Fabric Paints

Fabric paints can enrich your material before you begin sewing—or at any time during the construction process. Use paints to add new designs or dimension to any portion of your quilts or garments, making the fabrics uniquely your own.

Paint sits on top of the fibers. The type of paint you use and how it is applied will determine the “hand” (or stiffness) of your finished item. To make paint easier to spread, try diluting it with between 25 to 50% water. Just keep in mind that full-strength paint colors will be intense, and the more you dilute it the lighter the color will be. Diluted paint doesn’t store well, so plan to use it up in a few days.

The nature of your project will help you decide kind of paint to choose:

Textile Paints can be applied with brushes, sponges, stamps, or squirt bottles.
• Transparency: You can increase the transparency of any color by adding Colorless Extender.
• Increasing both Transparency & Flowability: Add up to 25% water.

Luminere are metallic paints that remains flexible. They are opaque, even on dark fabrics. They can be easily mixed on the palette but will resist running together during direct application onto fabric.
• Pastels: Add #589 Neopaque White.
• Increasing Transparency & Flowability: Add up to 25% water.

Dye-Na-Flow is a free flowing, transparent, textile paint. This concentrated liquid paint may be used on natural or synthetic fabric. It will spread until it is thoroughly absorbed and even. (Heat set painted, dry fabric by ironing for 3 minutes on dry setting appropriate for fabric. Wash in cool water with Synthrapol and rinse.)

TIP: If you mix your own color, write down the recipe so you can make it again.