Thursday, November 05, 2009

I Love to Create - DIY Fabric Design



Recently I took a 3 part sewing class at Stitch Lab. For the first class we made a little drawstring bag. I brought in some fabulous vintage Barkcloth to make a pillow in class number 2. For the 3rd class we were making a skirt and I could not decide on the right fabric. Sure the stores were full of choices, but I thought it would be more fun to make my own. No, I didn’t go out and grow my own cotton and start from absolute scratch I should say I thought it would be more fun to embellish some fabric for my skirt. Today for I Love to Create I’ll show you what I came up with.


SUPPLIES
Black and White Cotton Fabric
Sponge Roll Brush
Tulip Fabric Spray Paint
Stencil 101 Décor
Tulip Slick Fabric Paint


The first thing I did was snag a few yards of black and white polka dot fabric. I thought it would be a nice back drop. Next I spread my fabric out in the yard and emptied a few bottles of Tulip Cool Color Spray onto the fabric in a random pattern. My pumping finger was sore for days, but the effect was worth it.


Chronicle Books had recently sent over a copy of Stencil 101 Décor: Customize Walls, Floors, and Furniture with Oversized Stencil Art for me to review. You might recall from my Raised in Craftivity and I Love to Create: Stencil 101 that I am a bit of an Ed Roth fan. I am still trying to find just the right piece of home décor to embellish with the stencils, but in the meantime I thought I would use one on my skirt. The book is full of several cool choices like birds, butterflies, circles, hounds tooth and more. I also love that new patterns are plastic which makes for super easy clean up. I always wondered how people who stenciled walls got the patterns to line up so perfectly and after reading Stencil 101 Décor I now know all about handy dandy registration marks.


Armed with my stencil, pencil, foam roll brush and some Tulip Slick Fabric Paint I spread the dyed fabric out on a flat surface and got busy. The stencils are large squares so it went quickly. I allowed the print to dry completely.


After that my fabric was ready for sewing class. The material worked perfect for my drawstring A-line skirt and I was pleased as punch with the results!


I just so happen to have enough fabric and enough time in class left to whip up Tallulah a matching version!

18 comments:

  1. Your skirts turned out adorable!! Your fabric looks great and was definately worth the effort. Darling pictures of you and Lulu too. OK, so I'm the mother and grandmother but everyone reading this knows it's true.

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  2. That's awesome! How exactly did you paint it? Rolled on or brushed. And does the painted skirt feel stiff like the painted T-shirt era of the late 80s?

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  3. You gals are too cute! Love the skirt with leggings and Audrey Hepburn flats...always one of my fav looks.

    I think I can save my fugly t-shirts yet! More stencils!

    xoxo
    Madge

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  4. Thanks mom, I can't believe you didn't recognize it. Thanks too for helping me stencil the skirt! Did Trish use the rest of the spray dye I left of tennis shoes?

    B. I don't think the skirt feels any stiffer than most other skirtsI have. I used a sponge roller from the stencil department at Hobby Lobby. Put my paint on a paper plate, loaded brush and rolled across stencil and fabric.

    Thanks Margot, I like that look too. Especially when I don't get around to shaving my legs which is often the case now that I have a baby I'm lucky to shower period :)

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  5. Oh Jen, those outfits are too cute. You did a fantastic job. I always like to add my own flair to something basic to make it look fantastic.

    www.purplefase.etsy.com

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  6. absolutely adorable!

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  7. Jen! I am so happy to see you posted this - I love that you did clothing, and I can't say how cute that last picture is! Totally inspiring post and I am so happy you like my new book. I just bought some grasscloth to stencil, I'll be sure to share! Thanks again! Ed

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  8. Hi Jen!!

    Great post!! and you and baby in matching skirts is almost too much to bear!!! You're soooo cute!

    ;)

    Elaine

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  9. Kara Whitten4:26 PM

    Oh My! Tallulah is absolutely adorable in her mommy and me matching outfit! What a cutie pie!

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  10. Damn you Jennifer for making me have Mother/Daughter matching outfit envy! That may be the cutest twin pic, EVER!

    Great fabric, too!

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  11. That last pic!!! so cutee-cute!

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  12. I heart matching mommy-baby outfits! Especially DIY ones!

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  13. This has got to be one of the best posts EVER!!! That last pic alone is the best!!! :)
    Love it. Love it.
    And yes, I too now have Mother/Daughter Matching Outfit envy. ;)

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  14. I just love Mother/Daughter matching outfits. Such an adorable photo.

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  15. You two are adorable!!!

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  16. Anonymous2:12 PM

    Cute stuff! Especially Tallulah. Never been to your site before. I'm going to come back. Thanks!
    Gail F.

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  17. Looks like you two had loads of fun!
    Very clever, these are lovely!

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