the fabric as you sew. This can create those very wavy seams. There is a time and place for stretching, such as when attaching bindings. Follow the directions in your pattern carefully. Want to read more about using knits? Here are some great resources to help you have a positive experience when sewing with knits: Sewing With Knits (Kitschy Coo) Sewing With Knit Fabrics (sew mccool) Sewing With Jersey 101 (Prudent Baby) Tips for Sewing With Knit Fabrics (Oliver + S) Knits 101 (Shwin & Shwin) Working With Stretch and Knit Fabric (My Pattern Designer) Cutting Knit Fabric (Mad Mim) Ask Dana - No Fear. How to Sew with KNIT Fabrics (Made) I'm so glad to have had this experience so I can pass on what I've learned. Knits can be so fun to work with and great for children's clothing because they can be so comfortable and versatile, but it really helps to know how to use them properly. I can't stress enough how important it is to read through your patterns so you can achieve the results the designer intends for you to have. Never again will I blindly use knit fabric simply on account of the colour or pattern. It's worth the time to test out the fabric first so that you can be happier with the results. If you have any tips or tricks that help you have success with knits, please leave a comment and let us know. Thanks!
In this post I'm going to tell you a little bit about a manufacturing process called pleating which is used to fold fabric. Pleating is a heat setting technique where fabric is placed between a two part mould and put inside a steaming machine.
Tips and tricks on how to sew with chiffon fabric. You can use a pattern designed for cotton fabrics and make it using chiffon fabric.
Couching is the process of using embroidery stitches to stitch a cord (or yarn or decorative thread) to the surface of your fabric. It's a fun way to add some nice dimension to your work and it can give you a really unique effect. Give it a try! If you want to couch using your
I needed a little gift for some guild friends who have been working on their own versions of the Alternate Routes pattern, and thought I would try out a new to me dyeing technique - an Ice Dyed Parfait. The fabric I used was presoaked in a Soda Ash solution. In my large glass jar I began with 1/2m of fabric in my standard scrunch. Next add a layer of ice cubes. Then a sprinkling of dry MX dye powder. Then repeat until you fill the jar. I used three layers of fabric and ice/dye. Then you wait for it to melt.... I started a second batch, but my plastic container is not as fun to look at! A glass jar full of ice is quite well insulated! This is what it looked like after a whole night of melting. I put it in front of a space heater to help the ice finish melting. Here is the before and after of batch #2. And the results.... Batch #1 in the glass jar. (The fabrics are out of order in this picture. Fabric in the top of the picture was on the bottom of the jar, then top layer, middle) Dyes used were bottom : red/cerulean blue, top layer: raspberry/golden yellow. middle: purple/navy. And batch #2 in the plastic. Bottom layer: royal/bright yellow, Middle: orange/burgundy, Top: cerulean blue/golden yellow. The fabric at the bottom had some white spots, so I may try adding some ice and dye to the bottom of the jar first next time. I also might put a little shaved ice on top of the dye powder to limit the intense blobs of color that happened in a few spots. Overall I am very pleased with my first go at this. These are my two favorites with some close ups of the texture that the ice creates. If you are a fabric dyer and have the supplies at your house, give it a try it is quite a lot of fun!
This diagram shows how cutting up a 9 patch and rearranging, makes it look like you did lots of fancy piecing.
How to Wax Your Clothing and Gear: Applying wax to fabric gives it water resistant and hard wearing properties. Whether a backpack or work clothes, a waxed finish to your fabric is a wise choice for those that like to get a little messy in life. As great as waxed fabric is, it's not …
Why cook/steam for hours?! My eco print processing microwave method yields great results and saves so much energy. See the full tutorial
Use your iron to enhance the texture and bring out the color of this elegant fabric.
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In this easy tutorial, I show you how to make a gorgeous piece of batik art using a glue stick and home-made fabric paint.
Today is Marbling Fabric Day... I am using the Jacquard Marbling Kit There is lots of prep work to marble fabric: You need to wash and dry your fabric. You need to cut your fabric to fit the pan. You need to pre-soak your fabric in alum... You need to hang dry your alum soaked fabric. I did all of this prep-work last week. I mixed up the carrageenan water and allowed it to rest in the frig for a few days: Here is my set up in the laundry room @ the Palace: Alum soaked fabric on right Paints in squirt bottles Carrageenan water in 12 x 18 inch pan Marbled fabrics will be stacked on the left (Paper is layered between the marbled fabrics) The Jacquard Marbling kit comes with the paints pre-mixed. I added Gall to help the paints spread across the carrageenan water. I mixed a few of my own colors from the basic colors in the kit. Here goes... This is what the paint looks like floating in the pan of carrageenan. I put gray paint down first, added black paint, added light purple, then dark purple I prefer an organic look so I did not comb the paints. In this photo the fabric is laying on top of the paints in the pan... This is the print on the fabric. I am in love! Adding blue and red paints to the pan... Gray and Black Paint only... Black Paint spreads very fast... Light blue and dark blue paint added. Purple and Blue paints. Here are a few colors I mixed myself floating in the pan: Gray, Orange, Pink with yellow Here is the print on fabric. This time I put a drop of paint in the center... each drop pushed the previous drop away... It just gets bigger and bigger with each drop of paint added. Here is the print on fabric. Your carrageenan water and your paints all need to be at room temperature when you begin printing. You need to add Gall to help the paints spread. You need to have your papers ready so you can stack the fabric prints on top of one another with a sheet of paper in between. Once the prep work is done... you can print all day long! I put black paint down first, then I quickly squirted blue paint all over the top, before it could spread, I put the fabric on and printed it. I put light purple and dark purple paint on first, then quickly squirted light blue on top, then very quickly put the fabric on before it spreads. I did the same thing with black and green paints. I did the same thing with purple and blue paints. You need to work quickly, but I do like this look. This time I marbled on white fabric... I plan to use some of my hand dyes to marble on next time around! I marbled fabric for 4 hours and made 34 prints... I left the marbled prints stacked with paper in between until I was done marbling... then I washed them all out in the sink and hung them to dry on the rack. I will heat set them next week... and they will be ready to use! Next time I marble I plan to try Jo Fitsell's technique. I purchased this DVD from Interweave 2 weeks ago for $5. I have watched it twice and I am ready to give it a try! More to Come... Want to learn more about marbling? CLICK HERE for Lynda Heines tutorials CLICK HERE: to see My Quilts May Your Bobbin Always Be Full, LuAnn Kessi
Need I remind you that fabrics can either make or break your project. Read on for more info on our guide to different fabrics and their properties.
The ultimate guide to natural dyeing. A comprehensive guide to all the everything you nrrd to know. Quick, easy and simple to read. Free Guide
Last Summer, Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin visited Verb, which is a cause for celebration. We invited the Verb community to gather and and to...
Curiosità è la prima cosa che mi collega all’arte di Lorenzo Nanni, di come rende magnificamente palpabile, qualcosa che in natura a volte si rende inavvicinabile o non guardabile, ogni sua opera mozza il fiato.
Find out what types of natural fabrics are used in fashion design and how to choose the right ones for your concept wardrobe.
Keep things au naturale with this easy tutorial.
