Variety of Techniques for Surface Design

Fabric surface design encompasses a wide variety of techniques for altering the surface of fabric, whether it is cotton, silk, wool or a synthetic fabric.   There is something for everything and everyone.  Altered fabric surfaces can be accomplished by any of the following techniques, either individually or in combinations:

• stitching, either by machine or hand
• painting on fabric
• dyeing fabric
• printing on fabric
• using heat transfer paints or crayons
• adding color, pattern and design with paint sticks
• removing the color from already dyed fabrics with a decolourant
• layering different types of fabrics, as in a fabric collage
• waxing
• burning an image into the fabric to create a design or to reveal the layers underneath
• rusting fabric
• using various transfer mediums and transfer papers to transfer an image to fabric
• digitally printing on fabric
• felting onto a surface
• using a resist such as beeswax, soy wax or a water-based resist to separate colors and to create a design
• embellishing with beads, crystals, buttons, charms, fibers and other found objects

This is a just a tiny glimpse into the world of fabric surface design and all of its possibilities – a little teaser of things to come as we explore this exciting world.

Painting on Fabric

For today, let’s just explore some of the options that you have if you decide you would like to create a piece of fabric art by painting on fabric.  Painting on fabric is one of the easiest and fastest ways to alter the surface of fabric.  There are so many ways to apply the paint that you don’t need to be able to draw the proverbial “straight line.”   Chances are you already have some of the paints that can be used on fabric, such as specially manufactured fabric paints, acrylic paints, puff paints and other dimensional paints, silk paints and heat transfer paints, to name just a few.

The paints come in a variety of finishes:

• matte
• metallic
• iridescent
• neon
• transparent
• opaque

Sometimes the acrylic paints will “change the hand” of the fabric, i.e., make it stiff.  If this is an issue, there are fabric mediums that can be added to the paints to help retain the “hand” of the fabric.

For right now, you don’t have to go out and buy any special fabrics.  If you have fabrics such as a tightly- woven quality cotton, silk or even a synthetic fabric, they will work.  If you are not using fabrics that are specially manufactured without any finishes (i.e., already prepared for dyeing), then it is best to pre-wash and iron the fabric.

When you are deciding on the color of the paint you are going to use, you need to take into consideration whether you will be painting on fabric that is a solid color, white, black, or maybe even an already printed commercial fabric.  You want to use a color that will show up against the background.

Methods for Applying Paint to Fabric

The various ways of painting on fabric is another whole discussion.  Some possibilities, just to name a few are:

• paint it on with a brush to cover a portion of the surface, or maybe even the entire surface
• apply it to a rubber or carved wood stamp with a sponge and then stamp the fabric
• draw designs with fabric markers
• make a mono print
• stencil an image, using either a commercial one or one that you have made
• silk screen the image
• apply it with a brayer
• apply it with a sponge
• apply it with a credit card or other found object to create a design

When you are creating art on fabric, you are telling a story, regardless of the fabric surface design techniques or products being used.  The techniques and mediums you use should enhance that story for your fabric art to be successful.  Don’t worry too much now about how to do it right.  Just get out there and do it!  It’s your story.

Well, a lot has been going on at MeinkeToy.  When I decided to retire, my plans were to just close the business.  I received so many notes from customers about our closing, and I was very sad about the thought of MeinkeToy coming to an end.  A few days after my announcement, I received an email from a long-time customer who inquired if I would consider selling the business. We have had many discussions over the last several weeks and, finally, MeinkeToy has a new owner, Eleanor Love.

Eleanor has a real passion for fiber arts, fabric surface design and mixed-media, and has been active as an artist and teacher of various fabric and media classes over the years.  She has always had a dream about owning a business like MeinkeToy – now her dream has come true.  Eleanor is committed to maintaining the same high quality products and service that we have provided over the years.  She has a keen interest in continuing to source the lastest, greatest and hard to find products in the marketplace for fiber, fabric and mixed-media artists.  A question often asked by her husband over the years has been, “Why can’t you buy just one of something, why do you have to buy ten?”  Now she has a legitimate, guilt-free reason to continue her hunting and gathering, and is anxious to share both your favorite products and new finds with you.

Products will start to come back on the website after May 15 (Eleanor’s youngest daughter, Katie, is expecting a baby May 9, so Eleanor, a.k.a. “Grammie,” will be in Atlanta for a few days).  Products will continuously be added – so check back often to see what is new.

Keep an eye on the MeinkeToy website for the Summer Promotion and Challenge, ”I’M STUCK ON YOU!” that will start June 1.

I can now retire from MeinkeToy with peace of mind, knowing that it will be in good hands with Eleanor.

Thank you all for your support and creativity!

Deb Meinke

Stay tuned for more details as they come available…

I’ve also been advised to consider selling the business, as so many want to see it continue on with another fiber loving person. So, I am. Bear with me as this is all new to me, but if you’re interested in buying MeinkeToy Fiber Art Supplies, please CONTACT ME.

Markdowns on any existing merchandise are continuing, as promised, in our FINAL CLEARANCE.

It is said that all good things must come to an end, and that rings true in fiber arts too. I am retiring from this business and will be closing in the near future. The reason is simple, I want to do something different from shipping art supplies out of my home. I’m not sure exactly what that is yet, but I’m sure to find out sooner or later. One thing I do know, I will miss my fabulous customers!

I’m sure there will be many questions, let me answer some in advance.

What will be your last day? I don’t know yet. I wanted to give some warning in case customers wanted to order things they may have a hard time finding after we close. As the closing day comes closer, I will post it.

Will you mark everything down? We’ll see how it goes. Most items are already marked down substantially in our FINAL CLEARANCE. I will be adding things to the clearance frequently, sometimes daily. Be aware that quantities are limited, there are no backorders.

Will you get any additional inventory in before you close? No, but like always, I have a few items that either got lost off the site or never got entered for some reason, and they may be entered as new items. If you want the really popular items like chiffon scarves, TissuTex, Evolon and the new heat distressables I would suggest not waiting too long to order.

Why not sell the business? I’m not into difficult bookkeeping and business valuations and can’t fathom doing all that. It makes my mind spin! I may consider selling the domain though.

How do I place orders? For now, the same as always. Use the shopping cart, pay with a credit card or PayPal. But we can no longer accept checks (we only had maybe two a year, lol). We do accept PopMoney also.

What about returns? As with all the going-out-of-business sales I’ve seen, we are now all sales final, no returns.

We have new Merino Felting Fiber Bags that are flying out the door. They contain three ounces of brightly colored merino fiber in a potluck mix.

Happy New Year!

Need a last minute gift? All kits are on sale right now, including the popular and very cool Stef Francis embroidery kits. We’re shipping orders very fast - usually in less than 24 hours via Priority Mail, and the mail will be delivered Christmas Eve (Saturday) – yay!

I’m also working on getting some photos up of our new heat distressable fabrics. It’s hard to photograph tissues with lustre and sparkle! But I managed to get a quickie example of Heat Distressable Tissue colored with a Tombow marker and shot with a hot air tool. The tissue is so easy to work with, it takes color like a dream and stays nice and soft after heating – no hard bits! I also have an example of pleated Crystal Spunbonded 17g. I pleated it and dunked it in hot water, then dried it off with a towel. The pleats are crisp and so lovely. I see so many possibilities for this! The Crystal Spunbonded 70g will also hold a crease with a hot water treatment. No photos of Zeelon, yet!

Another reminder: we will be closed beginning Dec. 31 thru mid-January…