Stretched Fabric Craft Project
Make a Home Accent or Gift WIth Unusual Creative Fabric Art Project
One of the beauties of being a mixed-media artist is the ability to experiment with nontraditional mediums. Lets see what we can do with fabric.
Fabric is not just for clothes, upholstery, or cross-stitch projects. Nor is it reserved only for curtains and tablecloths. In the mind of a mixed-media artist, fabric is yet another opportunity to create some great art. We are going to make a mixed-media painting using stretched fabric.
For this project, you will need the following materials:
- Staple gun
- Staples
- Stretched canvas, your choice of size
- Patterned fabric piece, two inches larger than the canvas all the way around
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Glitter glue, assorted colors
- Acrylic paint, assorted colors
- Paintbrushes or sponge brushes
- Small containers of water
- Beads, assorted colors and sizes
- Upholstery needle and thread
Follow these instructions to complete your mixed media project:
- Cut the fabric so it is two inches larger than the canvas chosen for this project. Stretch the fabric over the canvas and staple it down to the wood frame of the stretched canvas. Be sure it is pulled very tight. This will be easiest if you start with two opposite corners, then staple the other two corners, then the sides.
- Stitch beads along patterns throughout the piece. Choose to make a beaded border along the patterns along the edge, or create a random look throughout the piece.
- Add painted embellishments using the acrylic paint throughout the paint. Use the same color as the patterns on the fabric, or create a completely different look. Allow this layer to dry completely before moving on the next step. You can speed up this process through use of a heat gun or hair dryer.
- Swirl over the entire piece with assorted colors of glitter glue. Create random patterns, or follow the pattern of the fabric. Allow this to dry completely. Like with the paint, you can speed up the process through use of a heat gun or hair dryer.
Ideas for additional embellishments:
- Stitch on charms typically found in the scrapbook section of most stores.
- Add fringe around the edge of the piece using a hot glue gun.
- Glue on gems using a hot glue gun.
- Stitch on interesting buttons (choose bold colors or bold styles).
- Use hot glue to affix interesting items, like game pieces or found objects.
Continue embellishing this piece until you are happy with the presentation. The point is to create an abstract piece, rather than something that is a uniform theme. Have fun making a mess, experimenting with stitching, and learning how layering new items looks. There is no right or wrong medium to choose, so long as you are certain how to apply it to the fabric without its falling off or peeling.
Let your imagination take over as the layers are built up and the piece takes on a life of its own. Before you know it, you will have a piece that is great to give as a gift or hang on your wall.
