Fabric paint - how does it hold up to use and washing?
02-13-2011, 01:44 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
Mostly in fabric painting instructions I've seen advice not to use handpainted fabric for quilts that will be used (and washed).
Now I'm aware paint isn't dye and kind of 'sits on top of the fibre', so I'm assuming it won't stay on for hundreds of washings and centuries and centuries... But I'm kind of thinking in lifetime terms, not heirlooms and museums and all that.
So I'm wondering - for those of you who paint, have you used your fabric in lap or bed quilts? How did it hold up to use, how did it age if you washed it occasionally?
Now I'm aware paint isn't dye and kind of 'sits on top of the fibre', so I'm assuming it won't stay on for hundreds of washings and centuries and centuries... But I'm kind of thinking in lifetime terms, not heirlooms and museums and all that.
So I'm wondering - for those of you who paint, have you used your fabric in lap or bed quilts? How did it hold up to use, how did it age if you washed it occasionally?
02-13-2011, 01:59 PM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,888
Can't speak for quilts but I'm still wearing a t-shirt that I painted over 20 years ago and all the colors are still there. You need to either use paints that say "fabric paint" or add "fabric medium" to the paint.
02-13-2011, 02:03 PM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Clearwater, FL
Posts: 2,328
Interesting - I purchased a bunch of t shirts from an artists years ago that painted different greyhounds on shirts - they looked great until I washed them the first time - they were a pale image of what they originally looked like - I bet he didn't use a fabric medium on them
02-13-2011, 03:48 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 3,155
Fabric paint or paint with fabric medium should hold up to many washings. I have done lots of fabric painting and never had any problems with paint fading.
Be sure you heat set the paint. This a necessary step to insure paint adheres to fabric. When heat setting place a pressing cloth or paper towel over painted surface before touching with iron.
Be sure you heat set the paint. This a necessary step to insure paint adheres to fabric. When heat setting place a pressing cloth or paper towel over painted surface before touching with iron.
02-14-2011, 01:57 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
Originally Posted by JUNEC
Interesting - I purchased a bunch of t shirts from an artists years ago that painted different greyhounds on shirts - they looked great until I washed them the first time - they were a pale image of what they originally looked like - I bet he didn't use a fabric medium on them
02-14-2011, 01:58 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
Originally Posted by sewgull
Fabric paint or paint with fabric medium should hold up to many washings. I have done lots of fabric painting and never had any problems with paint fading.
Be sure you heat set the paint. This a necessary step to insure paint adheres to fabric. When heat setting place a pressing cloth or paper towel over painted surface before touching with iron.
Be sure you heat set the paint. This a necessary step to insure paint adheres to fabric. When heat setting place a pressing cloth or paper towel over painted surface before touching with iron.
Yay!! This is encouraging.
:-D
02-14-2011, 02:12 PM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 2,720
Originally Posted by sewgull
Fabric paint or paint with fabric medium should hold up to many washings. I have done lots of fabric painting and never had any problems with paint fading.
Be sure you heat set the paint. This a necessary step to insure paint adheres to fabric. When heat setting place a pressing cloth or paper towel over painted surface before touching with iron.
Be sure you heat set the paint. This a necessary step to insure paint adheres to fabric. When heat setting place a pressing cloth or paper towel over painted surface before touching with iron.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Living4Him
For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts
7
10-12-2013 05:08 AM
kountrykreation
For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts
34
02-16-2012 11:01 AM
craftybear
Links and Resources
3
06-05-2011 08:53 PM
