Fabric Painting DIY, Finishing the Tea Towels

Time to spiff up the kitchen for spring if you haven’t already.
Part 2 Fabric Painting DIY: paint the tea towel pattern we made in Part 1.

Fabric painting can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it.

For this DIY we’ll keep it simple, and save the harder stuff like shading and blending for another time.

Part 1 of this DIY was making the patterns for the tea towels.

Now we’re ready for Part 2!

Fabric Painting DIY: Finishing the Tea Towels Step 1

One of the most first steps to successful fabric painting is to prepare the fabric in the proper way.

The towels we’re using are new, and the sizing needs to be removed so the paint has best chance to stay bright and not fade.

At the least, wash and dry the towels in hot water, and if you have time, three times is even better. If the towels still seem stiff, soaking in vinegar can help.

Don’t use any fabric softener in the dryer, as this adds a coating to the fibers that will mess with the paint.

If you know your way around an iron and ironing board, give the towels a good pressing. Spritzing with water helps stubborn wrinkles.  And, no, spray starch is not a good idea.

Step 2: Transfer the Pattern onto the Tea Towel

This step is one step closer to painting.

Place the towel in the metal painting hoop with all the design area showing. If you didn’t get a painting hoop, you can use a piece of stiff cardboard or a table. Tape the towel to hold it tight as you add the design.

It’s sandwich time now.

Graphite paper on the towel, the paper with the design pattern on top. Trace over the lines to transfer the design to the tea towel. Repeat with all three towels and all three patterns.

Step 3: Time to Paint

Yay! Painting time, finally!

This is where you connect with your inner child, relax, and enjoy yourself.

No style of painting is wrong.  The fabric markers are as easy to use as crayons.

Step 4: Heat Press the Fabric Paint

This is the final step, and one you will wish you hadn’t skipped because you were so excited to display your lovely tea towels.

It makes all the difference to keeping your art beautiful.

You know that ironing board you pulled out of storage for step 1?

Yup. You need it now. And it’s mate, the iron. Heat that machine up to the “Cotton” setting, without any water, because you don’t want steam for this step.

Place your tea towel on the board, design down. If you’re worried about staining your pristine ironing board cover, lay a piece of scrap cotton under the design.

Run the iron all over the back side of the tea towel over the design so that each spot has 4 minutes of heat.

(No one in the history of ever would keep a hot iron in one spot for 4 minutes. Everyone has always known to keep it moving so it doesn’t scorch. Ask me how I know.)

Step 5: Fabric Painting Tea Towels Complete

Fold your towel so the design is front and center, then hang it up and admire.

These are also great as doilies or casually spilling from a basket or dough bowl.

Fabric Painting Delights and Disclaimers

I learned a lot during this practice run of painting towels.  I learned that I don’t know as much as I would like to know about fabric markers.

The dual tipped markers are great.  The fine tip creates crisp and controlled lines.

The brush tip?  I can’t seem to master any kind of blending with it.  If and when I do, I will be sure to let you know.  The best I can suggest at this point is to have oodles of colors so you can lay one color next to the other to get shading.

You have to work fast to get smooth tonal changes, as the markers dry really, really fast.  I did try wetting the fabric before putting down color, but that was a huge oops.  The colors began to spread all over as the water seeped and ran and I got blue in the yellow which made for a sort of pretty watercolor look, but not the result I was going for.  Maybe I got carried away, and less water would have been better.

I also tried a clear marker, the kind you can fill yourself, and I just put water in it.  That didn’t work for me either.

If any of you have pointers, be sure to share.

So, my final words:

1.  I love what fabric markers can do, and they make for a super fast and easy project.
2.  I need to do more research and get more practice.

That said, this towel is kind of lovely, isn’t it?? Almost as nice as this monochrome tea towel. Or this Valentine Tea Towel.

You’re on your way, now,
to painting all your fabric stuff.