Supply List
Fabric Painting
Marjie McWilliams, Instructor
Dyeing is a chemical process. Unlike other quilt classes where you can easily make substitutions, you should follow the supply list as closely as possible. It is especially important that you have the correct fabric and dyes. Your dyes cannot be more than two years old. Read the list carefully. Soda ash is not the same as baking soda. Using the wrong supplies means you will get poor results.
Supplies Needed for All Lessons
- Jacquard Textile Colors Starter Set - Traditional Colors Primaries and Secondaries. If you find a set of the
individual colors in a retail store, that’s great. You will need the 2 1/4 ounce size of Yellow, Sapphire, Emerald,
Black, White, True Red, Orange, and Violet. The Starter Set can be ordered from
www.dharmatrading.com. The order number is #JACTRASS. The price is $21.55 for the eight 2 1/4 oz jars.
The best feature of the Jacquard fabric paints is that they can be thinned way down for a very soft hand. The water to paint ratio can be as low as 20% paint and 80% water for beautiful watercolor effects; almost like dyes!
- 3-5 yards of unbleached cotton muslin, 36" or 45" wide.
If you would like to order the same muslin I use at Fabric Designs, you may order it online at www.fabricdesigns.com. Click on Supplies. The order form for the Fabric Designs Muslin is at the bottom of the page. You may order 5 or 10 yard pieces. It will be shipped out to you immediately via Priority Mail. If outside of the US, contact me about shipping fees.
Note: Be sure you buy cotton that has no permanent press or wrinkle guard added to it. It also should be free of any polyester blending. All cotton is the best.
- brushes in various shapes and sizes
- old towels or T-shirt scraps for cleaning brushes
- paper towels
- newspapers
- access to water
- small containers to hold water
- a palette. This can be a ceramic plate, or square of glass, a piece of masonite or plastic.
- ruler or yardstick
- pencil
- graph paper
- access to a light box or window for tracing patterns
- an iron and ironing board
- spray bottle that can hold at least 1/2 cup of water.
Optional: Stretcher Bars. These can be purchased at the online stores mentioned or made out of 1" x 2" pine. Old wooden frames work well to stretch your fabric and secure with push pins. For instructions on how to make your own, click here.
A very easy stretcher bar solution is to use wood strips held together with C clamps at each corner. It‘s fast, easy and user friendly. Be sure to paint or varnish the wood before use. Fabric dyes will stain the wood and that dye can stain future projects. You can also simply wrap the wood in packing tape to keep the wood free from dye.
Some students of mine have suggested using a square or rectangle of artificial grass instead of stretcher bars. You can use any size starting at about 9"x 11". They enjoy painting their projects on this surface as it does not stick and washes off easily. If you have it, use it. If you do NOT have it, using the stretcher bars is still your best option.
Note on brushes: Many students are concerned about the size, cost, and bristle content of the brushes they have or are thinking about buying for fabric painting. I would suggest that you have a minimum of three brushes that fall somewhere in the modest to middle price range: $2-$10 each.
You should have one fine point brush for detail work that has thin bristles and a sharp tip.
The brush you probably will use most often will be medium sized and about 1" long with a rounded tip. This is good for mixing and application of paints.
The other size that I would recommend as a starter is a flat 1/2"-1" brush with squared off bristles. These bristles nicely fit into corners and make sharp edges.
The best bristles are natural (sable, camel or squirrel) but can be quite costly. They hold the paint beautifully and will last for a long time with proper care. There are nice blends out there of natural and synthetic bristles that are very satisfactory and will not cost you a fortune.
Nylon bristles are acceptable. They tend to leave streaks and do not hold the paint as well as the natural hairs. You can choose and decide for yourself which brush styles you prefer, but one thing is certain: really inexpensive brushes are almost always a disappointment.
BRUSHES
Here are some suggestions for basic brushes. A good place to order online is from www.dickblick.com
Grumbacher: Finest Bristlette Series-
- #1 Small, round, tapered. Synthetic. About $5
- #6- Medium, rounded, tapered. Synthetic. About $8
- #6 Squared off, flat. ("Filbert" or "Flat") Synthetic. About $10
- #8 Squared off, flat. Synthetic. About $10
- #12 Squared off, flat. Synthetic. About $18
A little more classy and my favorites: Winsor Newton: Scepter Gold
- #4 Pointed Round, Sable/Synthetic. About $7
- #6 Pointed Round, Sable/Synthetic. About $10
- 3/4" Flat Wash, Sable/Synthetic. About $15
- #10 Pointed Round. About $15
Others you might like:
Winsor Newton Watercolor Brushes- Cotman Synthetics-
- #2 Round. About $5
- #4 Round. About $7
- Aqyarelle 1/2". About $10
- #10 Round and tapered, or One Stroke 1/2". About $11-$12
I have many SUPER CHEAP brushes that are that I love. Pick up what feels right in your hand and that suits your budget. These are just suggestions for those who want specifics.
OUTLINE
Lesson One
- Sampler covering the spectrum of colors, using the paints
- right out of the bottle
- thinned down with water
- mixed colors adding black and white
Lesson Two
- Applying a base of fabric paint and then adding detail
- How to blend and how to keep the colors from bleeding
- How to set the paints to make them permanent
Lesson Three
- How to transfer designs to the fabric
- Practice using complimentary colors
- How to make shadows
Lesson Four
- Layering color and adding detail
Lesson Five
- Using your fabric paintings
- How to make yardage
- How to add salt to the paint for streaks of color
- How to use the paints in stamping and stenciling