Fabric Painting with Fabric Markers ?
Fabric painting with a marker pen or paint pen rather than brush and paint is particularly useful when it comes to painting thin lines. (And there’s no brush to clean afterwards!) But that’s hardly the only thing you can do with fabric markers or paint pens. They give you great control for “coloring in”, work easily with stencils, and can be used with rubber stamps.
A fabric marker contains permanent color (dye/paint/ink) that’s designed to not wash out of clothing or fade with washing. A regular marker pen labeled “permanent” will likely not wash out either, but these don’t come in as many colors as fabric markers do.
Have you been looking at your drab old curtains, or a pile of faded t-shirts and shirts, thinking that you’d like to give them a bit of color? Many people would like to dye fabric at home, but are unsure of where to start. Home dyeing is not complicated and can be a lot of fun. All it takes is an understanding of the basic techniques and equipment, and a desire to add more color to your life.
What equipment will I need?
It’s essential to have all your equipment laid out before you start, so you don’t end up dripping colored dye all over your kitchen. Dyeing is a messy business and you need to be prepared before you start. To this end, it’s a good idea to mess-proof your working space. Use plenty of old newspaper on the floor and surrounding bench areas. Rubber gloves are essential, as is an old wooden spoon or two, which you’ll be using to stir the dye mixture with.
You’ll also need an old plastic jug, or a clean, empy ice-cream container in which to mix the initial dye concentrate. Just remember that each of these items will be stained the color of the dye when you’ve finished, so don’t use your favourite wooden spoon, or a china serving bown to mix the dye in. A plastic bucket is also handy, so that you can transfer the dripping fabric from the dye solution to the basin.
If you’re using a hot-water dye, you’ll need access to a stove to heat the dye mixture and a container large enough to move the item to be dyed around in while it sits on the stove. If you’re using a cold-water dye, a large bucket or plastic washing tub is sufficient, as you will only need to leave the item immersed in the dye, rather than heating it through.
What’s the difference between a hot-water dye and a cold-water dye?
The main difference lies in the intensiey of color you can achieve. As its name suggests, a hot-water dye requires you to effectively simmer the item to be dyed on the stovetop in the dye solution. Depending on how large the item you’re dyeing is, and how deep the color you’re aiming for, you can leave the fabric in the dye solution for anything from 10 minutes to an hour and a half.
Fabric Marker
