How to Paint on Fabric Hand Painted Designs, Chair Cushions, Pillows, Christmas Stockings, Hand Painted Fabrics

I love to paint on fabric. You can create whatever design you need.

I recently posted on my Facebook page about this Crab Chair with Painted Cushion

and I got quite a few comments and emails asking about painting on fabric
so I thought I would share how I paint on fabric.

This is a couch I painted for a local surf shop.

I painted the rattan frame with tomato red spray paint. 

The original cushions were dark blue so I added the waves and swirls.

I've always used regular acrylic craft paints when painting fabric.

There are specific fabric paints and textile mediums you can add to acrylics 

to make the dried paint feel softer. They also have different directions on "setting" the paints by 

putting it in the dryer, air dry, or with a warm iron.

If I were painting on an article of clothing, I would definitely use textile medium

or fabric paint so the item would be softer. 

For furniture fabric, I've always used straight acrylic paint with no textile medium added.

I find that the more the item is used, the softer it becomes.

If you paint on fabric it doesn't flake, peel, wear off or come off in the wash.

It's just like when you get paint on your clothes... it doesn't come off

and a good portion of my clothes are proof of that!

Like I mentioned, this couch is in a surf shop where it gets a lot of use and 

has been sat on with wet, sandy swimsuits and has held up beautifully.

I also painted these canvas beach/tote bags for the same surf shop.

I started with plain canvas bags.

When painting on canvas like this, I always lightly mist the fabric with water before painting. 

I find that is the fabric is very lightly dampened, the paint will apply more smoothly

 and to sink into the fibers of the fabric more easily.

You can also thin the paint with just a bit of water but not too much or it will bleed. 

 Although bleeding paint is fine if that is the look you are going for, 

I used that technique in the pics above.

When painting on fabric, be sure to put a plastic bag inside so the 

paint doesn't seep through to the other side.

I painted the handles too and had so much fun painting all the patterns.

This is a set of chairs I painted a long time ago...way before digital cameras.

I recovered the seats with canvas and painted with sea life and lemons.

This is a cushion I made from fabric that I painted with poppy flowers

I used it in this Dog Bed I made from an end table.

On an intricate design like this, it's much easier to paint the fabric THEN 

make your cushion...ahem...not that I've ever done that!

I painted a big paw print on this dog bed cushion...

 
And I made another paw print cushion on this dog bed from an end table.

Here's a seashell design I painted on a pillow.

These are my little family's Christmas Stockings that I painted.

I purchased pre-made canvas stockings and 

painted designs on them for each family member..

A little zebra action for my youngest...

A Rubik's cube design for the oldest...

I actually used a bottle of fabric paint with the squirt top to paint these red squiggles..

Diamond and animal print for me :)

I've since painted lots more Christmas stockings with sea life patterns that I

sold in my Etsy shop for about 3 years but I am no longer making them.

I didn't realize until I started putting this post together how often 

I actually have painted my own fabric!

If you need special fabric for a project, why not paint your own?

It's easy, durable and will definitely be one of a kind.

Thanks so much for reading!

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