Designer Lisa Shepard shows how to use traditional Indian-block printing to create intricate fabrics and designs for home furnishings.
Materials:
stamps (in styles reminiscent of traditional Indian blocks)
carving tools in style of choice
fabrics of your choice (cut to make a pillow)
acrylic paints
fabric medium
small paintbrush
batting
Steps:
- Begin by obtaining Indian-style blocks. There are many styles, including those that served as the original border designs (figure A). The original blocks are hard to find, but craft stores have modern blocks of all types. Be sure to pick up a few carving tools from the same section of the store.
- Draw out your design and carve it out with a carving tool (figure B). Be sure to carve into the block at least an eighth of an inch in depth. You can carve deeper for more definition.
- Once you've selected a fabric, select several acrylic paints. Adding fabric medium to the paints keeps them from getting too stiff.
- Apply paint to the stamp with a small paintbrush (figure C). You can add a variety of blends and colors to different parts of the stamp if you prefer.
- Press the stamp down solidly onto the cloth. Keep stamping until the fabric is covered (figure D).
- Use two pieces of the fabric and some batting to make a pillow.
Resources African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home
by Lisa Shepard (ISBN: 0873417895)
Krause Publications, 1999
Order this
title.
Krause Publications
Website:
www.krause.com
Guests Lisa Shepard
Author, Designer, Instructor
PO Box 3643
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 866-683-2568
E-mail:
lisa@lisashepard.com
Website:
www.lisashepard.com
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