Last year my friend Diane from our Surface Design Group shared a technique using puffy paints and stencils that she designs to create a cool raised effect on fabric (or paper) and then when I shared how I had sprayed bleach on to some velvet using a plastic doily as a resist she suggested that I try Soft Scrub with the stencils the next time I did it.
So I did.
Last night I had 30 minutes to kill before Sarah Conner Chronicles and Fringe and The Mentalist and I pulled out a Spiderweb Mask that I had recently found at a scrap book store here in Sarasota. They are from Tim Holtz line of products and have a bit of tackiness so they stick and can be re-used. I looked at eBay and found lots more by Heidi Swapp and another set with barbed wire from Tim. I will be getting some more to play with because this saves so much time in cutting my own stencils and the designs are great.
The results on black cotton velvet were outstanding and I love the glow of the brown bleached areas so much that I thought I would share it.
You probably know all about bleach resist and have done it a million bazillion times, but using the soft scrub is less messy and doesn't smell so bad and no need to worry about overspray or doing it outside and fighting any breezes.
First I cut some black cotton velvet into 12" squares.
Get everything ready~ the fabric, the soft scrub, the masks or stencils and maybe something flat with an edge to spread it with. I used a small ruler but you could use an old credit card or spackle knife.
Place Tim Holtz Spiderweb Mask on velvet where you want design to be. I added a small seam allowance but got close to the edges.
Squirt some Soft Scrub on to center of masks and start spreading.
You can use your fingers- go ahead, it's a little cold but won't hurt- it's better than cleaning the bathtub with it!
I put it on sorta thick.
After a few minutes it will start to change color.
The mask acts as a resist and the black velvet will stay the same underneath as long as the plastic stays down firmly on it.
product placement.
This tutorial was not paid for or suggested by the kind
people at Soft Scrub (teehee)
That's the piece I did last night since you are probably all squirmy and anxious to skip ahead and see what the results look like.
Hold your horses, cowgirls and give it another few minutes.
In the time while you are waiting you could always do another.
This is with one of Diane Bunker's stencils and I wanted to test using it with adhesive on the back of the stencil.
slap some on there and go check the first piece of fabric.
This is after about 5 minutes
This is about 8 minutes and I can't stand it anymore so I put the 12" square acrylic ruler under it and carry it into the kitchen.
Don't panic when you start rinsing it off and don't see anything at first- remember the velvet has a nap and the black is just showing until you dry it.
Once you rinse it and dry it the black has bleached to brown and looks so cool!
Now, after I pulled the stencil off from the other piece of fabric I saw the calamity! The smaller stencil had not been sprayed with temporary adhesive like the larger design had and it leaked under and messed up the sharpness of the design.
Small price to pay to learn a lesson.
I had used the larger stencil for another project and was testing the temporary spray adhesive for quilt basting. It worked but I advise spraying the back of the stencil lightly and allow to dry before using on fabric.
ahh, what would my day be without some sort of Calamity?
Rinse with warm water and then quickly wash with some dish soap.
Wring out and hang on a hanger and dry in the sun
Some day I'll have a clothesline, but until then the hibiscus works fine
So, give this technique a try and have fun- don't be afraid!
What ya gonna do, alter something?
Make it unique?
Have a Fabric Adventure- today!
Love & Stitches,
Calamity Kim