Fabric

Introduction

Fabric is a flexible material made of fine fibres held together in some way. The fibres can be natural or synthetic or a combination of both. Natural fibres come from animal hair and fur such as sheep's wool, or plants such as grass, bamboo and cotton. There are many kinds of synthetic fibres, for example polyester, nylon and acrylic. Examples of products that are fabric-based are curtains, rugs, cushions, bags and clothes.

Techniques

Constructed Textiles

Constructed Textiles is all about either constructing fabric from scratch or using existing fabrics to construct a 2-d wall hanging or 3-d sculpture. Examples of constructed fabric from scratch would be Felt Making, Weaving, and Knitting. Felt Making is the oldest form of constructing Fabric, it actually predates Weaving. Felt is made by wetting sheets of wool or other animal hairs and rubbing them together. The friction made by rubbing creates little hooks in the fibres which attaches them together. Techniques used to create wall hangings could be Stitching, Sewing, Leatherwork and Quilting. For making Sculptures Wire Mesh and Armatures are made to support the fabric from underneath and give it structure.

Printed and Painted Textiles

Printed Textiles involves using dyes and sometimes bleach to create a number of effects from graphic images to looser, more free flowing patterns. Screen Printing, previously known as silk screening, involves using a large machine that squeezes fabric dyes over a stencil and onto a piece of fabric. Batik and Tie-dying are great examples of a more fluid way of working with dyes. In Batik, melted wax is applied onto a fabric to mask the area so no dye goes onto it. With Tye-dying, the cloth is tied or folded in certain places to prevent the dye getting onto certain sections.

Painting on Textiles is a fantastic way to make a dull plain piece of clothing much more beautiful. For silk scarves you can use Silk Paints. Click here for Silk Paints from Everglades Craft Materials Supplies. For other fabrics you can use Tulip Fabric Paints. They truly are amazing Paints and are so versatile you can use them on an array of other materials too. Fabric paints come with a nozzle for fine detailing, but don't be afraid to pop off the nozzle for larger areas of colour. These paints come in a large range of colours from bold, metallic, glitter and bright. You can also use photographs that you have taken and transfer the images onto fabric. This is such a great way to personalise your own tshirts, caps and bags. Its so easy!

 

Click here to go to the Projects Section